Peter Ortiz is one of San José's most compelling and personally transformative public figures — a man who went from struggling with gang involvement and housing insecurity as a youth on the East Side to representing that very community at City Hall. He assumed office on January 1, 2023, and his current term ends on December 31, 2026.
A proud son of East San José, Peter was raised by a single mother in the McKee and White neighborhood and attended Independence High School. Like many youth growing up in underserved communities, Peter faced challenges early in life and became involved in gang activity at the age of 12. Thanks to the support of his family, mentors, and local organizations such as the Mexican American Community Service Agency (MACSA), he turned his life around. Inspired by the legacy of leaders like César Chávez, Peter committed himself to education, organizing, and uplifting his community.
He has also openly discussed experiencing homelessness at a young age, making his trajectory from those circumstances to elected office all the more remarkable. After turning his life around, Ortiz built a career in policy and nonprofit work, focusing on small business support, education, and workforce development — always anchored in the East San José community he calls home.
His path to City Hall ran through two school boards. He was elected to the Mt. Pleasant Elementary School District Board of Trustees in 2016, and at age 29 became the youngest elected official to serve on that board. He subsequently served as president of the Santa Clara County Board of Education from 2018 to 2022, building a regional reputation for championing youth empowerment and dismantling barriers facing students from working-class families.
In June 2021, he was the first to announce his run for the open District 5 seat, and in November 2022 he defeated Assemblymember Nora Campos, garnering 55% of the vote. The win was particularly significant given that Campos, a seasoned politician with deep roots in the district, was considered the frontrunner.
District 5 includes the vibrant neighborhoods of Alum Rock, Mount Pleasant, and East San José — historically among the most underinvested parts of the city. Since taking office, Ortiz has moved aggressively on the issues that define daily life for his constituents. He led the charge to regulate and prevent the over-concentration of smoke shops, which have disproportionately impacted East San José. He successfully pushed for San José to reaffirm its policy of non-cooperation with ICE during immigration enforcement operations, and introduced legislation to allocate $1 million — San José's largest-ever investment — for immigrant legal defense.
His reelection announcement in late 2025 set up a likely rematch with Nora Campos, who has also filed for the 2026 race. Ortiz is running on a record he describes as more productive than any of his peers, having introduced more policies than any other member of his council class. His top priorities going forward remain public safety, neighborhood revitalization, parks improvement, and economic opportunity for East Side families. He is widely regarded as one of the council's most authentic voices — someone who doesn't just represent the struggles of his district, but has personally lived them.
