State Senate District 10 Candidate Forum

A local candidate forum in Sunnyvale is about to do something pretty useful — take a crowded California State Senate District 10 race and put actual people on a (livablesunnyvale.org) at Sunnyvale Community Services on Kern Avenue. That timing matters because California counties begin mailing ballots by May 4, and the primary is on June 2. (livablesunnyvale.org) ### What is this forum, exactly? This is a public candidate forum organized by Livable Sunnyvale, a local civic group that focuses on l(milpitasbeat.com)tly from California State Senate District 10 candidates about their vision and priorities. The same evening also includes Livable Sunnyvale board elections before the forum starts. (livablesunnyvale.org) ### Why does District 10 matter so much? District 10 covers a big, politically important slice of the East Bay and northwest Silicon Valley — places(livablesunnyvale.org) seat touches housing growth, transit, public safety, climate policy, and the cost of living across some of the Bay Area’s fastest-changing communities. David Cohen’s campaign site lays out that geography clearly, and it helps explain why a Sunnyvale forum can matter to voters well beyond Sunnyvale. (electdavidcohen.com) ### Why is this race open now? The seat is open because current Distr(livablesunnyvale.org)ramble. That changes the whole feel of the race. Instead of asking whether a sitting senator keeps the job, voters are choosing who gets to define the district next. (milpitasbeat.com) ### Who is actually running? The certified candidate list for the June 2, 2026 primary shows six candidates for State Senate District 10: David Cohen, Anne Kepner, Raymond Liu, Carmen Montano, Scott Sakakihara, and Linda R. DuPont. A separate state filing report shows the same lineup, with fiv(electdavidcohen.com)ystem, party doesn’t control who advances — the two highest vote-getters move on to November 3 no matter their labels. (elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov) ### So what kind of contest is this? Basically, it looks like a fragmented primary where name recognition and local base (milpitasbeat.com)entered as a Union City councilmember and vice mayor with an affordability-and-safety pitch. David Cohen is running on local-government experience, housing, climate resilience, and neighborhood quality of life. The catch is that a multi-candidate field can split votes in unpredictable ways. (carmen.vote) ### Why hold the forum now? Because the calendar is tight. The Secretary of State says ballots begin going out to voters no later than Ma(elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov)e making up their minds or already filling out ballots at the kitchen table. (sos.ca.gov) ### What will voters probably want to hear? Housing is the obvious one in Sunnyvale and across District 10, but it won’t stop there. Voters are likely to press on transit, public safety, homelessness, insurance costs, local control, and how candidates balance growth with neighborhood concerns. Turns out this is exactly the kind of race where a forum(carmen.vote)se the district’s problems are local, practical, and hard to fake your way through. (electdavidcohen.com) ### Bottom line This forum is a small event with real leverage. District 10 is open, the field is crowded, ballots are arriving now, and California’s top-two rules reward candidates who can (sos.ca.gov)are the people asking for that seat before the primary locks in the finalists. (livablesunnyvale.org)