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Gabby Chavez-Lopez
Gabby Chavez-Lopez ran in a special election to the San Jose City Council to represent District 3 in California. She lost in the special general runoff election on June 24, 2025.
Chavez-Lopez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Chavez-Lopez received a bachelor's degree from Santa Clara University in 2009. She was the executive director of Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in San Jose, California (2025)
General runoff election
Special general runoff election for San Jose City Council District 3
Anthony Tordillos defeated Gabby Chavez-Lopez in the special general runoff election for San Jose City Council District 3 on June 24, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Anthony Tordillos (Nonpartisan) | 64.4 | 5,355 | |
| Gabby Chavez-Lopez (Nonpartisan) | 35.6 | 2,966 | ||
| Total votes: 8,321 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
General election
Special general election for San Jose City Council District 3
The following candidates ran in the special general election for San Jose City Council District 3 on April 8, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Gabby Chavez-Lopez (Nonpartisan) | 30.0 | 2,712 | |
| ✔ | Anthony Tordillos (Nonpartisan) | 22.2 | 2,006 | |
| Matthew Quevedo (Nonpartisan) | 22.1 | 2,000 | ||
| Irene Smith (Nonpartisan) | 16.0 | 1,443 | ||
| Adam Duran (Nonpartisan) | 7.6 | 691 | ||
| Tyrone Wade (Nonpartisan) | 1.5 | 137 | ||
| Philip Dolan (Nonpartisan) | 0.6 | 54 | ||
| Total votes: 9,043 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Chavez-Lopez received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Chavez-Lopez's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gabby Chavez-Lopez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Chavez-Lopez's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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After moving to District 3 over 22 years ago, I’ve lived, worked, and built deep connections in this district, dedicating my career to tackling our community’s biggest challenges. I’ve helped secure critical funding for affordable housing, supported small businesses to grow and thrive, and collaborated across sectors to bring meaningful change to our neighborhoods. I believe that city services should work for residents, and I will be relentless in advocating for better maintenance, smarter development, and stronger support systems to ensure every neighborhood in District 3 feels heard and cared for.
This is a time for action, not excuses. Together, we can restore trust, improve the safety and quality of life for everyone, and ensure our city services rise to meet the needs of our community. I am ready to work tirelessly to make District 3 a better, safer, and more vibrant place for all of us.- Strengthening Public Safety & Beautifying Our Neighborhoods San Jose has 1,153 active-duty police officers—far below the national average. We must align public safety resources with neighborhood needs, improving response times and community engagement. Expanding community policing, foot patrols, and business corridor protection will foster trust and safety. A comprehensive emergency response system, including mental health experts and crisis teams, is essential. Investing in modern technology will enhance efficiency. Finally, by supporting Beautify San Jose and tackling graffiti and blight, we can keep our streets clean and vibrant for all.
- Addressing Homelessness Through Prevention & Intervention San Jose must prioritize both short-term and permanent supportive housing, ensuring access to safe shelter with wraparound services like mental health care, addiction treatment, and job training. Strengthening eviction prevention efforts through rental assistance, legal aid, and emergency financial support can stop homelessness before it starts. Creating 24/7 crisis response teams will connect individuals to immediate housing and long-term recovery resources. Finally, true collaboration with county and state partners is essential to developing shared solutions and funding strategies for more effective, fiscally responsible outcomes.
- Supporting Small Businesses & Revitalizing Downtown San Jose must make it easier to open and operate small businesses by simplifying the permitting process, reducing costs, and expanding assistance programs. I will introduce a "Downtown for Everyone" ordinance to ensure small businesses can thrive. Boosting downtown business development through tax incentives, grants, and public/private partnerships will attract investment and create local jobs. Investing in arts, culture, and creative spaces will make downtown a vibrant destination. Additionally, strengthening training and apprenticeship programs will provide pathways to economic mobility for all San Jose residents.
Supporting Workforce Development to create equitable economic opportunities.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked to solve society’s most pressing challenges—helping small businesses grow, expanding housing opportunities, and advocating for equitable policies that uplift working families. By collaborating across government, nonprofit, and business sectors, I’ve brought real solutions to communities like ours. As someone who shares the daily realities of my neighbors, I will lead with empathy, take responsibility for results, and ensure that government remains open and accessible to the people it serves.
I remember feeling a mix of emotions—confusion at seeing so many people in tears, yet also a deep sense of unity, love, and pride. That day, I learned an important lesson: there is strength in numbers. The farmworker movement showed me that when people come together, organize around a unified mission, and fight for what is right, they can achieve incredible change. It also taught me the power of allyship—that standing in solidarity with those most impacted can make a real difference in improving lives and ensuring dignity for all.
South Bay Labor Council
Democratic Activists for Women Now! (DAWN)
League of Conservation Voters
Teamsters Local 350
AFSCME Local 101
CA Working Families Party
IFPTE Local 21
San Jose Firefighters Local 230
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
SEIU 2015
SEIU 521
South Bay Progressive Alliance
Ash Kalra, California State Assembly, 27th District
Dave Cortese, California State Senate, 15th District
Susan Ellenberg, Supervisor of Santa Clara County, District 4
Betty Duong, Supervisor of Santa Clara County, District 2
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate San Jose City Council District 3 |
Personal |
Footnotes
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