Regina Lackey is exploring a possible run for the Area 2 seat on the Manteca City Council.

She has filed the required paperwork that is a precursor to the next step — submitting a form of the intent to run as mandated by state law before one can start raising money to campaign.

Planning Commissioner Judith Blumhorst has already started raising funds for her campaign for the Area 2 seat.

Former Councilman Richard Silverman is where Lackey is now at in the process as he has filed paperwork showing he is exploring a run for the same seat.

Lackey indicated Tuesday that she was prompted to take out paperwork after talking to neighbors and others in the Area 2 district.

“They don’t know who their council representative is,” lackey said.

As such, she feels Area 2 that consists of Manteca south and east of the 120 Bypass and Union Road as well as the city east of Highway 99 except for The Collective neighborhood is not being adequately represented or concerns being addressed.

Lackey has been a Manteca resident for more than 20 years. She has been involved in Scouting and works in real estate.

The Nov. 5 election will be the first time an Area 2 representative per se will be elected. Candidates must live within the district and are only be elected by those residing within the district.

The city went to district elections in 2022.

Prior to that elections were at large citywide.

The 2022 election cycle saw Mike Morowit elected to represent Area 4 north of Louise Avenue. Dave Breitenbucher was elected to serve  Area 3 that is basically the pre-1970 portion of Manteca that includes downtown.

Gary Singh was elected to a four year term as mayor in 2022.

His seat became vacant while Charlie Halford, who was elected at large in 2020, still had two years to go on his term.

Halford resides in Area 1 which is southwest Manteca and has formed a committee to raise funds in the Nov. 5 election.

The city in 2022 sought applicants for the seat Singh vacated with the hope someone from Area 2 would step forward. When they didn’t, the council opted to appoint Jose Nuno to the remaining two years of Singh’s term.

Nuno had just completed a four-year term and had no opted to seek re-election.

A decision to become self-employed allowed him to accept the appointment.

And while the seat was assigned to Area 2 and would be filled this election cycle, Nuno actually lives north of Lathrop Road.

Area 2, with extensive growth southwest of the 120 Bypass and Union Road, is the second “newest” area of Manteca in terms of most recent growth.

The first home south of the 120 Bypass was not built until 1998.

And there were just over 1,000 housing units including two mobile parks and two apartment complexes east of Highway 99 as late as 1991

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com