Foster City Races

Results are a combination of data provided by the Associated Press (AP) and county election offices. The AP calls winners by analyzing vote tallies and other election data. Check marks are used to denote a winner only when the AP calls a race.

City Council

Top three candidates win seat.

Suzy Niederhofer24.7%
7,105 votes
Patrick J. Sullivan(incumbent)24.4%
7,008 votes
Phoebe Shin Venkat17.9%
5,160 votes

Updated at 7:35 PM PT on Nov 20, 2024
San Mateo County

What does a council member do?

City and town council members can propose new city ordinances and vote on a range of issues, including housing development, business ventures and contracts. They also help draft the city or town budget.

Candidate Statements

Candidate Statements are excerpted from the statements provided to election offices, where available.

Richa Awasthi

  • Mother/business executive
  • Economic Growth: “I will create effective solutions for economic development, small business revitalization, and supplemental revenue generation.”
  • Collaboration: “I will continue to promote a positive, respectful, and collaborative dialogue with our community.”
  • Infrastructure: “During my tenure, the city delivered balanced budgets every year and led the Levee Improvements Project, the largest infrastructure project in the city’s history to timely and under-budget completion.”

Suzy Niederhofer

  • Municipal Finance Manager
  • Priorities: “If I am elected to Foster City Council, I will use my experience in municipal finance, my history of public service in our community, and my love for our beautiful, diverse city to keep Foster City a thriving and vibrant place to live, work, and play.”
  • Experience: “I believe I am qualified with a career that spanned over 32 years in local municipal finance. I have volunteered with youth sports organizations in Foster City for over 10 years.”
  • Budget: “I have an MBA and a BS in Business Finance and understand the intricacies of municipal finance.”
  • suzy4fccouncil.com

Patrick J. Sullivan

  • Foster City Council Member
  • Experience: “For over 34 years, as a very strong believer in the importance of community, I have served Foster City, including four years on City Council and this past year as mayor. In addition, I worked with parks and recreation for over 10 years.”
  • Infrastructure: “I am proud that the city completed the complex and extensive levee project on time and on budget.”
  • Economic Growth: “Foster City faces similar issues as surrounding cities, such as pension reform and infrastructure challenges. To remain a strong city, we must build a solid economic base to offset the current deficits.”
  • patricksullivanfostercity.com

Shankar Kenkre

  • Business owner
  • Priorities: “My goals include working with the council and staff to balance our budget by identifying areas to increase revenue while limiting expenses without compromising service levels, ensuring our new recreation center is built within budget and on time, and identifying and repairing single-point failures in our aging infrastructure.”
  • Community Engagement: “I’m committed to … fostering community engagement, and establishing robust ethical standards with a code of conduct to guide decision-making and maintain public trust.”
  • Experience: “As a project manager, business owner, and technology expert, I bring a diverse skill set to the table.”

Phoebe Shin Venkat

  • Planning Commissioner/businesswoman
  • Education: “I currently have a child attending school in the San Mateo Union High School District.”
  • Senior Citizens: “I am active in our local communities, including … volunteering with Foster City Village to help seniors with tech support and other activities.” 
  • Values: “I am grounded in the unshakeable values of strength, resilience, and community.”
  • phoebeshinvenkat.com

More Results

All San Mateo County Elections

See results for all elections on the San Mateo County ballot.

Have a correction? Contact voterguide@kqed.org.