Opinion: A fix for Santa Clara County’s expensive special elections
Dec 19, 2025
Ranked choice voting could have saved taxpayers the $13 million cost of the Dec. 30 assessor race runoff
Santa Clara County's costly holiday runoff election highlights the fiscal case for adopting ranked choice voting in special elections.
During a budget crisis that has forced cuts to public health and social services, Santa Clara County spent an estimated $26 million on two separate elections to fill a single assessor's seat — including a December 30 runoff likely to draw minimal voter participation.
Op-ed author David Newswanger argues this is an entirely avoidable expense. Santa Clara County already has the legal authority, voter approval (via 1999's Measure F), and compatible voting equipment to implement ranked choice voting for special elections. RCV would consolidate two elections into one by conducting an instant runoff through voters' ranked preferences, guaranteeing a majority winner without a costly second election.
Newswanger notes that with recent council vacancies in San Jose and anticipated future openings tied to statewide races, this is a recurring problem — not a one-time fluke. He calls on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to adopt RCV for special elections now, framing it as a fiscally responsible reform that saves millions and improves democratic participation compared to low-turnout holiday runoffs.