Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Manteca Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 5

council seats up

3 contests

7 candidates

Updated Oct 3, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Mayor · 1 seat

Jacob NavenJacob Naven is a small business owner who has run his business in Manteca since 2007. He has been president of the Kiwanis Club and the Central Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and chaired the Doctors Hospital Board.5sourced
Gary SinghIncumbentMayor (elected citywide); current term December 2022 to December 202614sourced

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

All Manteca voters elect the mayor; only voters who live in District 3 or District 4 vote for those council seats.

3 notes on these statements

Lei Ann Varletta Larson and Rogger F. Gutierrez did not file candidate statements with the city. City of Manteca City Clerk

All seven candidates took part in the Sept. 27, 2026 Manteca Civic Forum hosted by the Interact Club of Manteca. Manteca Bulletin · Sep 24, 2026

Contract talks with two employee groups, Operating Engineers Local Union No. 3 and the Manteca Technical and Support Services Association, reached an impasse, the interim city attorney reported on Sept. 1, 2026. Manteca City Council special meeting minutes, Sept. 1, 2026 (attached to the Sept. 15, 2026 council agenda) · Sep 1, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Charlie HalfordCouncilmember, District 1; term ends December 20287sourced Regina LackeyVice Mayor, District 2; term ends December 20288sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesNew police station and fire station, Community center and pool, Growth and new development Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Mail ballots sent by this date

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

New police station and fire station

Where it standsGroundbreaking for the new police station on South Main Street is set for Oct. 7, 2026, and a council vote to issue revenue bonds for it and Fire Station No. 6 is set for Oct. 20.

What's on the tableHow the city repays the station bonds each year from Measure Q sales tax and other funds, and what the new council funds alongside them.

The new police station is projected to cost $92 million to build. Manteca Bulletin · Jul 22, 2026
Bond experts now expect the city may pay about $6 million a year on an 18-year bond, down from an earlier estimate of $8 million. Manteca Bulletin · Jul 22, 2026
Measure Q, the three-quarter-cent sales tax voters passed in 2024, is tracking above $15 million a year. Manteca Bulletin · Jul 22, 2026
The bond vote is set for Oct. 20, and the police station groundbreaking for Oct. 7. Manteca Bulletin · Oct 3, 2026

Community center and pool

Where it standsThe city manager has said favorable bond rates could let Manteca also build one or two recreation amenities; a community center and a swimming pool are the options being studied.

What's on the tableWhich recreation project to fund first, if any, and how to pay to build and run it.

The City Council has yet to give direction on which recreation amenities are the higher priority. Manteca Bulletin · Jul 22, 2026
The two options being explored, a community center and a swimming pool, come from the parks and recreation master plan the council adopted earlier this year. Manteca Bulletin · Sep 24, 2026
The council approved the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update in February 2026. Manteca City Council regular meeting minutes, Feb. 3, 2026 (attached to the Feb. 17, 2026 council agenda) · Feb 3, 2026

Growth and new development

Where it standsManteca keeps approving new housing and commercial projects, and in 2026 the council paused new gas station applications while it writes rules on where they can go.

What's on the tableWhere new gas stations, apartments and other projects may go, and whether to set rules for data centers before any application arrives.

In September 2026 the council adopted a 45-day moratorium on new gas station applications and introduced new fueling station standards, both 5-0. Manteca City Council regular meeting minutes, Sept. 1, 2026 (attached to the Sept. 15, 2026 council agenda) · Sep 1, 2026
Manteca had 33 gas stations, with five more entitled and four in the planning process, as of June 2026. Manteca Bulletin · Jun 17, 2026
In September 2026 the council approved changing the Wawona Apartments site from very-low-density to high-density residential, 5-0. Manteca City Council regular meeting minutes, Sept. 1, 2026 (attached to the Sept. 15, 2026 council agenda) · Sep 1, 2026

Water and sewer rates

Where it standsIn March 2025 the council unanimously adopted the first water and sewer rate increases in about 15 years, phased in through July 2028.

What's on the tableWhether to keep the adopted rate schedule or look for ways to lower monthly utility bills.

Under the plan heard in March 2025, the average household's city water and sewer charges rise by $94.35 a month in four steps, to $171.28 by July 1, 2028. Manteca Bulletin · Mar 15, 2025
The city's water and wastewater master plans call for more than $633 million in system improvements through 2045. Manteca Bulletin · Mar 15, 2025
The council adopted the new water and sewer rates on 5-0 votes on March 18, 2025. Manteca City Council regular meeting minutes, March 18, 2025 (attached to the April 1, 2025 council agenda) · Mar 18, 2025

Homelessness and the navigation center

Where it standsIn January 2026 the council approved expanding the shelter at 555 Industrial Park Drive into a year-round Low Barrier Navigation Center.

What's on the tableHow to finish the permanent navigation center, what rules it runs under, and how to pay to operate it.

The council approved the permit change for the navigation center on a 5-0 vote on Jan. 6, 2026. Manteca City Council regular meeting minutes, Jan. 6, 2026 (attached to the Jan. 20, 2026 council agenda) · Jan 6, 2026
The city pays His Way roughly $840,000 a year to operate the homeless shelter, now covered by federal and state grants. Manteca Bulletin · Sep 29, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. What should Manteca do about its police headquarters?
2. Which recreation project should the city pursue first?
3. Is Manteca growing too fast?
4. What should the city do about water and sewer rates?
5. How should Manteca run its homeless navigation center?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Mail ballots sent by this dateSan Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Oct 5, 2026
Last day to register to vote (conditional registration continues through Election Day)San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Oct 19, 2026
Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballotSan Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Oct 27, 2026
Election Day (polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.)San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters · Jul 14, 2026Nov 3, 2026

The seat math

2 stay (not up this year): Charlie Halford, Regina Lackey3 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

The council is a mayor elected at large and four council members, one for each of Districts 1 to 4. City of Manteca
The council adopted district elections by ordinance on December 21, 2021. City of Manteca City Clerk
Voters in Districts 1 and 2 elected council members in November 2024. City of Manteca City Clerk
The mayor and the District 3 and District 4 council seats are on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. City of Manteca City Clerk
The mayor votes on council items, as recorded roll calls show. Manteca City Council regular meeting minutes, Sept. 1, 2026 (attached to the Sept. 15, 2026 council agenda) · Sep 1, 2026

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