This year’s slate of mayoral candidates is a full field, with six residents throwing their hats into the ring to vie for the city’s highest office.
Mayor Lisa Gillmor’s term is ending, and she is ineligible to run again, ending a stint that saw her serving on the council for 23 of the last 34 years. That void has left the seat without an incumbent, opening the floodgates for a slew of candidates.
Armando (Gary) Ferraris
Ferraris is a union representative and retired public works supervisor. His candidate statement reads that working in public works gave him firsthand experience responsibly managing budgets.
He believes strong communities are built on trust, compassion and service and that leadership is about showing up, being present, and earning people’s confidence. He values honesty, accountability, and treating every person with dignity, regardless of their background or point of view.
As mayor, he vows to protect tax dollars and invest in infrastructure before small problems become costly emergencies. Further, he writes, he will ensure police, fire, and emergency services have the resources they need to keep neighborhoods safe and that Santa Clara has the skilled workforce required to deliver reliable, high-quality public services.
He vows to support thoughtful growth that strengthens the city while preserving the quality of life that makes Santa Clara a great place to live, work, and raise a family — investing in parks, libraries, streets, and neighborhoods, and rebuilding trust through honest, transparent and accountable leadership.
Learn more about Ferraris at GaryFerrarisForMayor.com
Karen Hardy
After eight years serving District 3, Hardy is term-limited out of the Santa Clara City Council. She is a retired Wilcox High School science teacher and coaches its robotics team. She also serves as the vice chair of the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency.
She claims affordability is Santa Clara’s greatest concern. She vows to prioritize adding a variety of housing options, keeping utility bills and city fees low while maintaining high-quality service. She characterizes her governance style as engagement, respect and decency, noting that courtesy should not have to compete with disdain.
If elected, she vows to propose a moratorium on new data centers on her first day.
Hardy holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Brigham Young University and a Master of Arts in teaching from National University.
Learn more about Hardy at karenhardy.net
David Kertes
Kertes works as a senior sales director and previously ran for the Santa Clara City Council, losing to Council Member Suds Jain in 2024’s District 6 election.
He coaches Westside Little League and Santa Clara Youth Soccer, which has allowed him to witness how investing in Santa Clara’s youth strengthens the community. He believes, according to his candidate statement, that Santa Clara needs leadership that puts residents first and focuses on issues that matter most to families.
Further, he believes Santa Clara deserves safe neighborhoods, well-maintained infrastructure, outstanding police and fire services, vibrant parks, community events in all districts and expanded opportunities for children, seniors and families.
He vows to bring integrity, accountability, and sound financial management to city hall. Through transparency, respectful debate, and long-term planning, he believes the council can build a stronger future while protecting Santa Clara’s quality of life.
Learn more about Kertes at www.DavidKertesForMayor.com.
Kevin Park
Having been re-elected to a second term in 2024, Park serves District 4 on the Santa Clara City Council.
His candidate statement lists his priorities as promoting local businesses, basic infrastructure, support services, individual rights and the sanctity of all communities. He vows to refocus on residents’ needs so the city doesn’t continue to lose assets like our downtown, California’s Great America, the George Haines International Swim Center and commercial services that made Santa Clara a growth leader.
As the city’s spokesperson, Park writes that he will cultivate civility and teamwork, listen to, and be responsible to the people. As mayor, he vows to restore vision in development, ensure fiscal responsibility and reduce spending. Additionally, he claims he will preserve and expand city resources like the senior center, libraries, pools and parks, giving future Santa Clara generations room to grow and reasons to stay in the city.
Park holds a Bachelor of Science degree from California Institute of Technology and a Master of Science from Stanford University.
Learn more about Park at www.KevinPark.net
Kathy Watanabe
In 2024, Watanabe term-limited out of the Santa Clara City Council, where she served for eight years. That year, voters elected her to the Santa Clara Unified School District Board of Trustees.
Watanabe lists her priorities as strengthening the local economy, supporting responsible redevelopment, attracting quality businesses and ensuring growth pays for infrastructure and city services. She supports programs that help local small businesses, such as worker cooperative models.
In her candidate statement, she writes that she will invest in parks, libraries, youth and senior programs, restore resident leadership programs and expand opportunities for residents of all ages. She vows to lead with integrity, accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility and thoughtful planning.
Watanabe has a longstanding political alliance with Gillmor, but Gillmor has yet to endorse a candidate. Santa Clara City Council Member Kelly Cox, Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga and Congressman Ro Khanna have all endorsed Watanabe.
Learn more about Watanabe at https://kathywatanabe.com/
Mike Wiltberger
Wiltberger is a medical researcher. His background in medical technology and living in a historical home has, according to his candidate statement, given him an appreciation of both what came before, but also what comes next.
He believes he can help protect Santa Clara’s hometown spirit while fostering the innovation that makes Silicon Valley unique. He vows to work tirelessly and transparently to maintain Santa Clara’s place in the world as a steward of advanced technology without sacrificing the city’s character and quality of life.
He claims he has a clear plan and commitment to putting the community first by focusing on restoring fiscal responsibility, rebuilding downtown, attracting new retail and restaurants to create local jobs, investing in critical infrastructure and prioritizing residents’ ideas and concerns in every decision.
He believes the city has to move past establishment politics and special interests, healing the division on the city council.
Learn more about Wiltberger at https://mikeformayor26.com
With the exception of Watanabe, all the candidates agreed to the voluntary campaign expenditure limit, which is essentially a pledge that a candidate in a citywide election will only spend up to $55,890 and accept individual contributions up to $760. Candidates that do not agree to the voluntary expenditure limit default to the city’s $380 limit on individual contributions but make no claims about their overall spending.
All the candidates accepted the code of fair campaign practices. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Contact David Alexander at d.todd.alexander@gmail.com