SAN JOSE — Voters were poised to elect veteran prosecutor Johnene Stebbins in a rare contested election for an open Santa Clara County Superior Court judge seat, after a race that pitted two veterans with the county district attorney’s office.
Johnene Stebbins, a veteran prosecutor with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, was poised for election as a judge with the county Superior Court. (Photo courtesy of Johnene Stebbins)
Stebbins was leading with a 9-point margin on returns representing 35% of the county electorate when her opponent and boss, Chief Assistant District Attorney Jay Boyarsky, conceded the race Tuesday night.
“I am deeply honored by the trust that the people of Santa Clara County have placed in me to serve as a Superior Court judge,” Stebbins said in a statement to this news organization. “This campaign was built on a shared commitment to justice and integrity, and I am grateful for the opportunity to carry those principles forward on the bench. To everyone who supported me, volunteered, and believed in me, thank you. I look forward to continuing to serve my community.”
Boyarsky on Tuesday night voiced his gratitude to his supporters in a statement that served as a concession speech.
“Thank you to the hundreds of people who gave their time, their money, hosted an event for me and lent their name to this effort,” Boyarsky said in a statement. “I’m sorry that I fell short. I tried to run a campaign that would make you proud, regardless of the outcome.”
Stebbins, a Milpitas native who graduated from UC Berkeley and earned her law degree at the UC Davis School of Law, has worked for the DA’s office for 26 years and prosecuted cases encompassing a wide area, including juvenile law, domestic violence, narcotics, sexual assaults and consumer protection.
She currently litigates environmental and fish and wildlife violations and crimes. Stebbins also carried the endorsement of Judge Vincent Chiarello, whose retirement opened up the seat that she and Boyarsky were competing to fill.
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Boyarsky was the lead vote-getter in the March primary, with 47.2% of more than 300,000 votes cast, against the 35.5% for Stebbins. But the race was expected to tighten up since Nicole Ford, the third primary candidate who received 17.3% of the vote, later endorsed Stebbins.
Boyarsky has worked for the DA’s office for three decades, about half of that time as a trial attorney and supervisor and the other half as chief assistant district attorney, running the day-to-day operations of the office including overseeing hiring and prosecution assignments.
Vacant judge seats are typically filled by appointment by the governor. The retirement of Chiarello made this race an unusual exercise for South Bay voters who got to choose between two candidates.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.