Member, City Council, District 7
November 3, 2026 · San Jose city, California · City · runoff
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 9 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 990,138 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(3,857,263 ÷ 990,138) ÷ ln(3,857,263 ÷ 3) = 9.67, comparing cities and towns in CA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
City Council Member is responsible for:
- Passing city laws, called ordinances
- Approving the city budget
- Overseeing city departments and services
- Representing residents' concerns at city hall
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Civil Rights, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Bien Doan
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Bien Doan has represented San Jose's District 7 since 2023 and faces East Side Union High School District trustee Van Le in the November 2026 runoff after taking 47.8% in the June primary. A refugee who immigrated from Vietnam in 1975, he was a firefighter for 27 years, including 21 with the San Jose Fire Department, where he became its first Vietnamese-American fire captain. He unseated incumbent Maya Esparza in 2022.
Records: Civil Rights 1 for, Environment and Public Health 1 for, Housing Affordability 1 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 5 for, Social Programs and Welfare 2 for
Van Le
Nonpartisan · declared
Van Le is a trustee and board president of the East Side Union High School District, where she has served since 2010, and owns a State Farm insurance agency in San Jose. A refugee who fled Vietnam in 1975, she worked fast-food jobs to support her family before earning a business degree and working at San Jose City Hall. She is challenging incumbent Bien Doan for the District 7 council seat in the November 2026 runoff after finishing second in the June primary with 22.4%.
Records: Government Efficiency 3 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for, Social Programs and Welfare 2 for
Election sources
Source: sanjoseca.gov
Source: sanjosespotlight.com