In November of 2022, Manuel Chavez was re-elected to serve in Costa Mesa's District 4 for a second four-year term. 

First elected in 2018, he was part of the City of Costa Mesa’s historical first District Elections and became the first person elected to represent Costa Mesa City Council District 4 at the age of 23.

Manuel is committed to increasing access to public parks and infrastructure in Westside Costa Mesa and wants the city to work more closely with local organizations and non-profits to expand their existing work to help Westside families and youth.

He is a strong supporter of the city’s police and first responders and wants to work to improve trust and safety in Costa Mesa by keeping Police and Fire departments local in addition to restoring depleted department staffing.

He believes Costa Mesa needs more affordable housing, especially in his district, and he believes the council must prioritize lowering the cost of living while maintaining quality of life. He also believes it is vital for Costa Mesa to find short and long-term solutions for shelter, housing, and public safety.

Growing up in Westside Costa Mesa, Manuel attended local public schools, including Pomona, Rea, Twinkle, and Estancia High School. While a student at Estancia High School, he became heavily involved with the Save Our Youth program (SOY).

After graduating from Estancia, Manuel attended UC Irvine where he studied Political Science and became very involved with the College Democrats at UCI and the Orange County Young Democrats. He was elected President of the College Democrats during his final year at UCI.

In 2016, he joined a slate of progressive activists to win election to represent our values in the California Democratic Party as a delegate for Assembly District 74. He led the College Democrats at UCI to participate in the first Orange County Women’s March, which turned out to be the largest march in the history of Orange County.

A lifelong Costa Mesa resident, Manuel is very involved with his church and for several years served for years as a group leader with the Youth Ministry at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. He currently works as an underwriter for United Auto Credit, an automobile financing agency.

Term expires: November 2026 (2nd term)
Email: Manuel.Chavez@costamesaca.gov
Phone: (949) 274-2305

* To contact the City Council's Constituent Services Team, please call (714) 754-5105 or email constituentservices@costamesaca.gov.

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