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San Gabriel City Council

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City of San Gabriel

San Gabriel City Council

This person holds one of three at-large seats on San Gabriel's City Council. These seats are up this cycle. The council has five members in all. Terms are four years and staggered. They vote on city laws, the budget, and land use. The council picks one of its own members as Mayor. It picks another as Vice Mayor each year. Neither title is separately elected. An appointed city manager runs day-to-day operations.

San Gabriel is electing three of its five City Council seats this cycle, all at-large. Incumbents Denise Menchaca, Eric L. Chan and John Wu are seeking new terms. They face two challengers, Jordan Guzman and Wendy Wang. There is no June primary for city offices. All five candidates go straight to the November 3 ballot. The top three vote-getters win.

Each winner serves a 4-year term, one of five votes on the council that sets San Gabriel's budget, land use, and municipal ordinances. The council also picks one of its own members to serve as Mayor and another as Vice Mayor each year on a rotating basis — neither title is separately elected — while an appointed city manager runs day-to-day operations.

All three incumbents are seeking new terms in the same election, so a ballot that replaces any of them changes the council's majority. Weigh each sitting member's specific record — their votes, committee assignments, and any controversies — against what a challenger says they would do differently, rather than treating the incumbents as a single slate.

Jordan Guzman

Jordan Guzman is a professional musician and educator with no prior elected office. He is running for one of San Gabriel's three open council seats. He wants an annual jazz festival at the Mission Playhouse. He also supports evidence-based policing and safety upgrades at busy intersections. He holds a music degree from Cal State Long Beach. He is also working on a teaching credential at Cal State LA.

Denise Menchaca

Denise Menchaca is the incumbent Councilmember and the current Mayor. She was first elected to the council in March 2017. She is now in her second term as Mayor. Colleagues reappointed her in April 2025. She is running for a new council term. Her priorities are historic preservation rules, public safety, and infrastructure. She was the first Latina elected to San Gabriel's City Council. She was also the first Latina to serve as its Mayor.

Wendy Wang

Wendy Wang is a longtime caregiver and small business owner with no prior elected office. She is running for one of San Gabriel's three open council seats. She is campaigning on government transparency and public safety. She also supports small businesses and working families. She has spent eight years in LA County's In-Home Supportive Services program. In that job she cares for seniors and people with disabilities. She is a member of SEIU Local 2015.

John Wu

John Wu is the incumbent Councilmember, elected in November 2022. He is a licensed real estate broker who trains other agents nationally. He is running for a second term. He points to street repaving progress during his time on the council. He also points to the city's exit from the state's fiscal high risk list. He also brokered sister-city partnerships with two Taiwanese jurisdictions during his term.

Eric L. Chan

Eric L. Chan is the incumbent Councilmember, elected in November 2022. Before that they were elected to the San Gabriel County Water District board. They served nine years there. They are an accountant and property manager. They are running for a second council term. Their focus is public safety and keeping San Gabriel business-friendly. They served a rotation as the council's Mayor earlier in their current term.

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A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.

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