The Race to Represent the Riviera: Santa Barbara City Council District 4 Election

A diverse set of candidates is running for Santa Barbara City Council’s District 4 seat, which represents the Riviera, Upper Eastside, Eucalyptus Hill, and Foothill neighborhoods of the city. 

These four candidates have varying opinions on the hot topics of housing affordability, budget solutions, and rent stabilizations, and each of the candidates has a wealth of experience in their respective fields, from members of city boards to business owners, corporate executives, and one former city councilmember looking to win over voters in a new district.

To hear more from each District 4 candidate, check out the Santa Barbara Independent’s candidate forum at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 28, at the Unitarian Society’s Parish Hall. 

Devon Wardlow

Devon Wardlow has enjoyed an early advantage in the District 4 race, building on 15 years of political experience and policy work, which includes a stint as special assistant to the U.S. Labor Secretary with the Obama administration and her current work as a Santa Barbara city planning commissioner.

Wardlow earned the endorsement of the County Democratic Party but says she prides herself on her ability to work across the aisle. In addition to endorsements from the city firefighters, Sierra Club, Central Coast Labor Union, and Local SEIU 620, Wardlow has the support of State Assemblymember Gregg Hart and Santa Barbara city councilmembers Mike Jordan and Oscar Gutierrez — local leaders known for finding common ground working on opposite sides of complex issues.

Wardlow says she has built a career working with people who disagree, and she expects to continue with that same approach as a councilmember. She has spoken in support of an effective rent stabilization policy and a car-free State Street, and she hopes to bring a renewed focus to the district’s concerns about wildfire preparedness and environmental protections.

“I grew up in Santa Barbara and am a proud graduate of Santa Barbara High and UCSB,” Wardlow said. “I’m committed to protecting what we all cherish about Santa Barbara while working together to address our challenges. I’ve built a career in public policy — from the Obama administration, to the private sector, to serving on the Planning Commission for the past five years — holding developers accountable, advocating for housing over hotels, and fighting for increased efficiency within City Hall.  

She says she understands where City Hall has fallen short, and what it takes to deliver results.

“I’m focused on strengthening wildfire preparedness, protecting our environment and neighborhoods, revitalizing State Street, and making City Hall work better for locals,” she said. “I want the next generation to have the same opportunity I had to build a life here. I believe good government means listening to diverse perspectives, finding common ground, and working together to deliver results. That’s the approach I’ll champion at City Hall.”

Wardlow has raised more than $52,000 in donations through the first half of the year, with just more than $48,000 after campaign expenses. Since then, Wardlow has received several more sizable donations, including $1,000-$4,000 contributions from labor unions representing city workers, plumbers, and pipe trades.

Monte Wilson

Former tech executive Monte Wilson says he is running for City Council not to build a political career, but to bring real results to the residents of his home district, where he has lived for the past 12 years.

Wilson says he is looking to bring his experience from working at companies such as Adobe and Oracle to help lead the city to practical solutions by “putting the community ahead of politics.” He considers himself an independent, who is focused on “common sense” policies. 

He’s opposed to the proposed rent stabilization policy, and says the city should make building new housing much quicker and easier. He advocates for fiscally responsible budgeting, and for the return of cars to State Street, where his wife runs her business, The Painted Cabernet.

“I have experienced some of the challenges facing our neighborhoods. My wife owns a business on State Street, giving us firsthand experience with the challenges facing our downtown, local businesses, employees and customers,” Wilson said. “I also bring management experience that is unique in this race. I have led large organizations, managed significant budgets, and been accountable for delivering results. I would bring that same focus on accountability, fiscal responsibility, practical decision making, and results to Santa Barbara City Council, District 4.”

Wilson says he understands the unique needs of District 4 and that wildfire concerns and public safety are “personal” subjects after his family was evacuated three times and his home insurance was canceled due to high fire risk.

Wilson earned a number of public endorsements, including the express support from outgoing Mayor Randy Rowse, former police chief Barney Melekian, former city councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez, and the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors.

