Manteca Mayor Gary Singh, local chiropractor face election charges

Manteca Mayor Gary Singh and a local chiropractor are facing misdemeanor election charges following an investigation into an offer of a discount tied to voting in the city's mayoral race, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office announced on Friday.

Singh and Matthew Alexander were each served notices to appear in San Joaquin County Superior Court on two misdemeanor counts related to alleged payments or consideration offered to voters, prosecutors said.

The alleged offenses stem from alleged election-related conduct that occurred between Aug. 12 and Aug. 31, 2026. The charges include offering payment or consideration to vote or register to vote and offering payment or consideration to vote for a particular person or measure, prosecutors said.

Both Singh and Alexander are scheduled to make their initial court appearances on Oct. 16 in San Joaquin County Superior Court. The district attorney's announcement did not provide additional details about the evidence supporting the charges.

In a statement posted to social media on Friday night, Singh said he looks forward to the facts of the case being heard and is "prepared to address these charges through the appropriate legal process."

"I remain confident in allowing that process to move forward, and I will not allow this matter to distract me from my responsibility to the people of Manteca," Singh wrote. "My focus remains where it has always been: serving our residents, supporting our community and local businesses, and continuing the work I was elected to do."

Social media video

The case follows a social media video Singh posted and has since taken down, featuring a Manteca business.

In the video, Alexander offered a discount to customers who said they had voted for Singh. Singh responded to the offer in the video.

Singh said in an Aug. 31 statement that the purpose of the video was to highlight a local business and that he did not create, fund, request or coordinate the discount.

"Neither I nor my campaign would ever offer anything of value in exchange for someone's vote," Singh said.

Singh also said then that he recognized he should have been more mindful of how the exchange could be interpreted and said he respected residents' right to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Singh is currently Manteca's mayor and is seeking another term in the Nov. 3, 2026, election. The city lists Singh and Jacob Naven as the two candidates for mayor.

Singh was first elected mayor in 2022.