28 Days to Go: Here’s the SB Newsmakers Complete Consumer Guide to City Election

For voters who want to do their own research, a comprehensive set of one-on-one interviews, face-to-face forums and debates, news and commentary, featuring the candidates for Mayor and City Council.

Oct 06, 2026

It’s the home stretch of campaign season, that time when the thought bubbles above the heads of graybeard political reporters start flashing “Aren’t We Done Yet?”

The phenomenon occurs every election: by the time Actual Voters start tuning in, a few weeks before Election Day, the journalists who’ve spent months following, wrangling, countenancing, questioning, consoling, recording, and squabbling with candidates are ready to round them all up, buckle them into a Saturn rocket, and fire it into the sun.

And yet: steadfast and selfless, we soldier on.

So for loyal viewers and readers just back from vacanze in Tuscany, the Hamptons, or Laucala Island, Newsmakers today presents our Comprehensive Santa Barbara City Election Guide. Four weeks before Election Day on Nov. 3, it’s special to those who’ve been away, or who whiled away the summer day-drinking and now wish to resume activity as responsible citizens.

Stay tuned.

Newsmakers’ Candidate Conversations.

To offer Santa Barbara voters early introductions to contenders for four City Council seats, including Mayor, in the Nov. 3 election, Newsmakers published one-on-one interviews with the candidates over the summer.

Mayor

District 4

District 5

District 6

Newsmakers/SB Talks/TVSB/News-Press Debates.

To give voters the chance to see the candidates face-to-face, we worked with media partners to produce and record debates with the contenders in all four races.

Mayoral. Watch: Here’s the Full (Well-Produced) Video of the First Debate of the Santa Barbara Mayor’s Race. Sept. 9.

District 4. Watch: Genevieve Arrives - and 3 Other Takeaways from SB Council D4 Debate. Sept. 15.

District 5, Watch: Here’s TVSB’s Video Production of the “Newsmakers-SB Talks” D5 Debate. Sept. 22.

District 6. Watch: SB Council D6 Candidates Debate in a Race Shape as Gabe vs. The Pack. Sept. 23.

Fundraising reports.

“Follow the money” was one of the guiding principles of political journalism when Newsmakers got into the business, so we provided the most comprehensive coverage of candidate fundraising. The Independent and the News-Press also published our stories.

Aug. 3. Reports: With $137K in the Bank, Eric Holds 3-to-1 Edge over Kristen in SB Mayor’s Race Fundraising; Devon-Monte’s D4 $50K Duel.

Sept. 27. “New Reports: Eric Holds Big Fundraising Lead over Kristen in Mayor’s Race; Dem Council Favorites Lead Cash Dash in District.”