After a competitive four-candidate race to succeed outgoing Mayor Lily Mei, District 5 Councilman and two-time Vice Mayor Raj Salwan has emerged as the winner of Fremont's closely watched mayoral race, securing 47 percent of the vote.
Salwan defeated former Councilman Vinnie Bacon, who received 31 percent of the vote, along with candidates Rohan Marfatia and Hui Ng, who garnered 11.8 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively.
His campaign centered on tackling issues such as homelessness, public safety, traffic solutions, infrastructure improvement, and climate change. He was widely endorsed by labor groups and business leaders across the region
The campaign was one of the most high-profile and financially intense in recent Fremont history, with Salwan and Bacon each raising nearly US$ 200,000 in self-funded contributions. Salwan's campaign finance records indicate he spent more than US$ 305,000, with the majority of funds allocated to campaign mailers and advertisements countering Bacon’s attacks. Salwan’s loan of $200,000 to his campaign underlined the personal investment he made in securing Fremont’s top seat.
The highly competitive nature of the race prompted the Fremont Chamber of Commerce to host a mayoral debate on Oct. 7. Initially, the debate featured only the frontrunners, Salwan and Bacon, but following public appeals from Marfatia, all four candidates were invited to participate. However, Ng was ultimately unable to attend.
With over eight years of service on the City Council, Salwan brings significant experience to the mayoral office. His tenure as councilman began in 2013 and has been marked by active involvement in key city initiatives, making him a familiar face among Fremont residents.
Meanwhile, the city council races saw notable outcomes across three districts. In District 1, incumbent Teresa Keng led with 64 percent of the vote, retaining her seat against opponents Ranvir Sandhu and Pravesh Kumar. District 5 went to Yajing Zhang, President of the Fremont Unified School District Board of Education, who defeated candidates Chandra Wagh and Sterling Jefferson Engle. District 6 witnessed the closest race, with Raymond Liu narrowly defeating incumbent Teresa Cox by a margin of just 2 percent.
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