Dave Cortese’s public life has included service with the East Side Union High School District, the San Jose City Council, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and regional transportation and government organizations. He spent eight years as a school trustee, eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor, and 12 years as a county supervisor before serving in the California Senate. His leadership positions have included board presidencies and chairmanships involving schools, transportation, county government and regional associations. He also ran for San Jose mayor, winning the primary before losing the general election to District 3 councilmember Sam Liccardo. His career has encompassed elected office and leadership roles in local, county, regional and state institutions.
ROOTS
David Dominic Cortese was born June 3, 1956. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory from 1970 to 1974, received his bachelor’s degree from UC Davis and attended Lincoln Law School from 1991 to 1995.
Public office was already present in the family. His father, Dominic L. Cortese, served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and in the California Assembly. His maternal grandfather, Ed Donovan, was a Santa Clara city councilman in 1949 and 1950. His paternal grandfather, Vince Cortese Sr., was an immigrant farmer from Sicily.
Cortese’s professional experience has included agriculture, property, construction and law. In 1986, following work as a professional financial manager, he became general manager for a collection of ranching and real estate enterprises. His work has also included the sale of agricultural produce, stewardship of a real estate portfolio, construction, ownership of a dining establishment and a private law practice. Cortese and his wife, Pattie, have four children.
THE LOCAL LADDER
Cortese served eight years on the East Side Union High School District board, including service as board president. The school board was one of several local institutions in which he held office.
He also served for eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor. His 12 years on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors included a term as board president. His record therefore includes service in a school district, a city and a county.
Cortese ran for San Jose mayor and won the primary, then lost the general election to Sam Liccardo, then the District 3 councilmember. His other leadership positions have included roles in county and regional institutions and the chairmanship of a California Senate committee.
THE GOVERNING MAP
Cortese’s leadership positions include several transportation and regional government bodies. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. Those roles included leadership positions in transportation agencies and associations of regional and local governments.
Cortese is also the founder of the Joint Policy Collaborative for Economic Development. Outside his government roles, he was president of the San Jose East-Evergreen Rotary Club and served on the boards of the East Valley YMCA, The Tech Interactive, Parents Helping Parents and several other nonprofits. He is also a founding member of East Valley Girls Softball.
These positions document work in elected bodies, transportation agencies, government associations and community organizations.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
At the state level, Cortese chairs the California Senate Labor, Public Employment & Retirement Committee.
His broader record includes transportation agencies, regional organizations, schools, economic development and county government. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. His eight years with the East Side Union High School District and 12 years on the county Board of Supervisors add school and county government to that record.
His listed leadership roles span labor, public employment and retirement, schools, transportation, county government, regional and local government associations, and community organizations.
- State Senate · Senate District 15 · 2020–present
Dave Cortese’s public life has included service with the East Side Union High School District, the San Jose City Council, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and regional transportation and government organizations. He spent eight years as a school trustee, eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor, and 12 years as a county supervisor before serving in the California Senate. His leadership positions have included board presidencies and chairmanships involving schools, transportation, county government and regional associations. He also ran for San Jose mayor, winning the primary before losing the general election to District 3 councilmember Sam Liccardo. His career has encompassed elected office and leadership roles in local, county, regional and state institutions.
ROOTS
David Dominic Cortese was born June 3, 1956. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory from 1970 to 1974, received his bachelor’s degree from UC Davis and attended Lincoln Law School from 1991 to 1995.
Public office was already present in the family. His father, Dominic L. Cortese, served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and in the California Assembly. His maternal grandfather, Ed Donovan, was a Santa Clara city councilman in 1949 and 1950. His paternal grandfather, Vince Cortese Sr., was an immigrant farmer from Sicily.
Cortese’s professional experience has included agriculture, property, construction and law. In 1986, following work as a professional financial manager, he became general manager for a collection of ranching and real estate enterprises. His work has also included the sale of agricultural produce, stewardship of a real estate portfolio, construction, ownership of a dining establishment and a private law practice. Cortese and his wife, Pattie, have four children.
THE LOCAL LADDER
Cortese served eight years on the East Side Union High School District board, including service as board president. The school board was one of several local institutions in which he held office.
He also served for eight years as a San Jose councilmember and vice mayor. His 12 years on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors included a term as board president. His record therefore includes service in a school district, a city and a county.
Cortese ran for San Jose mayor and won the primary, then lost the general election to Sam Liccardo, then the District 3 councilmember. His other leadership positions have included roles in county and regional institutions and the chairmanship of a California Senate committee.
THE GOVERNING MAP
Cortese’s leadership positions include several transportation and regional government bodies. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. Those roles included leadership positions in transportation agencies and associations of regional and local governments.
Cortese is also the founder of the Joint Policy Collaborative for Economic Development. Outside his government roles, he was president of the San Jose East-Evergreen Rotary Club and served on the boards of the East Valley YMCA, The Tech Interactive, Parents Helping Parents and several other nonprofits. He is also a founding member of East Valley Girls Softball.
These positions document work in elected bodies, transportation agencies, government associations and community organizations.
THE POLICY SIGNATURE
At the state level, Cortese chairs the California Senate Labor, Public Employment & Retirement Committee.
His broader record includes transportation agencies, regional organizations, schools, economic development and county government. He chaired the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and served as president of the Valley Transportation Authority. He also served as president of the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Santa Clara County Cities Association. His eight years with the East Side Union High School District and 12 years on the county Board of Supervisors add school and county government to that record.
His listed leadership roles span labor, public employment and retirement, schools, transportation, county government, regional and local government associations, and community organizations.
The record
175 events, each with its sourceSex equity: sexual harassment complaints.
Motor vehicle pollution control devices: aftermarket parts: approval process.
Unemployment insurance: reporting requirements.
Deer: archery season: concealed firearms.
Guaranteed Health Care for All.
Fishing and hunting: youth program.
Average daily attendance: emergencies: major safety hazard.
Personal Income Tax Law: young child tax credit.
California Environmental Quality Act: advanced manufacturing facilities: exemption.
Resource adequacy: aggregated distributed energy resources.
California Science and Health Research Bond Act.
Proposed 2026–2031 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program: opposition.
Delta Levees and Canal Subsidence Fund.
Fuel-burning portable devices.
California Firefighter Appreciation Month and California Firefighters Memorial Day.
Relative to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Relative to California Hydrogen Fuel Cell Day.
Relative to Affordable Housing Month.
Relative to California Adopt-a-Pet Day.
Behavioral Health Awareness Month.
Federal funding for essential state infrastructure, technology, and economic development.
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Student Mental Health Awareness Week in California.
Relative to California Agriculture Day.
Public social services: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Special business regulations: shopping carts.
California Environmental Quality Act: judicial streamlining: state of emergency: wildfire.
Special education: nonpublic schools and agencies.
Privacy: use of a person’s name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness: injunctive relief.
Transportation: climate resiliency: projects of statewide and regional significance.