San Jose, a million-person city in which a fifth of its residents choose the mayor, has a history of close elections. Only three of the past seven open elections could be called lopsided victories. The last time an open seat was decided in one round was 40 years ago, in 1982—the year 39-year-old Matt Mahan was born.

Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone’s affinity for antiquated colloquialisms has turned into a hog-wild debacle.

South Bay Labor has employed racist tactics to prevent minorities—including 1998 San Jose council hopeful Tony West—from securing office.

What the storied history—and now closure—of the Watergarden bathhouse means for Silicon Valley’s LGBTQ community.

Former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer, a key figure in the revitalization of San Jose’s downtown, died Saturday at the age of 81.

The retired judge, who served for more than a decade as police auditor and spent a dozen years on the bench, died in her home Sunday.

San Jose City Manager Norberto Dueñas announced his retirement at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. His last day is set for Oct. 13.

A recent column in the Mercury News listed the best and worst local decisions in the last 50 years. Here’s a few more to add to the pile.

Former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer taught me that my voice was important and that I could—and should—participate in our democratic process.

City officials are poised to approve a three-year lease that would breathe new life into Hammer Theatre Center, a.k.a. The San Jose Rep, which went dark a year ago due to bankruptcy.

A curious cultural taboo has been openly flouted over the last two decades in San Jose, and it seems one local institution could soon double down.

San Jose Mayor-elect Sam Liccardo announced that an eight-person transition team will help him “identify key initiatives to focus on” during his first term. It appears Carl Guardino, his close friend and CEO of Silicon Valley Leadership Group, will have the loudest voice in the room.

Here comes the clutter of political advertisements. The public's least favorite time of year, when mailboxes are full of negative mailers and television ads assault the senses. First rule to remember: there is nothing that can't be said in politics, no matter how outrageous the claim.

The November election will either shift the body politic in San Jose toward change or provide a continuation of the status quo. With the problems facing the city, change should be in the air.

Santa Clara County was once the nation's capital for electing women into office. But a look at our current political landscape shows successful female candidates have become scarcer.

Chuck Reed spent much of his eighth and final State of the City speech thanking his predecessors while noting that a mayor’s work goes on long after he or she leaves office. Noting that he and past elected officials in San Jose have stood “on the shoulders of giants,” Reed said the work he and the council have carried out in recent years must be viewed outside the prism of four-year term limits. “We have to think in much longer timeframes,” he said.