by Susan N.
Eric Swalwell’s congressional seat was already up for grabs in the 2026 midterm elections. His April 14 resignation in the wake of sexual assault allegations leaves his seat vacant for the remainder of this year as well. This means voters in the East Bay’s District 14 — which encompasses a wide swath of central Alameda County — may take to the polls as many as four times this year to vote for his replacement: On June 2, June 16, Aug. 18 and Nov. 3.
What’s with all the elections? The June 2 primary will determine who’s in the running for Swalwell’s seat in the November midterms. Whoever wins will run in the Nov. 3 general election and take office in January 2027.
A special primary has been scheduled on June 16 in District 14 to determine who will complete Swalwell’s current congressional term, which ends in December.
If no candidate wins the majority vote in the special primary, the top two candidates will compete in an Aug 18 runoff election.
Why does it matter who replaces him this year? Even though Swalwell’s replacement will only serve half a year or less, it’s important that his seat does not remain empty when key legislation comes before congress this fall.
So, if you live in Castro Valley, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton or Union City, as well as the western part of Dublin, the north side of Fremont and portions of San Leandro, please save the dates of June 16 and Aug. 18. Plan to vote — and remind your friends and neighbors to vote, too.
Here’s what you need to know:
- District 14 candidates running in the June 2 primary include: State Senator Aisha Wahab (D), BART Board President Melissa Hernandez (D), San Leandro Councilmember Victor Aguilar Jr. (D), businesswoman Carin Elam (D), attorney Rahki Israni (D), graphic designer Matt Ortega (D), real estate investor Wendy Huang (R) and attorney Suzanne Chenault (no party listed).
- Note: Indivisible East Bay has endorsed Aisha Wahab! Read about it here.
- Candidates have until Thursday, April 23, to file their candidacy papers to qualify for the June 16 special primary.
- According to Pleasanton Weekly, the unofficial list of candidates for the June 16 primary includes: Wahab, Hernandez, Israni and fellow Democrats Alisha Cordes, Harinder Lamba and Jot Thiara; Huang and fellow Republicans Ozel Kirkland, Dena Maldonado and Jack Wu; and former state senator Steve Glazer and Thomas Wong, both listed with no party preference.
- Wahab, Hernandez, Elam, Israni, Ortega and Huang participated in a forum on April 12 hosted by Pleasanton Weekly, which can be viewed here.
- This San Jose Mercury News article shows which candidates are leading in fundraising.
As with the governor’s race, there’s consternation among some Democrats that a divided ticket could open the door for a Republican to claim the rest of Swalwell’s term.
Take Action
- Attend the virtual May 16 candidate forum from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Eden Area and the League of Women Voters of Fremont, Newark and Union City; register here to receive a link to the live forum.
- Help spread the word about the key District 14 voting dates: June 2 primary; June 16 special primary; Aug. 18 runoff; and Nov. 3 general election.
- Consider which Democratic candidate has the best chance of winning, and get behind them to keep the seat from going to a Republican.
