Vicki Veenker: ‘There is more to do’
by Riley Cooke, October 9, 2026 8:38 am
Excerpt:
When Vicki Veenker first ran for Palo Alto City Council in 2022, she had no elected office experience and had never served on a citizen commission at City Hall.
Since being elected four years ago, she has become a key vote on the dais to forward affordable housing, develop stronger climate protections and place repairs at the Cubberley Community Center on the ballot. This year, she also became mayor, representing the city at home and abroad. But in her pitch to voters this November, she said there is still plenty more she wants to accomplish in Palo Alto, and she believes the experience of her first term makes her uniquely qualified to see major policy goals through.
“I do think that having spent four years on council, it’s an education every day, and you can’t get it any other way,” she said in an interview. “It’s also good to have fresh eyes, but in terms of the experience on council, you can’t really replicate that elsewhere.”
