Raj Salwan

Raj Salwan is an Indian-born American politician serving as mayor of Fremont, California. He was elected mayor in November 2024 and assumed office in December 2024, becoming the first Indian American mayor of Fremont.

Life and career Salwan was born in a village near Amritsar, India, immigrating to the United States at age six. He grew up in Fremont, during the 1980s. In 2014, Salwan ran for Fremont City Council but lost to Lily Mei and Rick Jones. In the subsequent 2016 election, Salwan campaigned again and secured his seat along with Vinnie Bacon. In city council, Salwan reduced traffic congestion by 33% and organized a committee to allocate more land for school construction. He was appointed Vice Mayor in 2018

After former mayor Lily Mei termed out, Salwan campaigned to become mayor in 2024 against candidates Vinnie Bacon, Rohan Marfatia, and Hui Ng. During the 2024–25 mayoral campaign, both candidates, Salwan and Bacon, faced criticism from their opponents. News outlets reported on various accusations and responses exchanged during the race. Salwan denied wrongdoing in response to campaign allegations, and emphasized the need to focus on issues rather than personal attacks. Bacon admitted that he missed many meetings due to work, and faced many campaign violations from the FPPC.

On November 5, 2024, Salwan won the election and subsequently assumed office on December 10, 2024.