Santa Barbara City Council District 6 Election: Who Will Lead the Downtown District? 

There’s another four-way battle for the open seat in Santa Barbara’s District 6, covering the heart of the city, including downtown, the main drag of State Street, and the city’s core commercial district.

The District 6 candidates include one frontrunner — who’s earned the endorsements of Democratic Party and outgoing councilmember Meagan Harmon — and three challengers looking to infuse a breath of fresh air to an increasingly polarized City Council.

To hear more from each District 6 candidate, check out the Santa Barbara Independent’s candidate forum on Monday, September 21, in the Lobero Theatre’s Courtyard Patio at 5:30 p.m.

Gabe Escobedo

Former Santa Barbara Unified School Board President Gabe Escobedo came out as an early favorite in the downtown district race, owing to his deep history in local politics and endorsements from the County Democratic Party and current District 6 Councilmember Harmon, who said Escobedo would be “ready to serve” on day one.

Escobedo, who previously served as chair of the city planning commission, has been a consistent advocate for affordable housing, and says he would continue that work if elected to council.

“Everybody from working families to young professionals to teachers and nurses deserve the opportunity to build a future here. I will work every single day to expand affordable housing, support local businesses, improve city services, and make City Hall more responsive to people’s needs,” Escobedo said. “This starts with affordable housing. Everyone in Santa Barbara talks about affordable housing, but most people don’t know how to get it done.”

Escobedo supports a rent stabilization ordinance, and says he is committed to providing affordable housing by working with local housing authorities, dedicating surplus city land for workforce housing, and funding the city’s local housing trust fund. He also says that the city needs a thriving downtown business core.

“My priorities are simple: improve quality of life, protect what makes Santa Barbara special, and ensure our city delivers real value for the people who live and work here,” Escobedo said. “Whether it’s helping your favorite restaurant stay open, bringing new businesses downtown, building workforce housing, or making sure that when you call City Hall, you actually get a response, I’ll be there.”

Escobedo earned an additional endorsement from the CAUSE Action Fund, and has raised several thousand dollars in donations from local community organizations, housing advocates, and local leaders. He raised over $3,750 in the first half of the year, and has since received additional donations, including $2,000 each from the SEIU Local 620 union and County Supervisor Laura Capps.

Alexander Stoeber

Real estate agent Alexander Stoeber had a long journey to becoming a City Council candidate. He was homeless during his youth before making his way to Santa Barbara to attend UCSB, and says the experience helped shape his outlook on life and work.

“That’s how I learned to stand on my own, stretch every dollar, and turn setbacks into steps forward,” Stoeber said. “Since second grade, my rule has been homework before play, and that rule carried me to UCSB. Today, I rent in District 6 and help Santa Barbara families find homes. I want the next generation to have that same chance, whether they grew up here or arrived with nothing but hope.”

Stoeber considers himself an independent but says that he would work as a councilmember to bring people together to find solutions that work for the greater community. He’s skeptical about rent stabilization and says the city needs to focus on the supply side of housing to address the affordability crisis.

He says that downtown doesn’t necessarily need another grand vision, and instead city leadership should make it easier for businesses to open doors and for developers to build housing.

“On council, I’ll focus on homes people can move into, a City Hall that partners with local businesses, and dependable emergency response,” Stoeber said. “Before every vote, I’ll still do my homework, knowing the costs and who’s accountable for results.”

Stoeber has not announced any endorsements, but has received several large campaign donations in the past few weeks. These contributions include $4,999 from the SIMA Corporation in Santa Barbara; $2,000 from Santa Barbara-born computer scientist Zaryn Dentzel, who founded the tech company Tuenti; and $2,000 from Todd West, a fellow UCSB grad and database professional with Oracle in Austin, Texas.

Annabella Lehne

Anabella Lehne never ran for public office before, but she’s passionate about her hometown, and is hoping that her lifetime of helping others can translate into effective City Council leadership.

Lehne, who was born and raised in Santa Barbara, became a mother early in her life but continued her education at UCSB, where she earned degrees in law and Spanish before beginning a career in teaching and social work. Her career has taken her from junior high classrooms to working at Cottage Hospital to helping undocumented immigrants as a notary.

She wants to make City Council more accessible for residents outside of the political power system, and make community members feel like their concerns are actually being heard

“When you bring a concern to City Hall, you should feel like someone is actually listening — and thinking about what that decision will mean for your home, your block, your family, or your business,” Lehne said. “That is how I want to approach this job: listen first, be clear about the tradeoffs, ask practical questions, and stay connected to the people who have to live with the decisions we make.”

Lehne is opposed to rent stabilization, and says that downtown needs to be a place people  “actually want to spend time in.” She says that discussion about State Street should be about each individual block’s needs, not about a simple question of cars or no cars.

Above all, she is looking for voters to support a council candidate who is in touch with the needs of everyday citizens.

“A permit, a housing decision, a public-safety response, a City service, or a budget choice can change a family’s week, a business owner’s plans, or the feel of a neighborhood,” Lehne said. “I want City Hall to stay close to those everyday realities.”

Lehne has not announced any endorsement or campaign donations.

Jason Carlton

Electrician and business owner Jason Carlton said he’s not a salesman or politician. He’s a community member and father who has lived in Santa Barbara for 25 years, looking to bring real-world sense to the city’s slow moving bureaucracy.

“I’ve owned my own business for 20 years. I’ve been in the trade since I was 20,” Carlton said. “The skills I have acquired in the trades will be a unique addition to the present council.”

Carlton says he loves to give back to his community, from sponsoring charity events to lending electrical support for the annual Fourth of July festivities.

“I believe if we can leave any space in a better position than we found it, we can make a positive mark on this community. I’m here to be of service to our community,” he said.

Carlton ran for City Council previously in 2021, when he finished in third place with less than 10 percent of the vote. He hopes to fare better during this election cycle, by winning over voters who feel a lack of cohesion with the current council.

He’s said he would vote against rent stabilization, which could come with unintended impacts. He supports making the city’s permitting process quicker and accessible to encourage development and prevent cost overruns.

Carlton has not claimed any campaign donations or endorsements at this time.

Join the Santa Barbara Independent for the District 6 candidate forum at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 21, at the Lobero Theatre Courtyard. RSVP and get your free tickets at sbindytickets.com.