Two incumbents, one elected and another appointed, were ahead in semi-official election results Tuesday night for their bids for another term on the Santa Maria City Council. 

In the race for District 3, incumbent Gloria Soto had 61.6% of the vote compared with political newcomer and businessman Corby Poulis Sr.’s 37.8%. 

“I’m proud of the lead that we have,” Soto said Tuesday night. “I’m honored in the trust that the voters have placed in me and it’s also a testament to the type of community everybody wants to strive for. “

For District 4, Vincent Martinez, an attorney and Santa Barbara County planning commissioner, was well ahead with 68.1% of the vote. Candidate Tyler Barksdale, a military retiree, received 31.4% in results released shortly after polls closed.

The race is wide open since the incumbent, Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez, did not seek a second four-year term. Instead, she is running for the Fifth District seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

In the race for District 1, appointed incumbent Ricardo “Richard” Batalla led the trio of candidates with 50.3% in semi-official election night results. He is followed by Celest Mendoza, a nonprofit manager, with 33.9%, and small-business owner Gary Janek Michaels with 15.2%.

This is a unique two-year term created when Carlos Escobedo abruptly resigned earlier this year, leading to appointment of Batalla, who is a youth development manager at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

Whoever wins the District 1 race will complete the remaining two years of the term and would have to run again in 2028.

District 1 encompasses the northwest neighborhoods of Santa Maria, while District 3 represents the southwest neighborhoods. District 4 covers the southeast section of the city.

The newly elected members will be sworn into office in December. 

They will join Mayor Alice Patino and Councilwoman Gloria Flores, whose terms expire in 2028.

Voters Supporting Sales Tax Increase

Along with the three council seats, the outcome of another item on ballot attracted big interest.

Measure C, the city’s proposed one-half-percent sales tax hike, was passing in early results with 66.8% of voters in favor and 33.2% of voters against it.

An increase of the city’s sales tax rate from 8.75% to 9.25% would raise an estimated $13 million to help close a budget shortfall. Without the approval, more than 50% is needed, city officials have said they would be forced to look at cutbacks of employees and services.

The Yes on Measure C 2026 Committee was encouraged by the early results revealing solid support.

“Although the count is not yet official, Santa Maria voters appear to have chosen to invest in our city’s future and in the services that support residents of all ages. We thank every voter who took part in this election,” said Mark van de Kamp, campaign organizer and consultant.

“If these results hold, Measure C will allow the city to avoid deeper budget cuts. The measure will keep our parks maintained, continue popular community programs, keep the pool open year-round, maintain library hours, increase funding for road repairs, and retain dozens of city employees who provide these services.”

He expressed appreciation for the broad support including from the city’s unions plus many individuals and businesses who supported this effort.

Semi-official election results were released around 1:48 a.m. Wednesday and additional updates will be released in the coming days as more ballots are processed and counted. Final, certified results will be available by Dec. 3.