In Campbell, Districts 3, 4 and 5 have candidates running for City Council seats. Mayor Dan Furtado in District 3 is ahead in early results with Davis Fields leading in District 4, while Daraius Sorabji in District 5 is running unopposed.
District 3
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, incumbent Furtado in District 3 is ahead in his reelection bid with 62.7% of the vote, or 926 votes. His challenger Joseph “Joe” Brenner is trailing with with 37.2% of the vote, or 549 votes. The country voter turnout is at 29.6%.
Approximately 337,600 ballots remain unprocessed countywide, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.
“I want to thank the voters of District 3 for reelecting me to the Campbell City Council during these challenging economic times,” Furtado told San José Spotlight. “I look forward to protecting our local control, quality of life and services to our residents and support for business owners in our city. I have both hope and optimism for our community, region and country.”
Furtado, 82, has contributed a lifetime of service to his native city, including a total of 18 years on the city council.
A veteran who retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, Furtado was also a professor of pharmacology who taught at Stanford University and Cal State University Monterey Bay. He has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the National League of Cities, the Association of Bay Area Governments and VTA’s Policy Advisory Committee.
Furtado wants to maintain a balance of services across quality of life, public safety and youth programs, even as Campbell — like most California cities — struggles with a tight budget. He also wants to get ahead of the curve on housing.
Brenner, 36, owner of South Bay Suds, which sells commercial cleaning products, is eager to contribute fresh views to the council — with a goal for the city to grow revenue by improving the business climate.
Brenner’s volunteer work includes serving as president of the Downtown Campbell Neighborhood Association, sitting on the board of Silicon Valley Shakespeare and chairing the ambassador committee of the Campbell Chamber of Commerce.
Brenner also wants the city to get ahead of state housing mandates for how many homes Campbell needs to plan for over the next several years.
District 4
The District 4 race is open, with Councilmember Elliot Scozzola not seeking another term. Two newcomers are vying for the seat: Campbell Planning Commission Chair Davis Fields and grocery store clerk Joseph Guardado.
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Fields is ahead with 67.8% of the vote, or 908 votes. Trailing behind is Guardado with 31.8% of the vote, or 426 votes.
“I’m excited to see this initial set of results and hopeful about the eventual outcome,” Fields told San José Spotlight. “I really appreciate all the support from my Campbell neighbors as I walked around town and got to hear from people about the things they wanted out of council.”
Fields said after talking to residents traffic safety was a top issue, followed by housing and the city’s aging infrastructure.
A tech executive who previously served on the Civic Improvement Commission, Fields also wants to repair or replace the city’s aging public infrastructure. The issue received more attention in July when Campbell suddenly closed its public pool permanently due to unrepairable leaks.
On housing, Fields — who joined the planning commission in 2022 — supports new homes at all price points, but wants growth while respecting neighborhood character and concerns from residents.
Guardado, a grocery store clerk, got his motivation to run for the District 4 council seat from witnessing a car hitting a pedestrian in his neighborhood four years ago.
Guardado said traffic safety and infrastructure are top priorities. Guardado also wants the city to be more transparent with its finances and provide residents with more details on spending. His other goals are to add more public transportation and find ways to reduce city taxes.
Sorabji, age 62, ran unopposed in District 5, with Councilmember Anne Bybee terming out.
Contact Mike Langberg at [email protected].
This story originally appeared in San Jose Spotlight.