Alejandra Gutierrez Running for Reelection to Santa Barbara City Council

Santa Barbara City Council’s Eastside District representative Alejandra Gutierrez officially announced her reelection campaign in front of a crowded room of supporters at Validation Ale Friday night. Gutierrez, who was born and raised in Eastside Santa Barbara, was elected to her first term in 2019 and will be facing off against two challengers in the upcoming November 2024 election.

In the speech announcing her candidacy, Gutierrez told the story of her unlikely journey to City Hall. Her father, Jose Luis — who was in attendance at the event — came from Mexico when he was young, and when he had children of his own, he made sure to instill in them a sense of American civic responsibility by showing them the importance of voting.

“My dad and I, we had a tradition,” she said. “We would go out voting.”

She said she never intended to become a politician, but after the persistent encouragement from former students at Santa Barbara High School and the Franklin Neighborhood Center, she decided to take a chance to “set an example” and “open those doors of opportunity for people like me in the community” who might otherwise be afraid to pursue similar positions.

In her time on the council, Gutierrez has been fiercely loyal to Latino Eastside constituents, drawing support from some in the community while bringing criticism from others for her willingness to vote against the grain on issues like rent control — which she voted against in December 2021 — and outdoor dining on State Street.

“I will continue to be criticized for not following political protocol,” Gutierrez said. “But I can’t make decisions based on agendas. I’d rather make them based on the needs of the community and policy.”

Gutierrez will be taking on two newcomers from the Eastside District — homelessness advocate Jett Black-Maertz and community organizer Wendy Santamaria — in the November 2024 election.