Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano is headed for reelection, and Councilmember Evelyn Chua and newcomer William Lam are on track to take the two open council seats, according to the latest election results.

Voters also overwhelmingly approved Measure J, which extends a quarter-cent tax that will provide the city with $7 million annually until 2037.

Montano leads with 35% of the votes, and Councilmember Hon Lien trailed with 32% as of Thursday.

Both were vying for the top spot along with Councilmember Anthony Phan and resident Voltaire Montemayor.

Montano, who made history in 2022 when she became the first woman to be elected mayor in Milpitas, said she is humbled and grateful to see residents voting in favor of her reelection.

“It tells me that people are happy with the way things are going in the city,” she said. “That we’re going in the right direction.”

During her campaign, Montano she said she would ensure police and fire are fully equipped, beautify Milpitas, alleviate traffic congestion, attract high tech businesses and revitalize Main Street.

Lien campaigned to make Milpitas safer for businesses and residents. The first-term council member supported consistent city park maintenance and wanted to look into state and federal funding for city infrastructure projects and other local amenities.

In the council race, Chua was leading with 29% of the votes and Lam with 19% as of Thursday. Both were up against political newcomers Bill Chuan, Anu Nakka, Dipak Awasthi and Juliette Gomez.

Chua’s priorities included strengthening the city’s fire and police department and collaborating with community members and developers to make more affordable housing. Lam, a longtime Milpitas resident, was promoting more public safety in the city and was prioritizing financial transparency and accountability on the council.

The incumbents will continue to navigate a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against the city last year by former City Manager Steve McHarris. McHarris. He is accusing several city officials of intimidation and unethical behavior — including Montano, Chua and former Mayor Rich Tran. The city has denied any wrongdoing and is pouring thousands of dollars into conducting its own investigation and settling other legal fees.

In addition to electing new council members and a mayor, voters extended Measure J eight years longer than its initial end date, and by Thursday the measure had garnered 80% of voter approval.

The tax first appeared and was passed by 60% of voters in 2020.

It supports funding for 911 emergency response services, police and fire services as well as for repairing streets and maintaining neighborhood parks and public infrastructure until 2029.

The city wanted the tax extended to accommodate for a growing budget deficit, which is projected to swell from $1.2 million in fiscal 2028 to $5.9 million in fiscal 2029.

Supporters, which include representatives from the Milpitas Firefighters Local 1699 and Police Officers Association, say the extension will “maintain rapid response times for 911 calls to police, fire and paramedics, which are critical for stopping crime, protecting victims and saving lives.”

Though no formal argument was made against the measure, some residents who opposed the tax wanted the city to stick to its original deadline and cease taxing residents and businesses.