Modesto’s mayor wants a second term, cites progress with city finances, police reform
Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen announced Monday that she will seek a second term in office — a little less than a year before city voters pick a mayor.
Zwahlen, 68, said in a statement that she is part of a new City Council that is beginning to reverse the city’s fortunes.
She said that includes bringing unity to a divided council, restoring trust in city government and shoring up the city’s financial future with the passage of Measure H — a 1% sales tax increase — on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Zwahlen also cited Modesto’s progress with Forward Together, its effort at police reform, which is expected to result soon in the hiring of an independent police auditor and the launch of a community police review board. She said this reform has been achieved by engaging the entire community, including law enforcement, neighborhoods and civic groups.
“I love Modesto and knew we could do better,” Zwahlen said in her statement. “I ran for mayor because of my faith in the people who live here, and who work here. I knew we could meet the challenges facing us. And we have! Thanks must go to a new city council that put aside the division.”
In an interview, Zwahlen said she wants to continue the work with which voters have entrusted her. She said she is announcing now because of the work entailed in a reelection campaign.
But police reform has been painful at times as council members and city officials have listened during council meetings to the anger, grief and anguish of family members and friends of Trevor Seever and Paul Chavez, two Modesto men fatally shot by police officers.
Like many California cities Modesto also faces challenges with affordable housing and a growing number of homeless people. Zwahlen said Modesto has made progress on those fronts, including its Camp2Home program that helps homeless people move from the streets to employment and housing, but more needs to be done.
“I still have it in me to face those challenges and work really diligently to address them,” she said.
Next year, for the first time, Modesto voters will pick a mayor during the state’s presidential primary election, March 5. Besides Measure H, voters in November approved changing when the mayor’s election is held, to increase voter turnout.
The mayor has been elected in November. But because a candidate seldom gets a majority of the vote, a runoff election among the top two voter-getters is held in February. Turnout plummets in the runoff.
For instance, turnout for the November 2020 mayoral election was 77.1% but fell to 29.4% in the February 2021 runoff. Zwahlen was the top vote-getter that November among eight candidates, with nearly 24% of the vote, and won the runoff.
If a runoff is needed after next year’s March 5 mayoral election, it will be held during the Nov. 5, 2024, presidential election. If a mayoral candidate receives a majority of the vote March 5 and a runoff is not needed, the candidate would not take office until after the November election.
Council members will continue to be elected in November. There are no runoffs for them. Whoever receives the most votes wins.
Zwahlen’s statement said she has been endorsed by all six City Council members, as well as by the Modesto City Firefighters Association.
Longtime local political consultant Mike Lynch, who advised Zwahlen in her previous campaign, said he is not aware of any other mayoral candidates. Lynch said he expects to advise Zwahlen in her re-election campaign.
The mayor said she is not aware of any other mayoral candidates, either. Zwahlen is a retired emergency department nurse and former Modesto City Schools board member.
