I find it truly remarkable how quickly these four years have passed since I first announced my candidacy for Council. This letter is to let my Turlock family know that, after much thoughtful consideration, I have decided not to seek another term.

It has been apparent to me for some time now that my next endeavor is graduate school. This decision both serves the betterment of my professional career and, more importantly, will help strengthen my ability to serve the public again in the future.

To my friends and many supporters, I cannot thank you enough for standing with me from day one, backing a long-shot 22-year-old candidate running in a challenging city-wide election. Every commitment to endorse, donate, and volunteer towards another campaign has meant the world to me and I could not be more humbled by the support.

To our extraordinary staff at City Hall, present and past, that I have had the privilege to work alongside – thank you. You are the hidden figures that ensure the vital functions of our city stay strong, and your dedication never ceases to inspire me.

To the five Council colleagues I have had the honor to serve alongside, you have each in your own way helped shape me into a better civil servant. Though our views differed at times, one thing I can say without doubt is that we were always united in our love for Turlock and a shared motivation to do what we believed best for our city.

And finally, to my family, it is impossible to capture with words how much I appreciate the unwavering love and encouragement you have provided, without which I would not have had the audacity to embark on this journey to begin with.

I reflect upon my term and cannot help but be proud of all the progress we have made together as a community. We still have a variety of critical projects underway and I fully plan to continue working tirelessly for my constituents to completion.

Again, thank you Turlock voters for trusting me with this awesome responsibility, it has been such a joy to represent you these past four years. I’ll be back home before you know it!

— Matthew Jacob, Turlock Vice Mayor