San Ramon voters have strongly favored incumbents in the 2026 municipal elections, returning Mayor Mark Armstrong and District 2 Councilmember Richard Adler with commanding leads. The District 4 race, however, remains too close to call.
According to the latest unofficial results released Nov. 10, Armstrong received 74.61% of the mayoral vote. Challenger Paschalis Ntatsos received 14.80%, while Emma Chigbu received 10.59%.
Armstrong’s support increased from 69.31% in the 2024 mayoral election to 74.61% this year. The comparison should be viewed in context: presidential-election years generally attract more voters than midterm elections, and Armstrong faced a different field of challengers in 2026.
In District 2, Adler led with 68.42%, compared with 31.58% for challenger Chirag Kathrani. Kathrani was the only challenger in the three San Ramon contests who had previously run for citywide office. He received 30.69% in the 2024 mayoral race, meaning his share remained close to 31% after moving to the District 2 contest.
The closest race is in District 4, where incumbent Marisol Rubio leads challenger Jeffrey Joh by only 104 votes—3,560 to 3,456. Rubio has 50.74% of the vote, while Joh has 49.26%.
Approximately 7,500 ballots remained unprocessed countywide after Tuesday’s update, although it was unclear how many came from District 4. Because only a small portion of the remaining ballots is likely to be from that district, Joh faces a difficult—but not mathematically impossible—path to overcoming the gap. The next results update is expected Nov. 13, and the county is scheduled to certify the election by Dec. 3.
Rubio’s current share represents a significant decline from her first District 4 election in 2022, when she received 64.25% of the vote. Joh’s performance has brought the incumbent to nearly an even split, making District 4 the only San Ramon municipal contest that remains competitive.
Countywide participation in the 2026 election currently stands at approximately 60.4%, compared with the final 74.60% turnout recorded during the 2024 presidential election. The 2026 figure remains unofficial and may rise as outstanding ballots are processed. Contra Costa County recorded 539,219 participating voters in 2024.
Lower participation is common during midterm elections. Local contests may also receive less sustained attention than national races, even though decisions made by city councils, school boards and special districts often have the most immediate effect on residents’ daily lives.
Throughout the campaign, Tri-Valley Voice placed particular emphasis on the records of incumbents and the solutions proposed by challengers. Its coverage compared candidates’ positions on Measure G, appeal fees, oversight of Sunset Development projects and council term limits.
The results show that San Ramon voters largely supported continuity in the mayoral and District 2 races. District 4 tells a different story: although Rubio remains ahead, Joh’s near-even showing indicates a closely divided electorate and a substantially more competitive race than four years ago.
Tri-Valley Voice will continue covering local government meetings and decisions beyond election season. Local journalism matters not only when candidates are seeking office, but throughout the terms in which elected officials exercise the authority voters have given them.
Editor’s disclosure: Tri-Valley Voice founder Chirag Kathrani was a candidate for San Ramon City Council District 2. The publication does not endorse candidates. All results in this article remain unofficial until certified by Contra Costa County.
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