Manteca has had nine people serve as mayor since the city went to direct elections for mayor in 1980.

See if you can answer the following questions regarding Manteca mayors over the past 46 years:

*Only one mayor was born in Manteca. Who was that?

*Three mayors graduated from Manteca High. Who were they?

*The closest election for mayor ever was decided by less than 50 votes. Who were the candidates and why did one believe they lost because voters may have been confused?

*What mayor was an immigrant?

*Who was the only woman elected mayor?

*Who was the first directly elected mayor?

*Who was the first and only mayor to be recalled?

*Who was the longest serving mayor?

*Which mayor was raised in Lathrop?

*What mayor was a city manager?

*Name the four living mayors.

*What two mayors ran for the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors?

*What was the primary occupation of each mayor?

*Has there ever been a mayor elected who graduated from East Union High?

The answers:

*Bill Perry was the only mayor born in Manteca.

*Bill Perry, Carlon Perry, and Ben Cantu were Manteca High graduates.

*Bill Perry beat Carlon Perry in 1994 by less than 50 votes. Carlon Perry believed there was a good chance he lost because of confusion about their names.

*Gary Singh immigrated to the United States from India as a 5 year-old.

*Trena Kelley was the only woman elected mayor.

*Kelley was the first directly elected mayor.

*Kelley was the first and only mayor successfully recalled.

*Willie Weatherford was the longest serving mayor with three terms covering 12 years.

*Carlon Perry was born in French Camp and raised in Lathrop.

* Weatherford was city manager/police chief in Galt before serving as Manteca’s police chief.

*The four living mayors are Weatherford, Steve DeBrum, Cantu, and Singh.

*Both Snyder and DeBrum ran unsuccessfully for the Board of Supervisors.

*Kelley was a housewife, Snyder a manager at Libbey Owens Ford glass plant in Lathrop, Warren was a downtown businessman — first as a shore store owner and then as a partner in Manteca Bedquarters, Bill Perry was a real estate agent, Carlon Perry was a newspaper publisher, Weatherford was Manteca’s police chief, DeBrum was a field representative working with dairy owners, Cantu was a Manteca city planner, and Singh is a real estate agent.

*No one that graduated East Union High has been elected mayor. Singh is the first Sierra High graduate to serve as mayor.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com