Voters in California's 15th Congressional District, which includes much of San Mateo County, will choose between Democratic Rep. Kevin Mullin and Republican Charles Hoelter on Nov. 3. The Secretary of State's certified list shows Mullin as U.S. Representative and Hoelter as Retired Training Supervisor.

The June result

Mullin won the five-candidate primary with 65.0% (107,496 votes), and Hoelter was second with 18.4% (30,476), according to Ballotpedia. Democrat Anthony Dang got 8.0%, Democrat Mantosh Kumar 4.8% and no-party-preference candidate Jim Garrity 3.7%. The district was redrawn under the Proposition 50 maps voters approved in November 2025.

Who is Mullin?

Mullin was born in San Mateo County and won the seat in 2022 with more than 73% of the vote, the Pulse reported. Before Congress he represented San Mateo County in the Assembly from 2012 to 2022 and was speaker pro tem from 2014 until he left. He has called himself one of the architects of the $3.7 billion project that helped fund Caltrain's electrification and San Mateo County's OneShoreline sea-level-rise program. After the primary he said he hoped to help Democrats "take control of the House and be a check on Trump."

Who is Hoelter?

Hoelter is a retired UPS supervisor making his first run for office, the Pulse reported. He has lived in San Mateo County for more than three decades and has been married 31 years with three children. Ballotpedia lists him as a Lincoln High School graduate with a 1989 bachelor's degree from San Francisco State. His stated top goals include keeping "men out of women('s) sports," term limits for politicians, voter ID and cleaning up voter rolls. He also wants apprenticeship programs in high schools.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.

More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.