Wilson has been raising money quickly, with more than $50,000 in contributions through the first half of the year. These include donations from Music Academy Boardmember and retired entertainment industry executive Andrea Hein, who contributed $5,000; Jonathan Tammela, a doctor who donated $5,900; and $3,500 from Travis Twining, the owner of Santa Barbara Public Market.

Genevieve Taft-Vazquez

Genevieve Taft-Vazquez may have entered the race late, but she is committed to winning over voters who want a fresh perspective on the city’s hot-button issues.

Born and raised in Santa Barbara in District 4, Taft-Vazquez went to school on the East Coast (Yale, Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins) and then made a career in business and environmental sustainability, landing a job with Coca-Cola before moving back home to Santa Barbara with her husband to raise their three children.

Since moving back six years ago, Taft-Vazquez has been heavily involved in the community, volunteering at schools with her kids (who are all now teenagers) and getting a position on the city’s Neighborhood Advisory Council, where she says she has learned to find practical solutions and deliver results on the ground. 

Taft-Vazquez says the city is facing important decisions over housing, wildfire risks, revitalizing downtown, and protecting natural resources and that these decisions will “define what kind of the community we become.”

“I’m running for City Council because the next generation, including my three children, deserves a chance to build a future here,” Taft-Vazquez said. “I was born and raised in District 4; I’m a homeowner and raising my children here so I am deeply invested in this district and preserving what makes Santa Barbara special.”

“For 15+ years, I led sustainable and ethical sourcing initiatives at The Coca-Cola Company, solving complex problems, managing large budgets, and bringing together diverse stakeholders who often disagree to work toward shared goals,” she continued. “I have worked extensively in and with the nonprofit sector, am currently running my own small business, and sit on the Neighborhood Advisory Council. My demonstrated leadership style focuses on efficient, equitable outcomes, and I intend to bring this proactive and responsive approach to serving residents.”

Taft-Vazquez did not claim endorsements or report any campaign contributions for first half of the year. But since launching more fundraising efforts this summer, Taft-Vazquez said her campaign has raised close to $30,000, and she has earned the support of community leaders such as Rebecca Anderson, CEO of Lotusland; Suzanne Cohen, former President of Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County; and Kendall Pata of Moms Demand Action. (Editor’s note: this story was updated to reflect campaign updates provided by Taft-Vazquez)

Jason Dominguez

Former city councilmember Jason Dominguez is no stranger to public service. In addition to his long career as an attorney, law professor, and prosecutor, Dominguez was elected to Santa Barbara City Council as the Eastside District 1 representative from 2016 to 2020.

After missing out on reelection in 2020 by a mere eight votes, Dominguez is now seeking another term on council, this time in District 4, where he and his wife live with their young daughter.

“Parenthood has a way of making questions about the future much less abstract,” Dominguez writes on his campaign website. “I think about whether she’ll be able to build a life here one day. I think about the safety of our neighborhoods, the threat of wildfire, the quality of our parks and public spaces. And how Santa Barbara can grow and evolve without losing the qualities that make people fall in love with it in the first place.”

Dominguez says he takes a constituent-centered approach, avoiding partisan politics and basing his decisions on what his district residents say. “I answer to constituents, not to political machines — and I have the voting record to prove it,” he said. “District 4 deserves someone who has done this before, who has stood alone when it mattered, and who will always put the neighborhood first.”

He says he’s not convinced the current rent stabilization proposal will be effective and worries that the program will end up costing millions of dollars per year. He’s in favor of building more housing but says the city’s growth “shouldn’t come at the cost of its neighborhoods, its history, or its character.”

Dominguez has not claimed any campaign contributions at this point, but has earned the endorsement of several notable community members, including Goleta City Councilmember Stuart Kasdin, former city fire chief Warner McGrew, County Housing Authority Commissioner Lisa Knox Burns, and UCSB Professor of Economics Emeritus Stephen LeRoy.

Join the Santa Barbara Independent for the District 4 candidate forum at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 28, at the Unitarian Society’s Parish Hall. RSVP and get your free tickets at sbindytickets.com.