Early money is already warping the playing field in San Jose’s 2026 City Council contests. With the only open seat in District 9 drawing multiple deep-pocketed contenders, and rematches brewing in East San Jose and District 5, cash on hand is starting to separate full-fledged operations from long-shot hopefuls. Campaign filings through Dec. 31 give voters a first look at where the checks and the self-funding are piling up.
Campaign filings reviewed by San José Spotlight show Genny Altwer out in front in the open District 9 race with $71,719 raised through Dec. 31, including a $15,000 loan to her own campaign. Scott Hughes reports $41,539, Mike Hennessy $23,675, and Gordon Chester $2,835. In District 7, Van Le has raised $65,217, including $19,800 she loaned her campaign, while incumbent Bien Doan reports $23,746 and Hanh-Giao Nguyen reports $6,950. District 5 is heavily front-loaded, with incumbent Peter Ortiz at $98,761, Nora Campos at $17,550, Karen Martinez at $13,779, and Vy Dang at $4,500. District 3’s Anthony Tordillos reports $34,644, and District 1 incumbent Rosemary Kamei is running unopposed with $13,847, according to San José Spotlight.
Filing Window, Ground Rules and How to Track the Money
The formal nomination period for the odd-numbered council seats opens Feb. 9 and runs through 12:00 p.m. on March 6, giving would-be councilmembers roughly four weeks to lock in their paperwork and keep their fundraising stories on an upward curve. The City of San José caps campaign contributions at $800 per person per election and maintains an online public portal where local campaign finance reports are posted for anyone to review, according to the City of San José.
Self-Loans and the Early Edge They Buy
Some of the biggest totals are padded by candidate loans, a standard early-game move that gives campaigns quick cash for staff, mailers, and basic visibility. Altwer’s $15,000 loan to her own effort and Van Le’s nearly $20,000 in personal loans help fuel those top-line numbers, but they do not necessarily signal a broad base of supporters or voter enthusiasm on their own, as San José Spotlight’s review of the filings notes.
What Voters Should Watch Next
With an open District 9 seat and a slate of rematches taking shape, the March filing deadline and the next batch of campaign disclosures will be the real test of staying power and late-breaking momentum. Anthony Tordillos, who won last year’s special election to fill the District 3 vacancy, will be seeking a full term this year after a turbulent stretch that saw former Councilmember Omar Torres resign amid criminal charges and later plead no contest, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Fundraising totals and candidate lists will almost certainly shift in the coming weeks as more reports land and campaigns react to early money moves. For voters, the dollar figures offer a preview of an organization's and reach's scale, not a final verdict, since the ground game, endorsements, and who actually turns out will still decide how June’s primaries shake out.
