The Lathrop City Council gets a shakeup every two years. 

While most other cities their size either appoint a mayor from the council to serve as the city’s figurehead or elect one for a full four-year term, Lathrop’s Mayoral position is up for grabs during every election – joining with the other two seats to mean than a majority of the council can be replaced at any given time. 

But this year is a little bit different. 

On top of the standard three positions that are up for grabs, there’s also a fourth half-term that’s being placed on the ballot after councilman Omar Ornelas resigned at the end of last year with three years still left on his second term in office. 

The council opted to appoint somebody to serve out the remainder of the first half of that term, but Councilman Mark Elliott will have to run just like the rest of the council will in November if he wants to keep his position for the next two years. 

The two full terms up for election this year are those of Councilman Steve Dresser – the former mayor who took time away from elected life before returning to run in 2012 – and Martha Salcedo who, if she opts to run,  would be seeking her third term on the council. 

Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal – who started his tenure in public office as a member of the planning commission before being elected to the council and ultimately two terms as mayor – will also put his position on the line and has not made an announcement as to whether he’ll seen another term at the helm of the growing community. 

If Elliott does wish to remain on the council, he’ll have the option of either running for the two-year term that was vacated by Ornelas or one of the two full four-year terms that will be up for grabs. Anybody who qualifies as a Lathrop resident will be able to run for the half term.  

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.