Seema Patel, who has served on the San Mateo Planning Commission since 2021, is running for San Mateo City Council District 3 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
The nonpartisan race also includes Rob Newsom Jr., according to the city’s election page.
In the Surround Sound News candidate questionnaire, Patel explained why she is running: "I want every family to have the same chance we did: to find a place where they can truly live and thrive, not just get by. After five years on the Planning Commission, I believe San Mateo needs problem solvers who show up, do the homework, and follow through."
Candidate information
The following information comes from Patel’s questionnaire responses.
Residence: Patel and her husband have lived in San Mateo for 13 years and are raising an 11-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.
Family background: "My parents immigrated to the United States in the mid-1970s. My father served as a U.S. Navy officer for 35 years and my mother was a microbiologist."
Education: Patel listed bachelor’s degrees in physics and psychology from Harvey Mudd College, a master’s degree in computer science from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in entertainment technology from Carnegie Mellon University.
Party affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: "I am an experience designer. I spent eight years as CEO of my own robotics company, building animatronic robots for science centers and children's museums, and therapy tools for neurodiverse children. I then worked at Google from 2013 to 2025 … where I led a team of creative technologists, drove strategy across departments and senior leadership, and managed a $60M+ budget for operational and capital projects."
Experience and public service
Patel listed the following public service roles in her questionnaire:
- San Mateo Planning Commission member (2021–present), vice chair (2023–2024), chair (2024–2026)
- San Mateo County Transit District Measure W Citizens Oversight Committee (2025–present)
- Delegate, California Democratic State Central Committee, Assembly District 21 (2023–present)
She also reported founding Safe Streets for Everyone and co-founding the B Street Boosters.
On her qualifications for the job, Patel wrote: "On the Planning Commission, I have worked on our Housing Element, the City's eight-year plan to enable more housing growth, as well as our ADU ordinance and objective design standards for multi-family housing."
On the issues
Street safety: Patel identified street safety as the council’s most important issue: "Four pedestrians have died on San Mateo streets in sixteen months, more than a decade after we adopted Vision Zero." She supports "establishing a dedicated funding source for quick-build safety projects, funded by a percentage of the transportation impact fee on new development."
Housing and development: On balancing housing growth with neighborhood concerns, Patel wrote: "State law limits what cities can do to block or relocate housing, so I focus on what the City controls: roads and infrastructure." She would "redesign known pinch points like El Camino Real at 42nd Avenue before congestion worsens, explore last-mile shuttles to Caltrain, and build safe bike and pedestrian routes so short trips do not require a car."
Patel added: "Neighborhood character is best protected through clear, objective design standards rather than case-by-case fights."
Spending priorities: "Priorities should reflect the City's 2025 community survey: 93% of residents ranked infrastructure maintenance a high or medium priority," Patel wrote.
She outlined her funding approach: "I would audit discretionary spending first, including consultant contracts and low-priority studies, and bring work in-house where it is cheaper. Tax increases should be a last resort."
Endorsements: Patel's campaign website lists endorsements from San Mateo Mayor Adam Loraine, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Noelia Corzo, state Sen. Scott Wiener, Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens, the Housing Action Coalition and Planned Parenthood.
Candidate responses were collected through a Surround Sound News questionnaire. Direct quotations are the candidate’s own words.
