Local cities
Santa Monica
About this guide and how we research candidates
Volunteers research every contested race and measure directly: public filings, voting records, community group positions, and direct outreach to campaigns. We rate every entry, including when we land on No Recommendation, and we publish our reasoning for all of it.
Candidates and ballot measure committees were not given the opportunity to pay for preferential treatment and were not shown these recommendations before they were published.
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City Council (At-Large)
Caroline TorosisEndorsed
Three seats on the seven-member Santa Monica City Council are open for election this fall. Incumbents Caroline Torosis and Lana Negrete are both running for re-election, while Jesse Zwick is stepping down after one term on the council.
LA Forward is proud to endorse Caroline Torosis for re-election and to recommend two other candidates, Brett Morrow and Danny Ivanov.
These three candidates are being backed as a progressive slate by a few of the key political groups in Santa Monica, including Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) and UNITE HERE Local 11. Torosis and Morrow are also backed by Santa Monica Forward (which despite the name is not connected to LA Forward).
The competing slate is led by incumbent Negrete and includes Doug Trussler and Ashley Oelsen, and backed by police and firefighters unions. There are many other candidates, but we think the real battle is between these two slates and that the progressive slate members are the ones worth voting for.
Torosis began her career as a public interest attorney representing workers who had been denied wages they were owed, arguing their cases in front of the Labor Commissioner and the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. From there sheI moved into building the systems that could protect workers at scale, helping stand up LA County's Wage Enforcement Program for its new minimum wage ordinance and co- authoring state legislation giving local agencies subpoena power to enforce it, then went on to lead economic development and affordable housing work for the County. In 2016, she was elected to the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, later serving as Chair, working hard to protect tenants. In my day job, she serves as Policy Director and Senior Deputy to Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell on the LA County Board of Supervisors, focusing on economic justice and human services.
As mayor, she brought on a highly effective city manager and launched the city’s Realignment Plan for economic revitalization.
As a councilmember, she’s supported new housing, protected bike infrastructure, and proactive community safety approaches.
Danny IvanovRecommended
Three seats on the seven-member Santa Monica City Council are open for election this fall. Incumbents Caroline Torosis and Lana Negrete are both running for re-election, while Jesse Zwick is stepping down after one term on the council.
LA Forward is proud to endorse Caroline Torosis for re-election and to recommend two other candidates, Brett Morrow and Danny Ivanov.
These three candidates are being backed as a progressive slate by a few of the key political groups in Santa Monica, including Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) and UNITE HERE Local 11. Torosis and Morrow are also backed by Santa Monica Forward (which despite the name is not connected to LA Forward).
The competing slate is led by incumbent Negrete and includes Doug Trussler and Ashley Oelsen, and backed by police and firefighters unions. There are many other candidates, but we think the real battle is between these two slates and that the progressive slate members are the ones worth voting for.
Danny Ivanov is currently chair of the Rent Control Board, where he implemented measure RC to provide much needed relief for our renters after facing the largest rent increase in decades, banning banked rent increases, and increasing the amount of money tenants can recover in disputes with their landlords to keep up with inflation.
He works as an attorney, where he has experience in solving complicated legal problems and interpreting the application of statutes, regulations, and legislation.
The son of immigrants, he’s a 30 year-old renter who’s grappling with rising housing and other living costs and is committed to find ways to address the affordability crisis.
Brett MorrowRecommended
Three seats on the seven-member Santa Monica City Council are open for election this fall. Incumbents Caroline Torosis and Lana Negrete are both running for re-election, while Jesse Zwick is stepping down after one term on the council.
LA Forward is proud to endorse Caroline Torosis for re-election and to recommend two other candidates, Brett Morrow and Danny Ivanov.
These three candidates are being backed as a progressive slate by a few of the key political groups in Santa Monica, including Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) and UNITE HERE Local 11. Torosis and Morrow are also backed by Santa Monica Forward (which despite the name is not connected to LA Forward).
The competing slate is led by incumbent Negrete and includes Doug Trussler and Ashley Oelsen, and backed by police and firefighters unions. There are many other candidates, but we think the real battle is between these two slates and that the progressive slate members are the ones worth voting for.
Morrow has spent more than 25 years in public service and community organizing, working to improve people's lives and strengthen government. He began as a
grassroots organizer and campaign volunteer before serving as a senior congressional staffer, Congressmen Mark Takano, Adam Schiff, and Keith Ellison. Now he serves as Chief Communications Officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, where he helps lead communications during emergencies and major public health
initiatives serving more than 10 million residents.
He's a renter, raising a young family in Santa Monica. He's running because Santa Monica needs leaders who know how to turn values into results. In his words
We have no shortage of good ideas. What we need is better implementation, stronger community engagement, and elected officials who can bring people together to solve difficult problems.
His priorities are affordability, housing, homelessness, safer streets, environmental
sustainability, and rebuilding trust in local government.
Rent Control Board (At-Large)
Heather ThomasonRecommended
Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights has endorsed Kurt Gonska, Sue Himmelrich, and Heather Thomason for three at-large spots on the Rent Control Board and we recommend them.
Sue HimmelrichRecommended
Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights has endorsed Kurt Gonska, Sue Himmelrich, and Heather Thomason for three at-large spots on the Rent Control Board and we recommend them.
Kurt GonskaRecommended
Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights has endorsed Kurt Gonska, Sue Himmelrich, and Heather Thomason for three at-large spots on the Rent Control Board and we recommend them.
Ballot Measures
Measure GG — Amend Santa Monica Rent Control LawSupport
Measure RR — Eviction Tenant ProtectionsSupport
Measure VV — Expand Just Cause Eviction ProtectionsSupport
Measure TT — Establish Major Events Period for the Existing Transient Occupancy TaxSupport
Santa Monica College
Board of Trustees
Sion RoyRecommended
Analysis forthcoming.
Luis Barrera CastañonRecommended
Analysis forthcoming.
Tom PetersRecommended
Analysis forthcoming.
Kera Blades SnellRecommended
Analysis forthcoming.
Santa Monica-Malibu USD
Board of Education
Alicia MignanoRecommended
Analysis forthcoming.
Stacy RouseRecommended
Analysis forthcoming.