Progressive Candidate Qualifies for Congressional Race After Tie-Breaking Recount

Assemblyman Evan Low attends the Los Angeles Equality Awards at L.A. Live on Sept. 29, 2018. Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Equality California

California Assemblyman Evan Low, a progressive Democrat, will move on to the November ballot as a congressional candidate after winning a recount following an unprecedented tie vote in the March primary election.

Mr. Low was in a 30,249-vote tie for the state’s 16 Congressional District with Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, also a Democrat, which could have ended in a three-way contest, under California’s top-two system, in the general election with top vote getter Democrat Sam Liccardo.

Last month, a voter tied to Mr. Liccardo requested a manual recount of the votes in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

The results were announced May 1, with Mr. Low ahead by five votes.

Mr. Simitian conceded the race later that day.

“The good news is the 16th congressional district’s long painful exercise counting the votes is over!” he announced on X. “The not-so-good news: we have come up short. I lost, and I concede. I trust the process, and I accept the result.”

Mr. Low said he was excited with the news, calling the recount process “character building.”

“We are very excited that my advancement into the general election was reaffirmed and I now look forward to the real work of tackling the big issues facing our country like reproductive freedom and affordability,” he posted on X May 1.

Mr. Low, 40, is one of the youngest people elected to the City of Campbell’s city council. He served two terms as mayor of the city starting in 2009.

The winner in November will replace Rep. Anna Eshoo, 81, who will retire after three decades of representing the district, which encompasses Silicon Valley and parts of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.