 Between 1996 and 2004 he was elected twice to the City Council of Santa Monica, California and was appointed as its mayor from 2000-2002.Feinstein was first elected to the City Council in 1996 receiving 13,681 votes and finishing second amongst the thirteen candidates running for four seats.Feinstein was re-elected in 2000 with 21,084 votes, finishing first out of thirteen candidates for four seats.