SAN JOSE -- Most of their issues are common to any city council race in America -- fixing potholes, stopping gang violence, improving schools. But Tuesday's special election in San Jose is between two young Vietnamese-American women with the winner making local election history.

Tuesday's runoff election to decide between two candidates named Nguyen marks the political awakening of San Jose's Vietnamese community -- a fast-growing immigrant group that began arriving three decades ago as political refugees from war-ravaged Vietnam.

"It's a big milestone," said resident Paul Le, 38. "After 30 years, we will finally have someone who wants to represent our interests. It shows that we have the will and political strength to voice our concerns."

School board member Madison Nguyen, 30, and attorney Linda Nguyen, 28, both Democrats, are not related but share the most common Vietnamese surname.

Their runoff is only the latest sign of Vietnamese-Americans' growing political power. In November, Van Tran, a Republican former city councilman in Southern California's Garden Grove, became the nation's first Vietnamese-American elected to a state Legislature.

"This is a new force in local, state and national politics," said Terry Christensen, a political science professor at San Jose State University.

In San Jose, the nation's 10th largest city, nearly 10 percent of the population of 900,000 is of Vietnamese descent. The broad avenues in the Nguyens' district are lined with pho noodle shops, cafes that serve Vietnamese coffee and the offices of doctors, lawyers and real estate agents named Tran or Nguyen. Lawns are dotted with Nguyen campaign signs.

Even though they're far from the largest ethnic group -- the district is 36 percent Asian and 42 percent Hispanic -- Vietnamese residents voted in record numbers in June to propel the Nguyens ahead of seven other candidates.

Madison Nguyen emerged as the early favorite after winning 44 percent of the primary vote.

Born in Nga Trang on Vietnam's coast, Nguyen and her family fled their homeland in 1979. After college, she became San Jose's first Vietnamese school board member and emerged as a community leader during protests of a fatal police shooting of a mentally ill Vietnamese woman two years ago.

"This is a district made up of immigrants and working-class families that have similar values that I had growing up," Madison Nguyen said. "When I walk precincts, I see their struggle. I see their desire to move forward. When I see them, I actually see myself. They're going to elect someone who knows their values."

Linda Nguyen is a political novice from a well-connected family who surprised many by winning 27 percent of the primary vote. Born and raised in the district, she works as a real estate attorney and directs the popular Vietnamese New Year Tet parade.

"I feel like this is an opportunity to make a difference," Linda Nguyen said. "I'm just a person who cares about the community and isn't afraid to speak up when something is wrong, who isn't afraid to speak up for people who need a voice."

Their appeals in English have focused on city services and accusations of campaign ethics violations that were declared unfounded. While speaking in Vietnamese, they've tried to outdo each other's anti-communist fervor.

And while many Vietnamese are thrilled they'll soon have one of their own in City Hall, others worry about being left out in a district where more than 60 percent of the residents aren't Asian.

"Read their pamphlets and handouts. It's all in Vietnamese," said longtime resident Chuck Jeffery, 65. "It's to be expected, but now they have to transition from their culture to the overall community, where there are all sorts of cultures."

Both Nguyens say they're working hard for all the district's voters.

"I can tell you that we're both very visible outside the Vietnamese community," Madison Nguyen said. "When we walk the precincts, we see each other all the time. A lot of non-Vietnamese say, 'Weren't you just here?' I say, 'No, that was the other Nguyen."'