When news outlets and political campaigns really want to know what people are thinking, they conduct a poll. But polling is expensive and, in smaller municipal races, it’s difficult to justify the time and money.
In places like Hayward, it can be difficult to know what people actually care about versus what a vocal minority brings up online. So let’s take a look at some key issues that could shape Hayward elections in November.
Data center development
The construction of the Stack data center on Eden Landing Road has faced immense community pushback, showcased at the Sept. 15 city council meeting. Hundreds of people attended, and dozens voiced concerns about environmental damage, pollution from generators, water contamination and more. It’s also become a visible issue in the upcoming elections.
Mayoral candidates
Mark Salinas, the current Mayor of Hayward, is seeking a second term. He faced the initial wave of resident unrest during a Town Hall discussion in August. Due to public outcry, he authored a referral that will result in a temporary moratorium on new data center construction. And while he has not ruled out a ban, his statements indicate he’s open to data center development so long as community concerns are addressed.
Tom Wong, on the other hand, has expressly called for a ban on all data centers and even for revoking the existing permits for the Stack data center. City staff have said that such action would result in significant legal consequences for the city. This stance has elevated his profile in local politics in ways that his prior two runs for HUSD Board of Trustees have not seen.
City council candidates – District 1
George Syrop, current city council member, has also been a critic of data center development, co-authoring the referral which will result in a temporary moratorium and explicitly calling for a ban on future data centers.
Brian Schott, his opponent, has not made a public statement on data center development and does not have a campaign website where such information could be found.
Policing and public safety
Whether online or on the dais, policing and public safety are always talking points for residents and elected officials. Between broken windows for downtown businesses, unhoused people on the street, and ever-present property crime, it’s an issue that drives a lot of strong feelings. Hayward police gets the largest share of the general fund (44%) but is still plagued by understaffing. Despite crime falling in almost every category this year, concerns about safety and policing continue to drive conversation.
Mayoral candidates
Mark Salinas has been a consistent advocate for policing and public safety investment. He supported the acquisition of Flock cameras when they were first installed, supported the acquisition of drones as first responders and is endorsed by two former Hayward chiefs of police.
Tom Wong ties himself closely to law enforcement on his campaign website and, in an interview published in the East Bay Times, advocated for what he called a “merchant policing” program. He described it as a program where business owners could volunteer to pay police salaries in exchange for their services. The legality of such a program is unclear, but he said it would be a “force multiplier.”
City council candidates – District 1
George Syrop has been a vocal critic of policing, being the lone opposition vote for the Drone as First Responder Program. Before being elected, he advocated for police demilitarization with the Hayward Community Coalition, and has abstained from approving the AB 481 Police Military Equipment Policy in the past.
In his public comments, Brian Schott has called for more investment in policing and spoke publicly in support of the Drone as First Responder program. He supported it on economic grounds and was generally supportive of police investments as a way to reduce crime.
Data
According to the 2025 Resident Satisfaction Survey, the actual issues important to Hayward residents are the cost of housing, traffic congestion on freeways and homelessness. “Crime, in general” was the fourth highest concern, rated at the same urgency as traffic on local streets. Compared to the prior survey, the concern about crime actually dropped a percentage point while the cost of housing increased nine percentage points.
Ultimately, what moves people to vote certain ways is nuanced and varies from person to person. The survey indicates people are generally pretty satisfied with how the city is being run, despite everything else. That may lead to a quiet win for incumbents, but if the last 10 years has taught us anything, it’s that you can never be sure until the votes are counted.
