City of Sunnyvale City Council Councilmember Russ Melton

Running for his second term on the council—this time in the newly created District 4—Russ Melton received an impressive 71.26 percent of the vote. In addition to his four years of experience as a member of the Sunnyvale City Council, Melton also has served on a variety of board and commissions, including the Planning Commission, the Santa Clara Local Agency Formation Commission, the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority, and the League of California Cities Revenue & Taxation Policy Committee. 

The former Navy man was born in Palo Alto and is a graduate of Leadership Sunnyvale. He has lived in Sunnyvale since 2000 with his wife and their two children, who attend public school in town. Melton serves on the Parent-Student Advisory Group and was previously president of the School Site Council.

First elected: 2016

Day job: Finance professional

Alma maters: Santa Clara University (MBA); California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (bachelor’s degree, business administration)

Other offices held: Sunnyvale vice mayor (2019), Planning Commission chair (2014-16), Planning Commission member (2012-13) 

Notable quote: “District 4 has diverse housing, including mobile home residents and apartment renters. I voted in 2019 to protect District 4 renters by accelerating the start of California’s rent control requirements,” Russ Melton told Silicon Valley Voice. “Someday soon, the COVID-19 emergency will be over and the eviction moratorium will come to an end. Government has to plan to protect renters and mobile home residents. Locally, we will have to explore solutions like lengthening the amount of time allowed to pay deferred rent.”