It’s Official: Santa Barbara City Council Election Results Certified
Wendy Santamaria Claims Eastside District Seat; Incumbents Win Other Two Races
Santa Barbara City Council will officially have one new member in the New Year, with political newcomer Wendy Santamaria maintaining her lead over incumbent Alejandra Gutierrez for the District 1 Eastside seat, according to certified election results released this week.
In what was the closest out of all three council races, Santamaria finished with 46.8 percent of the vote, claiming a total of 2,098 votes. Gutierrez finished at 41.5 percent, with 1,862 votes. Candidate Cruzito Cruz rounded out the race with 494 votes, or 11 percent.
Santamaria, a longtime tenants rights activists and union organizer, ran a grassroots campaign that was focused on addressing the city’s housing crisis, with much of her support coming from community organizations like the CAUSE Action Fund, Santa Barbara Tenants Union, and Planned Parenthood. She voiced her support for programs that will help the city’s renters, such as a rental registry, rent stabilization, and permanent right to counsel for those facing evictions.
Santamaria faced an uphill battle against Gutierrez, a born-and-raised local who was elected in 2019 and had been a fierce defender of the Latino community on the Eastside. During her five-year term, Gutierrez became a polarizing figure at City Hall — loved by those who appreciated her willingness to vote against the grain, but criticized by others who felt she was unresponsive and missed many meetings.
On election night, the first results in the District 1 race showed Santamaria pulling out to an early lead with 50 percent of the early total, while Gutierrez had 40 percent. When the next batch of semi-official results came out a week later, Santamaria’s lead had shrunk to 152 votes, but she remained firmly in the lead. Now, certified results show Santamaria claimed the win by a final tally of 236 votes.
Santamaria released a statement following the victory, in which she celebrated the win and thanked the “incredible coalition of community organizations, first responders, and hard-working individuals who came together to advocate for change in our city.”
“It was everyday residents fighting for a better quality of life that made this win possible,” Santamaria said. “I am truly honored by the trust so many of you have placed in our vision for a stronger, more inclusive Santa Barbara.”
In the statement, Santamaria credited Councilmember Gutierrez for her service and said that she was looking forward to building on that success and serving as a “representative for all residents.”
“I am committed to listening, collaborating, and making sure every voice is heard as we address the issues that matter most to our community,” Santamaria said. “In the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential win and the instability in our federal government, I also want to reaffirm my commitment to protecting and uplifting vulnerable communities in our city. Now, more than ever, it is essential that we ensure every resident feels valued and safe, regardless of who they are, and regardless of where they were born.”
Both of the other incumbent councilmembers, Mike Jordan in District 2 (Mesa) and Oscar Gutierrez in District 3 (Westside), won comfortably against their challengers.
In District 2, Councilmember Jordan claimed his second term with 75.9 percent of the vote compared to 23.3 percent from his challenger Terra Taylor — the largest margin of all three City Council races. The Mesa district also reported the highest voter turnout of all three races, with more than 10,000 votes cast, or nearly 85 percent of registered voters in the district.
In District 3, Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez faced a much more competitive race against his formal martial arts sensei Tony Becerra, who was able to gain the support of the business community and make a splash in his first political campaign with 43 percent of the district’s votes. Despite having a strong challenger, Gutierrez — a proponent of tenant rights who has built a reputation for showing up at nearly every public event — was able to claim the win with just under 57 percent, or 2,513 votes.
