# Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is the board of supervisors governing Santa Clara County, California. It is made of elected representatives from each of the county's five districts. As a result of the 2022 elections, members of the Democratic Party hold all seats on the board though it is officially nonpartisan.

## Governance and duties

The Board of Supervisors is responsible for overseeing the operation of government and laws concerning Santa Clara County.

### Salaries

Members of the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors are paid a total salary of $192,686 per year as of 2023.

### Committees

* Children, Seniors and Families Committee (CSFC)
* Finance and Government Operations Committee (FGOC)
* Health and Hospital Committee (HHC)
* Housing, Land Use, Environment and Transportation Committee (HLUET)
* Public Safety and Justice Committee (PSJC)
* Federal Affairs Advocacy Task Force

## Elections

Members of the Board of Supervisors are elected to four year terms from one of the five single member districts using a Two-round system. Candidates are officially listed on the ballot as nonpartisan, but are usually affiliated with a political party.

### 2024

Incumbent supervisors Cindy Chavez and Joe Simitian were term-limited. Betty Duong and Margaret Abe-Koga were elected in their respective seats.

### 2022

Incumbent District 1 supervisor Greg Wasserman was term-limited and Incumbent District 4 supervisor Susan Ellenberg was eligibile to seek re-election.

## History

Santa Clara County received media attention in the 1980s as the "feminist capital of the nation" because of significant amounts of women in elected positions, including a majority of the Board of Supervisors from 1980 to 1985. Following the 2024 elections, the board was majority Asian-American for the first time and majority women for the second time.

### Previous membership

Notable previous Supervisors include:
* Cindy Chavez (2013–2024)
* Dave Cortese (2008–2020)
* Ken Yeager 2006–2018)
* Liz Kniss (2001–2012)
* Blanca Alvarado (1994–2008)
* Jim Beall (1994–2006)
* Mike Honda (1991–1996)
* Ron Gonzales (1989–1996)
* Zoe Lofgren (1981–1994)
* Becky Morgan (1981–1984)
* Rod Diridon Sr. (1975–1994)
* Dan McCorquodale (1973–1982)
* Victor Calvo (1969–1974)
* Dominic L. Cortese (1969–1980)

### 5 members elected by district (2010–present)

| Year | District | District | District | District | District |
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2010 | Mike Wasserman | George Shirakawa | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Liz Kniss |
| 2011 | Mike Wasserman | George Shirakawa | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Liz Kniss |
| 2012 | Mike Wasserman | George Shirakawa | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Liz Kniss |
| 2013 | Mike Wasserman | George Shirakawa | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Joe Simitian |
| 2014 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Joe Simitian |
| 2015 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Joe Simitian |
| 2016 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Joe Simitian |
| 2017 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Joe Simitian |
| 2018 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Ken Yeager | Joe Simitian |
| 2019 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Susan Ellenberg | Joe Simitian |
| 2020 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Dave Cortese | Susan Ellenberg | Joe Simitian |
| 2021 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Otto Lee | Susan Ellenberg | Joe Simitian |
| 2022 | Mike Wasserman | Cindy Chavez | Otto Lee | Susan Ellenberg | Joe Simitian |
| 2023 | Sylvia Arenas | Cindy Chavez | Otto Lee | Susan Ellenberg | Joe Simitian |
| 2024 | Sylvia Arenas | Cindy Chavez | Otto Lee | Susan Ellenberg | Joe Simitian |
| 2025 | Sylvia Arenas | Betty Duong | Otto Lee | Susan Ellenberg | Margaret Abe-Koga |

## Districts

Members of the Board of Supervisors are elected from 5 single-member districts every four years, with a limit of three consecutive terms.
| District | Supervisor | Cities and areas represented | Party (officially nonpartisan) |
| District 1 | Sylvia Arenas | Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Jose (East San Jose, South San Jose) | Democratic |
| District 2 | Betty Duong | San Jose (Downtown San Jose, East San Jose) | Democratic |
| District 3 | Otto Lee | Milpitas, San Jose (North San Jose) | Democratic |
| District 4 | Susan Ellenberg | Campbell, San Jose (West San Jose), Santa Clara | Democratic |
| District 5 | Margaret Abe-Koga | Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose ( Almaden), Saratoga | Democratic |