Why Are Some East Bay Voters Receiving 2 Election Ballots?

Every registered voter in California should by now have received their ballot for the state’s June 2 primary election.

But why are voters in the East Bay cities of Fremont, Hayward, Livermore and Pleasanton about to receive another ballot in their mailbox?

It’s because the sudden resignation of former Rep. Eric Swalwell following sexual assault allegations created a vacancy in California’s 14th Congressional District, where these voters live. A special primary election to fill that seat will be held on June 16, just two weeks after California’s regularly scheduled primary.

But as a result of California’s monthlong window of early voting, there will be two weeks of overlap between voting in the primary election and special election — meaning thousands of voters in this district might be juggling two different ballots during that time.

Here’s a guide to help East Bay voters sort through the unexpected election wrinkle.

Jump straight to:

• Who is running in the special election to replace Swalwell?
• If Swalwell was my representative, how can I cast my ballot?

Why is there a special election for Congress in the 14th District?

Swalwell decided last year to run for governor instead of seeking another term in Congress. A crowded field of candidates jumped into the primary to succeed him in representing the 14th District — with the top two finishers in the June 2 primary, regardless of party, advancing to the November general election.

But on April 10, Swalwell was accused of sexual assault by a former staff member in reports published by the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN. Since then, more women have come forward with sexual assault and misconduct allegations, which Swalwell has denied.

On April 12, Swalwell suspended his campaign for governor. A day later, he announced he was resigning from Congress — a position he’d have otherwise continued to serve in for the rest of the year.

Swalwell’s departure leaves a vacancy in a district that includes Castro Valley, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton and Union City, and parts of Dublin, Fremont, and San Leandro.

On April 14, Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special election to fill the seat as soon as possible during the few months between Swalwell’s resignation and when his East Bay seat would change hands.

Why isn’t this special election being held with the June primary?

First off, combining the special election vote with the June 2 primary would not have been legal.

But with an election already underway to succeed Swalwell, Newsom could have chosen to leave the seat open until January.

Instead, he called the special election within hours of Swalwell’s resignation and scheduled it for Aug. 18, the earliest date allowed under state law, which requires at least 126 days between the governor’s proclamation and an election.

But this vote to replace Swalwell in the 14th District first needed a primary election. And since California election rules require a primary to be held nine Tuesdays before the special election, this has resulted in the June 16 primary special election date.

With control of the House of Representatives separated by just a handful of votes, Newsom moved quickly to get a representative in the safely Democratic 14th District. For comparison, when Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa died in January, Newsom waited 10 days before calling a special election.

Who is running in the special election to replace Swalwell in his East Bay congressional district?

Eleven candidates are on the special election ballot. State Sen. Aisha Wahab, former BART Director Melissa Hernandez and educator Rakhi Israni are the most notable Democrats in the race.

Also on the ballot: Democrats Alisha Cordes, a business administrator, administrative law judge Sheriene Ridenour and businessman Jot Thiara.

The Republicans running are real estate investor Wendy Huang, florist Dena Maldonado, businessman Tom Wong and educator Jack Wu. Victor Zevallos, a financial business strategist, is running as an independent.

What about the ‘regular’ June 2 primary election that was already planned to fill Swalwell’s seat as of January?

Hernandez, Huang, Israni, Maldonado and Wahab are also running in a field of nine candidates seeking a full term on the June 2 state primary ballot. Essentially, they want to not only fill Swalwell’s seat in January, but also to start earlier, thanks to the special election.

Other candidates are only running in the regularly scheduled June 2 primary. You can learn more about the field, their supporters and where they stand on key issues in the KQED Primary Voter Guide.

The June 2 primary will take place under new congressional district lines approved by California voters last year through Proposition 50, while the special election will take place under the current district lines.

The differences are subtle: the current district includes all of Castro Valley, while the new district splits the city and takes in a greater number of voters from Dublin.

So not all East Bay voters who receive a special election ballot — to decide who’ll fill Swalwell’s seat for several months in 2026 — will get to vote on his long-term replacement.

Swalwell was my representative. How can I cast my ballot in the special election?

All voters in the 14th District under the current lines will receive a special election ballot in the mail beginning on May 18.

Voters can return or cast their ballots at the same drop boxes and voting locations already open for the June 2 primary.

On June 3, the day after the primary, 28 drop boxes will remain open around the 14th Congressional District for the area’s voters to use, according to Cynthia Cornejo, Alameda County’s interim registrar of voters.

Additional vote centers for the special election will open their doors on June 6.

Read more about tips for filling out your vote-by-mail ballot, including how to correct a mistake. 

When does the winner of the special election take office?

If one candidate receives a majority of the votes in the June 16 election, they win the election outright and head to Washington to be sworn into Congress.

But if no candidate receives a majority, the top two finishers advance to a runoff on Aug. 18. Ballots for that runoff would be mailed out to voters in mid-July. The winner of that race will be sworn in with just a couple of months to serve until the term ends in January.

The June 16 special election will cost Alameda County approximately $6 million, Cornejo said. If the race heads to a runoff in August, the county would be on the hook for another $6 million in election costs.

Is Swalwell still running for governor?

Swalwell’s name is still on the June 2 primary ballot for governor, even though he has suspended his campaign and disappeared from public view.

Swalwell’s exit from the governor’s race came after the deadline for candidates to remove their names from the ballot.

As a result, the disgraced former Congress member remains one of the 61 names on the ballot for California’s top job.