Initial ballot tallies from Santa Monica's city election put Councilmember Lana Negrete and Mayor Caroline Torosis ahead in the contest for three council seats, while environmental advocate Ashley Oelsen kept a slim lead over Doug Trussler for the third position. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk released figures at 3:11 a.m. Wednesday showing Negrete with 11,457 votes (16.25%), Torosis with 10,745 (15.24%), and Oelsen at 9,914 (14.06%). Trussler followed with 8,516 votes (12.08%), leaving a 1,398-vote difference as more ballots awaited processing. Twelve candidates competed for three four-year council terms, and these numbers remained unofficial while vote-by-mail and provisional ballots were still being counted. The county's official canvass started November 4, with certification of results set for November 27, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The race featured twelve candidates seeking three four-year terms, highlighting divisions over housing and public safety. Daniel Ivanov, chair of the Rent Control Board, ranked fifth with 7,958 votes (11.3%), just ahead of Brett Morrow at 7,910 (11.2%). Former Councilmember Phil Brock, aiming for a comeback after losing his seat in 2024, placed seventh with 4,976 votes (7.1%). Other candidates-Ericka Lesley, Derrick Townsend, Eli Gill, Lindsay Davis, and Wade Kelley-each received fewer than 3,000 votes. The crowded field meant no candidate neared a majority, with the top vote-getter earning about one-sixth of the total. Since three seats were filled at once, candidate order, not majority support, determined the provisional winners.
Political Alliances and Ballot Measures
Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights endorsed Torosis, Ivanov, and Morrow, but only Torosis landed in the top three in the latest count. Negrete and Trussler had backing from public safety unions and the Believe In Santa Monica group, while Oelsen drew support from police and firefighter political action committees. The ongoing count left the third council seat unsettled, as Oelsen's margin over Trussler could shift with more vote-by-mail and provisional ballots. Earlier election-night returns showed Oelsen with 8,317 votes (13.95%) and Trussler at 7,400 (12.41%), so the gap changed as the county processed additional ballots. Los Angeles County officials said more ballots would be counted in the days and weeks after Election Day, with certification expected later in November rather than right after the preliminary count. The changing totals show the reported ranking was a temporary snapshot, not a final allocation of council seats, as reported by the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Voters also considered five local ballot measures. Four measures led in early returns, while a proposed school parcel tax, Measure ES, lagged with 47.02% support (10,142 yes votes) against 52.98% opposed (11,423 no votes). Measure ES would set a $495 annual parcel tax to raise about $12 million for local schools, replacing city payments to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District that expire in June 2027. The tax would adjust annually for inflation, and exemptions would apply for qualifying seniors, affordable housing, nonprofits, religious organizations, and schools. Supporters of Measure ES included the Santa Monica-Malibu Classroom Teachers Association, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, and the district's PTA council. Opponents included Northeast Neighbors and the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition. The measure's defeat was still preliminary until the county finished its canvass and certification.
Other measures saw stronger backing: Measure TT, which would keep hotel tax rates and allow special taxation periods during major events, had about 73% support. Measure RR, blocking evictions for unpaid rent below one month's average fair market rent, was supported by roughly 71% of voters. Measure VV, extending eviction protections to tenants in single-family homes and condominiums and adding occupancy requirements for some landlord move-ins, had 61% support. Measure GG, affirming just-cause eviction protections, expanding Rent Control Board commissioner terms, and raising the annual cap on registration fees, had 59% support. All measures need a simple majority to pass.
Rent Control Board and School Board Races
Former Mayor Sue Himmelrich led the Rent Control Board race, followed by incumbent Kurt Gonska and Heather Thomason. Soledad Marcial and Zoë Muntaner trailed. In the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education contest, Alicia Mignano led, with Robbie Staenberg, Laurie Lieberman, and Stacy Rouse next. Harry Leshner was fifth. For the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees, incumbents Sion Roy, Tom Peters, and Luis Barrera Castanon held the top three spots, with Kera Blades-Snell in fourth ahead of Oscar de la Torre. Four seats were available in that race.
These standings are still preliminary as Los Angeles County officials continue processing outstanding vote-by-mail and provisional ballots. The county's official canvass began November 4, with certification of results scheduled for November 27. Updated results for the council, ballot measures, and other local races are available on the county election results website. For more on local housing policy changes, see this reported earlier story.
