Santa Barbara City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Kristen Sneddon received the official endorsement from the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party after the Democratic Central Committee held interviews with all three Democratic candidates at the county headquarters in Buellton last week.
Sneddon was chosen in a unanimous decision, earning the support of every voting member of the committee. Four members abstained from the vote.
“Kristen Sneddon has consistently demonstrated the kind of principled, community-centered leadership Santa Barbara needs right now,” said Christian Alonso, chair of the Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee. “She understands the urgency of addressing housing affordability, climate resilience, and public safety, and she brings a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach that reflects our Democratic values.”
The committee also considered Santa Barbara City Councilmember Eric Friedman and former Santa Barbara Unified School District boardmember Wendy Sims-Moten, who each filled out a candidate questionnaire and appeared for an in-person interview prior to the committee vote.
“We are grateful to all of the candidates who stepped forward to run and contribute to a thoughtful race, and we thank them for their commitment to public service,” Alonso said. “After careful consideration, our members are proud to stand with Kristen Sneddon as the best choice to lead Santa Barbara forward.”
Alonso said the committee’s decision was also guided by an effort to avoid a split vote in this November’s election, as in 2021 when the two registered Democratic candidates — James Joyce and former Mayor Cathy Murillo — lost out to current mayor Randy Rowse, who is running for reelection as a decline-to-state moderate candidate.
“We asked each candidate what they would do if they did not receive our endorsement. Kristen Sneddon was the only candidate who stated she did not want to split the vote and would not run without the endorsement. Given the impact vote-splitting had in the last mayoral race, that distinction mattered,” Alonso said.
Sneddon told the Independent she was “honored” to have earned the Democratic party endorsement.
“I am running for Mayor of Santa Barbara to bring people together, deliver real progress on housing affordability and climate resilience, and ensure every resident feels they belong here and can thrive,” Sneddon said.
During her first term on the City Council, Sneddon emerged as a strong advocate for tenant protections and used her seat as an opportunity to speak in support of immigrants and working-class residents in an effort to preserve the diverse culture of Santa Barbara.
“At a time when democratic values are under attack, clarity and accountability matters more than ever,” Sneddon said. “As a councilmember I have worked hard on studying the issues, listening to and working with constituents, and ultimately building consensus to get things done to better the lives of all Santa Barbara residents. That’s what Santa Barbara needs from our next mayor.”
