Meet the Candidates: Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors

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The District 5 Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors race is heading into its final stretch, with Mountain View City Council member Margaret Abe-Koga and California State Board of Equalization member Sally Lieber competing for the chance to represent the North County.

It has been a long campaign in which Abe-Koga and Lieber, both seasoned policymakers, secured the most votes in the March primary election, and now face off in the Nov. 5 general election. The winner will replace incumbent Supervisor Joe Simitian, who has termed out of office after holding the North County seat for more than a decade. Whoever steps into the position will face challenging policy decisions, as the county is grappling with a leaner financial forecast than previous years. It recently closed a $250 million deficit fueled by state and federal funding shortfalls.

The winner of the race would also play a major role in the county’s affordable housing strategies, which remain uncertain after the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority pulled its $20 billion regional housing bond from the November ballot. Abe-Koga and Lieber have also taken stances on climate resiliency, transit and public safety.

Read more about each candidate below. Also, check out the rest of our election coverage, including a Q&A comparing the candidates side-by-side on major issues and comprehensive coverage of campaign finance for this race.