Cupertino: City Council race heads to recount

The Cupertino City Council contest is headed for a recount following a two-week long stand off between Ray Wang and Rod Sinks to fill the second open seat.

A recount by the Santa Clara County Register of Voters is triggered when the margin of victory between two candidates is less than 0.25% of all ballots cast, or less than 25 votes. A candidate only needs to win by one vote after the recount is finished. So far the two candidates are separated by 65 votes of all ballots casted, which the county recognizes as meeting the 0.25% requirement. Wang has a small lead as of Friday.

Cupertino’s recount will begin Monday and continue daily until all the ballots are counted, including the 7,000 unprocessed ballots left in the county as of Friday. The Register of Voters doesn’t know how long Cupertino’s will take, but volunteers are required to finish prior to certification on Dec 5, according to Associate Community Officer Michael Borja.

Seven candidates were vying to fill Cupertino’s two open council seats this election season, including incumbents Hung Wei and Kitty Moore, former mayors Sinks, Gilbert Wong and Barry Chang, former planning commissioner Wang and political newcomer Claudio Bono.

Moore has secured her spot on the council so far, leading with 25% of the votes as of Friday. Moore and Wang were running on a joint platform of promoting more fiscal accountability and transparency on the council and encouraging the city to consider the environmental and public safety concerns of large development projects. Wang thinks the results of the recount will be close, and sees the process as a sign of the city’s good voter turnout.

“We’re optimistic and have a lot of support in the community,” Wang said. “We’re looking forward to a resident focus approach.”

Sinks could not be reached for comment. The former mayor has voiced his support for turning The Rise into a vibrant downtown for Cupertino. He is campaigning for more inter-city transportation services and a business-friendly environment.

Cupertino isn’t the only city to undergo a recount. The Palo Alto City Council will also start a recount on Monday for candidates Keith Reckdahl and Doria Summa, who are vying for the fourth open seat.