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According to semi-official results by the San Mateo County Elections office, Vice Mayor Lissette Espinoza-Garnica narrowly trails Planning Commissioner Isabella Chu by 9 votes in the Redwood City Council district 3 race.
The latest report released at 4:22 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, shows Espinoza-Garnica with 49.83% of the vote to Chu’s 50.17%.
“Obviously I would strongly prefer to win, but either way we get a person of goodwill who wants to do what is right for the district,” Chu said just an hour before the results began rolling in.
Surrounded by her family, friends, neighbors, volunteers, and fellow planning commissioners at her watch party, which took place outside the area of Freewheel Brewing in Redwood City, Chu said she was feeling pretty good.
“I did everything I could. We ran a pretty great campaign, and the message really resonated with residents,” she added. “Now it just depends on voters what they choose.”
Her supporters enjoyed food and drinks while watching the results of the presidential campaign roll in.
“I’m actually more anxious about the national election than I am about the local election because I feel like even if I don’t win, Redwood City still has a council that cares about the well-being of the city,” Chu said. “If Trump wins, I cannot say that about the national situation.”
Chu’s friend and former Redwood City Planning Commissioner Anthony Lazarus hugged Chu as he joined her at the Watch Party to show his support.
“I am always impressed with her diligence and her devotion to data and diversity,” he said.
Espinoza-Garnica could not immediately be reached for comment.
This isn’t the first time Espinoza-Garnica and Chu have competed against each other. Chu previously ran for the District 3 seat in 2020 against two other candidates, but ultimately, Lissette came out ahead and took the seat.
This year’s district 3 election results could significantly impact the city’s leadership. If Espinoza-Garnica secures the seat, she will be appointed as the city’s new mayor.
However, if Chu wins, Espinoza-Garnica will be removed from the mayoral rotation, and Elmer Martinez Saballos will become the new mayor.
Outside the council, Espinoza-Garnica works as a care provider and is a member of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. She grew up in District 3 and attended local public schools there. She worked as a preschool teacher’s assistant til the pandemic while caregiving part-time.
In 2020, she started organizing rallies around police brutality and mass incarceration following the murder of George Floyd. However, she wanted to address these issues on a bigger level and thus decided to run for election.
At 24, Espinoza-Garnica became the first openly nonbinary person elected into office in the Bay Area and the youngest person to hold a seat in the Redwood City Council.
Chu is a Redwood City Planning Commissioner and the Neighborhood Association Co-Chair for Friendly Acres. She is also an associate director at the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences. Chu said she brings expertise in navigating complex policies and regulatory environments, which she believes will be an asset in securing much-needed federal funds for Redwood City’s infrastructure.
According to Espinoza-Garnica, some of the biggest challenges facing Redwood City she would like to address if re-elected are improving infrastructure, finding new revenue streams, expanding affordable housing and improving access to mental health services.
One of Chu’s top priorities is public safety, particularly road safety. She believes that speeding and dangerous roads are significant concerns for District 3 residents. Additionally, if elected, she intends to find practical solutions to community-driven issues like housing and infrastructure.
Both candidates support the business license tax modernization measure on the November 2024 ballot.
Espinoza-Garnica said she ran a grassroots campaign supported by community members and the NorCal Carpenters Union. She raised a total of $10,079 this calendar year.
Chu, on the other hand, invested in her campaign by issuing herself a $4,000 loan. She also received monetary support from the California Real Estate Political Action Committee, headquartered in Los Angeles. She raised a total of $14,854 this calendar year.
This is a developing story. Results will be updated as they come in.
