San Jose mayor backs deputy chief of staff for District 3

A high-ranking official in the San Jose mayor’s office has plans to run for City Council — and he’s got his boss’s backing.

Mayor Matt Mahan stood in support of Matthew Quevedo, his deputy chief of staff, as he announced his candidacy for the open District 3 seat on Friday at St. James Park. A few dozen supporters surrounded Quevedo at the edge of the park as he shared why he should be elected over other candidates in the race. The downtown seat became vacant after former Councilmember Omar Torres resigned on Election Day just hours before his arrest for alleged child sexual abuse.

Quevedo was among downtown residents leading the charge to recall Torres from office after he was reluctant to step down until his arrest.

As district voters look to elect a new representative in the April 8 special election, Quevedo said neighborhood associations and advocates are among the driving force of his campaign.

“Good projects and good development, that comes from having an open, honest conversation with our neighborhoods, strengthening our neighborhood associations and making sure that they’re a part of the conversation,” Quevedo told San José Spotlight. “When people generally understand what’s happening, they’re on the same page and they want to see good projects move forward.”

Quevedo started his career in public service as an emergency services intern for Valley Water more than 10 years ago. After a stint as former Mayor Sam Liccardo’s campaign field director in 2014, Quevedo began working for Mahan in 2019, serving in administrative roles before becoming deputy chief of staff.

Mahan said he discovered Quevedo’s true character after he continued to support Mahan during the competitive 2022 San Jose mayoral campaign as his campaign manager. He said they even shared cold pizza during long nights on the campaign trail.

“He’s the guy you want standing next to you when the going gets tough at City Hall,” Mahan said. “Matthew has been the voice of our neighborhoods. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about politics, it really comes down to who you are listening to.”

A spokesperson for Mahan’s office said his staffers who attended the event took vacation time to be present. These individuals have to campaign outside of work or it’s a conflict of interest.

“We also have a policy that political advocacy needs to happen outside of working hours or members of the team need to take vacation time,” Tasha Dean, Mahan’s spokesperson, told San José Spotlight.
As the mayor’s deputy chief of staff in charge of neighborhood outreach, Quevedo has worked on issues related to blight, homelessness and public safety — all core issues for downtown residents. If elected, he would serve as District 3 councilmember until the end of 2026.

“My family and I moved to downtown for a reason, because we want a safe, clean and beautiful place to live in — but also to enjoy a cool and vibrant downtown,” Quevedo told San José Spotlight. “A lot of my neighbors in downtown came here for the same reason.”

Several residents are either considering or lining up for a run to represent the city’s downtown core, including Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley Executive Director Gabriela Chavez-Lopez, Planning Commission Chair Anthony Tordillos and attorney Irene Smith.