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The two candidates for the mayor’s seat in San Ramon set to be vacated by incumbent Mayor Dave Hudson at the end of his current term issued statements over the weekend on their responses to the latest ballot count.
District 2 Councilmember Mark Armstrong claimed victory this weekend with his opponent and political newcomer Chirag Kathrani officially conceding the race after the latest ballot count was made public by the county Friday, with both looking toward next steps in the wake of their campaigns.
While county election officials are continuing to work on counting ballots ahead of the final deadline to certify results, Armstrong’s strong initial lead as of Election Night has held as of the first update since then on Friday, which shows Armstrong at 70.44% of the vote compared with Kathrani at 29.56%. As of the latest results Wednesday afternoon, Armstrong’s lead had shrank slightly but remained significant at 69.6% of the vote.
“I’m so thankful for the overwhelming vote of confidence from the voters of San Ramon,” Armstrong said on Facebook Saturday. “A special thank you to all who supported me in so many ways along this journey. I’m looking forward to continuing to serve all our residents in this new role and focusing on doing what’s best for our great community.”
Hudson is set to pass the torch to Armstrong after two terms in the mayor’s seat, with Armstrong having briefly served as acting mayor during his term as vice mayor amid Hudson’s unexpected absence for a medical emergency early in his second term last year. Hudson previously served as mayor in 2001.
Hudson’s current tenure as mayor comes at the end of a longstanding presence in city government, holding the title of the city’s longest-ever councilmember. While his decision not to seek reelection left the race wide open with no incumbent running, Armstrong was the only candidate to emerge as of the initial deadline for candidates to file required campaign paperwork, with Kathrani ultimately deciding to run during a deadline extension for seats without incumbents running.
“When I first decided to run, it was because my opponent was unchallenged,” Kathrani said in his concession statement Saturday. “However, as I entered the race, I discovered so much more than I initially expected.”
“I especially want to thank everyone who believed in me,” he continued. “With just 87 days from when I learned that the Mayor of San Ramon was running unopposed, I managed to connect with thousands of new friends in our community.”
Kathrani said that the focus of his campaign was to foster community engagement and involvement in city government, particularly in the face of what had been set to be the city’s first non-competitive mayoral race in recent years.
“From my experience, new and engaged candidates drive voter interest and participation,” Kathrani said. “I am proud to have motivated many residents who might not have otherwise voted, helping them understand the power of their vote and how it impacts their daily lives.”
However, Kathrani said there is more work to do to foster community and civic engagement in San Ramon, pointing to the lower voter turnout suggested by early election results as “a significant decline in participation” in comparison with the 2020 presidential election which saw a turnout of 87.28% for San Ramon voters.
“The warning signs were there—races running unopposed signaled a lack of interest that would be reflected at the polls,” Kathrani said. “In 2024, this was particularly evident compared to 2020 when six candidates vied for the mayoral seat, and every district race was competitive, including two candidates from District 1.”
With his mayoral campaign now behind him, Kathrani is pushing for another election for voters to choose the successor in Armstrong’s current City Council seat, which he was elected to for a four-year term in 2022.
“I also want to take a moment to congratulate Mark Armstrong as he steps into the role of Mayor,” Kathrani said. “However, I believe that if a council member runs for another office before completing their term and wins, resulting in a vacancy, the city should hold an election instead of appointing someone to fill the role. I urge the city council to conduct an election for District 2 to ensure residents have a voice in choosing their representative.”
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