With the November general election drawing closer, Goleta is beginning its “know your district” campaign for voters to learn about the new election system and in which district they reside.
Goleta is among many other cities in Santa Barbara County switching to district elections for the first time this year, including Carpinteria, Buellton and Solvang. Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Santa Maria have already been holding district elections.
“This is a really exciting time,” Goleta community relations manager Kelly Hoover said. “It’s historic for the city of Goleta that we’re moving to district elections.”
Rather than all voters electing all City Council members, no matter where they live, district elections will have voters electing representatives for the specific area in which they live.
On this year’s ballot, Goleta voters will be electing City Council members in the First District and Second District.
Incumbent Roger Aceves and Luz Reyes-Martín are running for Goleta’s First District seat, while incumbent James Kyriaco and Sam Ramirez are running for the Second District seat.
While not on the ballot this year, the mayor’s seat will continue to be elected at-large.
Goleta’s Third District and Fourth District seats on the City Council will appear on the 2024 ballot.
Some of Goleta’s efforts to educate voters about the new election system will include reminding voters of the city’s elections page on its website at cityofgoleta.org/elections, which includes an interactive map where people can input their address to determine their district.
Hoover also said that mailers will be sent to each Goleta voter to explain district elections and include a QR code to the interactive map. Banners and fliers also will be distributed and posted around Goleta.
“We have our map, we have our districts drawn, we’re ready to go,” Hoover said during the most recent Public Engagement Commission meeting. “Now, we just need to make sure that the public is informed about what district they’re in and that everyone understands that we’re doing things differently this time.”
Also on the Goleta ballot this November are two citywide ballot measures — a 1% sales tax and a flavored tobacco ban.
In Carpinteria, voters will be electing City Council members for the First, Third and Fifth districts, while Buellton voters will be selecting a mayor and City Council members for the First District and Fourth District.
Solvang voters will be electing City Council members for Third District and Fourth District seats, as well as for mayor.
The mayor position and the Second and Third District City Council seats will be on the Lompoc ballot, and Santa Maria voters will be voting on City Council members for the Third District and Fourth District.
Guadalupe voters will be electing a mayor, two City Council members and a city treasurer.
— Noozhawk staff writer Serena Guentz can be reached at sguentz@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.