By NIHAR JAIN
For the Bulletin
The 2026 Manteca Civic Forum is this Sunday, Sept. 27, bringing together all seven candidates running for Manteca Mayor and City Council Districts 3 and 4 for an evening focused on local issues and informed civic participation.
Hosted by the Interact Club of Manteca, the forum will take place at the VFW Veterans Center, 580 Moffat Blvd.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 6 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
The forum will give Manteca residents the opportunity to hear directly from every candidate appearing in the three city races ahead of the November 3 election.
Candidates will participate in opening statements, moderator-led questions, audience-submitted questions, and closing statements, with equal speaking time provided to each candidate.
The Interact Club of Manteca does not endorse or oppose any candidate, campaign, or political party. The Civic Forum is organized as a nonpartisan civic education event intended to help residents learn more about their choices before casting their ballots.
The San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters will also provide voter registration materials and election information at the event.
Here are the seven candidates participating in this year’s Manteca Civic Forum:
Mayor
Gary Singh
Gary Singh is the Mayor of Manteca, a local business owner, real estate broker, Rotarian, and longtime community advocate who has called Manteca home for most of his life.
Gary immigrated to the United States from India as a very young child and grew up in Manteca, where he attended local schools and graduated from Sierra High School. He went on to attend the University of the Pacific, graduating in 2004.
His family’s small-business roots helped shape his belief in hard work, opportunity, and giving back to the community.
Gary began serving on the Manteca City Council in 2016 and was elected Mayor in 2022. During his time in public service, he has focused on strengthening public safety, improving roads and infrastructure, addressing homelessness, supporting local businesses, expanding parks and recreational opportunities, and ensuring city services keep pace with Manteca’s growth.
Gary is seeking reelection as Mayor to continue that work.
Jacob Naven
Jacob Naven is a small business owner in Manteca, where he has operated his business since 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree from BYU-Idaho and holds three designations in finance: the CLU, ChFC, and RICP.
Jacob has served as president of the Kiwanis Club and the Central Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, as a board member of the Manteca Chamber of Commerce, and as chair of Give Every Child a Chance. He also served as chair of the Doctors Hospital Board during 2020 after serving for six years.
His community involvement includes coaching baseball and soccer, serving as a church leader, and coaching high school tennis, including back-to-back Sac-Joaquin titles in 2024 and 2025 and a playoff appearance in 2026. Jacob has been married to his wife, Kris, for almost 23 years, and they have three sons.
He speaks Spanish, which he learned while living in Panama for two years.
City Council District 3
David Breitenbucher
David Breitenbucher was born and raised in Manteca.
A graduate of Manteca High School, David later earned a degree in fire science from San Joaquin Delta College. David began serving with the Manteca Fire Department as a reserve firefighter in 1984. He was hired as a firefighter-engineer in 1986 and rose through the ranks to become a fire captain.
David was named Manteca Firefighter of the Year.
Since his election to the Manteca City Council in 2018, David has focused on public safety, responsible growth, and homelessness.
He advocated for an emergency shelter and permanent navigation center. The city’s point-in-time count showed Manteca’s homeless population declining by nearly 50 percent, from 235 people in 2024 to 121 in 2026.
David is seeking another term to complete the permanent navigation center, new police headquarters, and sixth fire station serving southwest Manteca.
Lei Ann Varletta Larson
Lei Ann Varletta Larson, 52, was raised just outside of Manteca in the small community of Banta east of Tracy and graduated from Tracy High School. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, with an emphasis in Finance, and attended Humphreys School of Law.
Lei Ann brings 30 years of experience working in and alongside the legal field in non-attorney professional roles. Her background includes work involving litigation, finance and banking, legislative affairs, and planning and zoning in both the public and private sectors. Lei Ann and her husband, Joseph, have called Manteca home since 2008.
In 2022, she ran for Mayor of Manteca and finished second in a three-candidate race, earning 5,570 votes citywide. Her priorities include fiscal responsibility, strong police and fire services, responsible growth that keeps pace with infrastructure, careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars, transparency, and advocacy for children, families, and seniors.
City Council District 4
Mike Morowit
Mike Morowit is a small business owner and longtime community leader committed to preserving Manteca’s quality of life while planning responsibly for the city’s future.
A Manteca business owner since 1995, Mike understands the challenges facing local families and employers. His experience in the private sector has shaped his fiscally responsible approach to governing, emphasizing balanced budgets, economic growth, and accountability to taxpayers. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Mike currently serves on the Manteca City Council representing District 4, after previously serving on the Council from 2014 to 2018 and being re-elected in 2022.
Before joining the City Council, he served on the Manteca Planning Commission, including two years as chairman, and on the Measure M Oversight Committee.
His priorities include responsible economic development, public safety, transportation improvements, and partnerships that strengthen the community.
Dani Bettencourt
Dani Bettencourt is a 40-year resident of Manteca, a local business leader, and a candidate for Manteca City Council District 4.
Dani is running to deliver transparent, accountable leadership for District 4. Her campaign priorities focus on protecting taxpayer dollars by funding essential public safety and infrastructure, including local road repairs, park maintenance, and water systems. Serving as President of the Manteca Chamber of Commerce from 2025 to 2026,
Dani has advocated for local enterprise, built community partnerships, and served local families. As a practicing Realtor and performance coach, she brings experience in local real estate, housing economics, and private property rights. Her community service extends across several civic organizations and nonprofits, including active membership in the Manteca Rotary Club. Dani’s plan prioritizes open-door leadership, full funding for police and fire services, streamlining municipal processes for local businesses, and smart, responsible growth that preserves Manteca’s Family City character.
Rogger Gutierrez
Rogger Gutierrez is running for Manteca City Council District 4.
As a Management Analyst and nine-year Army veteran, he has built his career around accountability, problem-solving, and making sure public resources deliver results.
Rogger’s priorities include stronger partnerships with schools and community programs to help students succeed. He also wants to reduce monthly utility costs, protect essential public safety by stopping the closure of the current police station, and fight for competitive wages for the city workers who keep Manteca running.
Rogger is running to bring practical, data-driven leadership to City Hall and make District 4 a stronger place to live, work, and raise a family.
His campaign emphasizes accountability, problem-solving, public safety, support for students and city workers, and ensuring that public resources are used effectively. He is asking residents to support his effort to build a better future for Manteca.
Chamber’s candidate forum
The Manteca Chamber of Commerce is hosting a forum on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 2 p.m. at the Emory Hall, 1028 West Yosemite Ave.
There is a $10 charge. Refreshments will be served.
Questions can be submitted via the chamber’s website at manteca.org where tickets can be purchased as well.
