In the City of Santa Clara the bottom line in the 2026 election is that nothing has changed since election day. Votes counted since election day have split almost evenly
Karen Hardy, Eric Crutchlow and Kimberely Williams established a lead on Nov. 3, and haven’t relinquished it since. The Registrar’s office reports 23,900 ballots remain to be counted countywide.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Karen Hardy’s lead in the Santa Clara mayor’s race grew to 558 votes, the largest lead since election day, as the Registrar of Voters continues to count ballots. Hardy has 7,361 votes, or 23%, to Kathy Watanabe’s 6,803 (21%).
The order hasn’t moved since election night. David Kertes holds third with 6,325 votes (20%), followed by Kevin Park, who has conceded, with 6,067 (19%). Gary Ferraris has 3,499 votes (11%) and Mike Wiltberger has 2,250 (7%). Hardy picked up 830 votes in the latest count to Watanabe’s 684, after Watanabe had trimmed her lead to 412 votes on Tuesday.
In Council District 2, Williams leads Yvonne Inciarte 2,684 to 2,122 (56% to 44%), a margin of 562 votes. Planning Commission Chair Crutchlow leads Kyle Madej 2,530 to 2,076 (55% to 45%) in District 3, up 454 votes.
School board races are a different story.
Two school board races appear to have changed hands since election night, and both new leaders have extended their margins. In Santa Clara Unified’s Trustee Area 1, challenger Kamal Yassin now has 1,646 votes (52%) to incumbent Jim Canova’s 1,532 (48%), a lead of 114. Canova led on election night, but Yassin passed him Monday and his lead has increased every day since.
Rommy Kushner took the lead in Sunnyvale School District’s Trustee Area 3 over the weekend. She now has 1,969 votes (51%) to Michelle Maginot’s 1,871 (49%), a 98-vote margin.
Results are unofficial as of Nov. 11, at 5 p.m. The Weekly will continue posting daily updated totals on its Facebook page.
Carolyn Schuk can be reached at carolyn@santaclaraweekly.com.