Reading Time: 3 minutes

A longtime south Merced resident who also has experience serving on the planning commission was chosen to fill the vacant District 2 seat on the Merced City Council.

Yang Thao was interviewed and appointed by the city council Tuesday evening to fill the remainder of the District 2 term for Ronnie De Anda, who stepped down from his council seat in October.

District 2 covers southeast Merced, south of 13th Street, and includes the Merced Regional Airport and Wardrobe Avenue area. 

Thao, who told the council he is “ready to serve” his district, was chosen from a field of about a dozen candidates. He works as a marketing director for a local financial services company, according to his District 2 seat application.

According to Thao’s application, he immigrated to the U.S. from Laos at age 7 and has lived in District 2 for most of his life. He earned a bachelor’s degree in community health from Fresno State.

Over the past 20 years, Thao has worked in financial services, nonprofit leadership and public services, his application said.

Here are some sights from Tuesday’s council meeting. A copy of Thao’s application is also included below. 

Yang Pao Thao, left, was appointed by the Merced City Council on Dec. 2, 2025 to fill the District 2 vacancy. Applicant Tommy Tran, right) is a UC Merced lecturer. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
Applicant Gloria Keene, 86, answers questions from the six sitting council members on Dec. 2, 2025. The empty seat next to her belongs to one of the applicants who did not show up to the mandatory interview. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
Applicants Jody K. George, 70, (left) and Dina Gonzalez (right) on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
Applicants Jody K. George, 70, (left) and Dina Gonzalez (right) on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
Applicants Jody K. George, 70, (left) and Dina Gonzalez (right) on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
Audience members are shown during the appointment hearing for the Merced District 2 City Council seat. Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
From left to right: Gloria Keene, 86, Yang Thao, 41, and Tommy Tran on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
From left to right: Mayor Pro Tem Sarah Boyle, District 1 Councilmember Darin DuPont, District 6 Councilmember Fue Xiong, City Manager Scott McBride and Mayor Matthew Serratto are shown. Credit: Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS
A group of south Merced residents are shown in line to speak during an appointment hearing for the Merced District 2 City Council seat. Alma Villegas/ The Merced FOCUS

Alma Villegas is a bilingual journalist from Los Angeles, covering English and Spanish community news stories across California. Villegas' work has been published on Golden Gate Xpress, El Tecolote,...