Silicon Valley Congressional District 16 race too close to call as ballot count continues

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The three leading candidates running to replace District 16’s Anna Eshoo are speaking out about the tight primary race they’re in. The two candidates with the most votes will face each other in the November general election.

Sam Liccardo is leading in the vote count Wednesday night, followed closely by Joe Simitian and Evan Low. It’s too early to call the race, but all three of these candidates say they believe they can best represent Silicon Valley in Congress.  

"As of this morning, we had about 145,000 ballots that we’ve collected so far," said Steve Goltiao, communications manager with the County of Santa Clara Registrar of Voters. 

With more than 209,000 people casting a vote on Tuesday, Santa Clara County’s Registrar of Voters says it’ll be counting ballots for days.

"We will continue collecting ballots from USPS for an additional seven days after the election. So, as long as they’re post marked by election day, and we receive it by March 12th, they will be counted," said Goltiao. 

In the latest standings, the Registrar reports Sam Liccardo leading with over 22% of the vote, Joe Simitian with just over 18% and Evan Low with 16.5% of the vote. With ballots still being counted, State Assemblymember Low says he’s not giving up just yet.

"We’ve seen close to historic lows in a presidential primary. So, if the votes are still being counted, I’m hopeful to see the potential to be in the top two this primary," said Low. 

In a crowded race that saw 11 people vying to replace long-time Representative Anna Eshoo, Santa Clara County Board Supervisor Joe Simitian currently sits in 2nd place and says he knows Silicon Valley voters well.

"Alone among the candidates, I have represented 14 of the 15 cities and towns, so these are places I know pretty well and people I’ve represented. I know their views, their values, and their needs," said Simitian. 

Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo still has an early lead and says his focus on issues that people in Silicon Valley face played a role in how people voted at the polls.

"We’ve got a competitive race and I know that a lot of folks will be watching the county carefully. The good news is, at least the early results are good news for me. So, I’ll continue to press ahead and prepare for the next eight months," said  Liccardo. 

All three candidates say if they’re on the ballot in November, the plan is to get some rest for now and then approach this next campaign cycle like it’s an entirely new race.