The iconic water tower in Galt. Photo by Keith Burbank

GALT, CA (MPG) - Two-term City Council incumbent Paul Sandhu is facing a challenger here in the Nov. 3 election.

Tom Silva, a California Army National Guard veteran, is challenging Sandhu for the District 5 seat in the first election since City Council districts were formed. The District 5 race is the only one this year with more than one candidate.

“I felt like it was important to be that voice for my neighborhood,” said Silva. “My neighbors have concerns that want to be addressed.”

Silva served on the board of the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District from 2018 to 2022 and for two years was president. He co-founded Veterans for Galt, which brings veterans together to help one another.

Tom Silva, District 5 Galt City Council candidate. Photo courtesy of the University of the Pacific

Sandhu, a local business owner, was first elected in 2018 and ran, he said, because “there was a disconnect between the city staff and the citizen.”

Since then, a lot has improved, Sandhu told The Galt Herald.  He is running in 2026 because there are things still in the pipeline, he said, such as issues with growth and the master plan for parks, among others.

Both candidates agree traffic safety is a top concern. Silva is concerned about safety on Ranch Road, where he lives. 

A neighbor there waited 15 minutes to back out of her driveway because traffic was so dense, he said. Vehicles are passing each other on the road, too, a neighbor complained to him, he said.

“We want to make sure the roads are safe,” Sandhu said, adding he would get the consent of residents when crafting a solution.

He favors increased police patrols to improve safety, he said.

“I will be taking care of my district,” he emphasized, since the city moved away from at-large seats.

“Calming measures on Ranch Road,” Silva said, “is only part of a larger issue as far as safety, not just with Ranch Road, but with Galt in general.”

Paul Sandhu, incumbent and District 5 Galt City Council candidate. Photo by Paige Lampson

Some of Sandhu’s other priorities include homelessness, quality of life and growth. He would like to attract more industry to Galt, he said, which would bring more revenue to the city.

But he said he wants to avoid having new growth affect existing residents. 

Sandhu, if elected, would like the seat Council Member Shawn Farmer has now on the Sacramento Homeless Policy Council, he said. He would be a strong, outspoken voice for Galt on that council, he said.

Asked what other issues he would like to address as a City Council member, Silva stressed he is an advocate for veterans.

“It's something I've done for a long time,” he said. He served in the California Army National Guard for 33 years before retiring, he said.  

Silva worked in the veterans’ center at the University of the Pacific, he said, following his graduation there with a bachelor’s degree in business.

“I am definitely driven to serve others,” Silva said.

Both candidates want to maintain Galt’s small-town charm, each said.