Gabby Chavez-Lopez leads San Jose's District 3 council election race

In San Jose, California, a special election was held to fill the City Council District 3 seat after former councilmember Omar Torres vacated it. The vacancy followed Torres' arrest for alleged child sex abuse, for which he pleaded no contest and was subsequently convicted on multiple charges. This special election took place following the plea deal, as the city looked to appoint a new representative for the district. Seven candidates vied for the position, with voting centers open until 8 p.m. on election day, and mail-in ballots having been sent out earlier. As a result, initial ballot counts indicated that Gabby Chavez-Lopez emerged in the lead with nearly 30% of the vote, while Matthew Quevedo followed closely with over 22% and Anthony Tordillos obtained over 20%. Election officials noted that if no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election would be necessary between the top two candidates. Due to this, voters would have the opportunity to participate in a runoff scheduled for June 24 if no majority winner was established. This special election not only represents a shift in local governance but also reflects community response to the controversies surrounding the former councilmember. Current Santa Clara County election officials assured the public that ballot counting would continue in the following days as they worked to complete the tally for the election. Omar Torres faces a potential prison sentence of up to 24 years, with his next court hearing scheduled for late May to establish a sentencing date.