Tag archives: Election 2021

DCC Puts Thumbs on the Scale for its Curated Cadre of Candidates
By Nick Masuda   |   October 26, 2021

When back room deals and influence peddling are discussed, certain places come to mind. Chicago. New Orleans. Atlantic City. Could “sleepy” Santa Barbara be headed in that same direction?  With Election Day looming, political posturing is expected. Less expected was Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams‘ recent meeting with mayoral candidate Deborah Schwartz, wherein he […]

Deborah Schwartz: Challenger, Mayor, Santa Barbara
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

With more than a decade served on Santa Barbara’s Planning Commission, Deborah Schwartz has navigated plenty of tough decisions, aiding in projects such as affordable housing and local economy relief. It’s all been good practice for her latest venture: running for mayor. It’s here that she will be faced with not only affordable housing and […]

Jason Carlton: Challenger, District 6, Santa Barbara City Council
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

The makeup of the race for Santa Barbara City Council’s District 6 seat took on a dramatically different feel late in the filing period, with three candidates jumping into the fray to take on incumbent Meagan Harmon. Jason Carlton, a well-known local business owner, is one of those that chose to challenge the seat; he […]

Nina Johnson: Challenger, District 6, Santa Barbara City Council
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

The race for the District 6 seat on Santa Barbara City Council has turned into a four-person race, with City Hall insider Nina Johnson creating plenty of buzz in choosing to “pull her papers” at the very end of the filing period to take on incumbent Meagan Harmon.  Johnson isn’t just taking on Harmon, but […]

Kristen Sneddon: Incumbent, District 4, Santa Barbara City Council
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

While the other city of Santa Barbara races feature a plethora of candidates, the battle for District 4 is a two-person showdown, with incumbent Kristen Sneddon taking on Barrett Reed. Sneddon, a professor at Santa Barbara City College, has been on council as the pandemic forced both State Street and Coast Village Road into plenty […]

Meagan Harmon: Incumbent, District 6, Santa Barbara City Council
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

The race for the District 6 seat on Santa Barbara City Council is a four-person race, with incumbent Meagan Harmon being challenged by Jason Carlton, Nina Johnson, and Zachary Pike. Harmon, also a representative on the California Coastal Commission, is facing her first election, as she was appointed to council in 2019. Each of the […]

Barrett Reed: Challenger, District 4, Santa Barbara City Council
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

With Coast Village Road’s well-being at the heart of the race for the District 4 seat on the Santa Barbara City Council, the two candidates have shown polar opposite tactics in portraying their vision for the corridor. Challenger Barrett Reed has been outspoken about the leadership style stemming from City Council, including that of his […]

Mark Whitehurst: Challenger, Mayor, Santa Barbara
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

A native of Iowa, Mark Whitehurst has made his impact on the Santa Barbara community through the use of his VOICE – the newspaper publication, that is. Whitehurst is a man of the world, having taught in Australia, while also working in Oregon at his brother’s newspaper before relocating to Santa Barbara some 27 years […]

Zachary Pike: Challenger, District 6, Santa Barbara City Council
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

Zachary Pike is the “everyman” in the race for the District 6 seat on Santa Barbara City Council, as he will take on incumbent Meagan Harmon, City Hall insider Nina Johnson, and local business owner Jason Carlton in the 2021 Election. Pike has made a conscious decision to not chase endorsements of organizations or other […]

Randy Rowse: Challenger, Mayor, Santa Barbara
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

Randy Rowse admits he had left it all behind – the politics, the late nights watching City Council meetings, the rigors of owning a business. The former Santa Barbara City Council representative was retired, and his wife loved it. But, over the past 18 months or so, monitoring City Council meetings became commonplace. He questioned […]

Cathy Murillo: Incumbent, Mayor, Santa Barbara
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

With numerous issues facing the city, the race for Santa Barbara’s mayor seat features a plethora of different backgrounds, with five challengers taking on incumbent Cathy Murillo. Murillo will take on James Joyce, Matt Kilrain, Randy Rowse, Deborah Schwartz, and Mark Whitehurst in an election that begins in early October as mail-in ballots arrive. For […]

James Joyce: Challenger, Mayor, Santa Barbara
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

James Joyce has been the ultimate guy behind the scenes, working with a California State Senator on a daily basis, guiding Hannah Beth Jackson’s attention toward what was needed. A key contributor to a beloved senator. And now it’s his time to step out front, although many in the community already know him from Coffee […]

Matt Kilrain: Challenger, Mayor, Santa Barbara
By Nick Masuda   |   October 5, 2021

If you’ve driven around town over the past six weeks, it’s been hard to miss the posters calling to elect “Boat Rat Matt” as Santa Barbara’s next mayor. It’s a moniker that Matt Kilrain embraces, and one that will take him to the November 2 ballot as he takes on incumbent Cathy Murillo, as well […]