In the upcoming Nov. 3 election, Fremont’s District 4 voters will elect a new City Council representative from three candidates as incumbent Yang Shao’s second consecutive term ends.
Mental health advocate Manisha Pathak, Alameda County Water District director Aziz Akbari, and business owner Ying Min Li will be the three candidates on the ballot to represent District 4, which includes the city’s eastern neighborhoods like Kimber/Gomes, Cherry/Guardino, parts of downtown, and Lake Elizabeth.
Manisha Pathak
An immigrant who moved from India, Pathak worked in the tech sector for 20 years before becoming a nonprofit founder and mental health advocate.
She serves on the Fremont Human Relations Commission and is pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, according to her candidate statement submitted to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
If elected, her priorities will be addressing homelessness, strengthening neighborhood safety, traffic infrastructure, and environmental stewardship.
“I believe in practical, transparent, and collaborative leadership,” Pathak said in her candidate statement. “As your City Councilmember, I will focus on addressing homelessness with compassion, accountability, and measurable results.”
Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, D-Cupertino, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen, and Vivek Prasad, board member of the Fremont Unified School District, have endorsed Pathak’s candidacy.
Aziz Akbari
Akbari is on the Alameda County Water District Board of Directors and is running to make Fremont more affordable and livable.
At the Water District, Akbari helped raise $30 million in infrastructure grants, improve seismic readiness, develop a renewable energy initiative, and maintain a AAA bond rating, according to his candidate statement.
“I’m bringing that experience to City Hall to build affordable housing so working families and seniors can live in Fremont, expand green spaces so Fremont feels like a city built inside a park, and run City Hall with fiscal transparency,” Akbari said in his candidate statement.
U.S. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Santa Clara and Aisha Wahab, D-Castro Valley, state Assemblymember Alex Lee, D-Milpitas, Alameda County Supervisors Elisa Marquez and Nikki Fortunato Bas, and Fremont Councilmembers Desrie Campbell and Teresa Keng have endorsed Akbari’s candidacy.
Ying Min Li
Li worked in the tech sector for 20 years as an engineer before becoming a business owner. He currently serves on Fremont’s Historical Architectural Review Board, and his priorities include public safety and traffic infrastructure.
“I will work to ensure our Police Department is fully staffed and equipped with the resources to keep every neighborhood safe,” Li said in his candidate statement. “Traffic has worsened because our infrastructure has not kept pace with Fremont’s growth. I will prioritize solutions that reduce congestion and shorten commute times.”
Li also believes that the city needs to improve housing affordability and help homeless individuals transition to stable housing.