City Council Candidates – Ojai

Note: this post will be periodically updated! (10/10/2026)

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

VOTER GUIDE – QUICK LINKS:

Ojai Mayor – Vote for (1)

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

BEST PICK Andy Gilman (party unknown) (incumbent) – teacher

Mayor Andy Gilman is running unopposed.

District 1 – Vote for (1)

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

BEST PICK Leslie C. Rule (D) (incumbent) – project manager

  • Status: Incumbent, current term 2022–2026
  • Party: Democrat
  • Education: 
    • Studied Educational Anthropology at Harvard Graduate School of Education
    • Studied Rhetoric and Linguistics at UC Berkeley 
    • Master’s in Public Administration, focus on local government finance) from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 
    • Teacher training in Boston Public Schools
  • Employment & experience: 
    • Ojai City Councilmember (2022-present)
    • Project manager for National Science Foundation
    • Commissioner, Ventura County Animal Services
    • Former City Councilmember, Plainfield, Massachusetts
    • Former member of the Board of Education, Mohawk Regional School District
    • Former Executive Board member, WiredWest, a municipally owned fiber-optic co-op serving 26 underserved towns
  • Priorities: 
    • Safety – Ojai is a fire-prone valley of 4 square miles with two roads out. Safety here means readiness, not just response — and it means a government residents can trust to protect them. As your council member, my job is to develop and support policies that build a resilient Ojai. This means calm streets—safe for walking, biking, skating, and strolling. Safety also means confidence that you and your neighbor’s constitutional rights are protected and defended.
    • Sustainable Regenerative Economy – Ojai already has what most cities would have to build from scratch — restoration crews, regenerative farms, wellness businesses, and conservation groups. My plan connects them into one economy and funds the loop that keeps it running: the land supports local business, local business supports city revenue, and revenue gets reinvested back into the land.
    • Rights for All – Ojai already has what most cities would have to build from scratch — restoration crews, regenerative farms, wellness businesses, and conservation groups. My plan connects them into one economy and funds the loop that keeps it running: the land supports local business, local business supports city revenue, and revenue gets reinvested back into the land.
  • Links:
Robert Miller, Ojai Resident for 20 yearsElena Rodriguez, community organizerSarah Jenkins, local small business owner

Jordan Garst (R) – research finance administrator

  • Party: Republican
  • Education: 
    • Studied management in college
  • Employment & experience: 
    • Research Finance Administrator – negotiates budgets and contracts for first-in-human oncology trials
    • Former EMT
  • Priorities: 
    • Wants the City focused on the basics that affect people who actually live here – safe streets, infrastructure that works, and a real plan for the next wildfire or flood. 
    • Tourism matters to Ojai’s economy, but it shouldn’t cost residents the town that visitors come to see. 
    • Believes Ojai should think hard about development, because the things that make Ojai worth protecting are easy to lose and nearly impossible to get back.
  • Links:
– Amy Denton, Professor of Biology, CSU Channel Islands
– Betsy Stix, former Ojai Mayor
– Craig Walker, Local Historian
– Rhonda Harris;
– Tara Jeffrey;
– Sara Lawrence;
– Debby Russell Swetek;
– Vance Simms;
– Kathy Theis, Optician;
– Carolyn Vondriska;
– Heidi and Andrew Whitman;
– Charles Barnett;
– Rebecca Collins;
– Kathlyn T. Hendricks;
– Thomas Mashburn;
– Aimee Mendoza;
– Teal Rowe;
– Eric Schutze;
– Denise Thomas;
– Jay Windsor

District 2 – Vote for (1)

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

Watch debate here: (https://youtu.be/eRSzOILrtiM)

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

ENDORSED Rachel Lang (D) (incumbent) – college faculty, consultant

  • Party: Democrat
  • Education: 
    • MA in theology from Loyola Marymount University, emphasis on ethics and feminist theology
    • BA in Communication and Media Studies, University of Missouri-St. Louis
  • Employment & experience: 
    • Councilmember, City of Ojai (2022-present)
    • Faculty at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY (2019-present)
    • CEO of RCL Consulting, which provides astrological consultation with individuals and businesses. (2006-present)
    • Host of Internet Radio Show Blissen Up (2014-2016)
    • Freelance Marketing Professional (2010-2015)
    • Marketing Director for Project Artisan, a socially responsible fashion company (2010-2012)
    • Development and Marketing for nonprofit organizations. Helped raise millions for charitable organizations. Helped with advocacy efforts for laws uplifting women and children. Taught sexual assault awareness in schools as a volunteer. (2002-2010)
  • Priorities:
    • Wildfire Prevention and Disaster Preparedness
    • Climate Mitigation and Resilience
    • Housing Equity and Affordability
    • Public Safety
    • A Livable Ojai — Economy and Tourism
    • Fiscal Responsibility and Financial Resilience
  • Books written:
  • Endorsements:
  • ·      Party: California Democratic Party, Ventura County Democratic Party, United Democrats of the Ojai Valley, Stonewall Democrats, Women’s Democratic Club of Ventura County
  • ·      Elected Officials: Martita Martinez-Bravo, Vice Mayor, City of Camarillo; Martha R. McQueen-Legohn, Mayor, City of Port Hueneme
  • ·      Organizations: Ventura County Voters for Animals
  • ·      Individuals: Jane Kim, candidate for State Insurance Commissioner; various Ojai residents
  • Links:
  • Campaign website: https://www.voterachellang.com/ 
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachellang11 
  • Bio on Ojai Local Hero: https://www.ojailocalhero.com/p/meet-rachel-lang-and-leslie-rule   
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-lang11/ 
CADEM
CANDIDATES
– Jane Kim (candidate, CA Insurance Commissioner)
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
– John Bueti
– Ruth Cooper
– Jimmy Cooper
– David McGrath
– Michael S. Shapiro
– David McGrath
– Suzanne Soule
– Betsy Stix

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

Larry Steingold (DTS) – retired realty salesperson

  • Party: declines to state
  • Employment & experience: 
    • 40 years in real estate
  • Priorities:
    • Environmental Preservation & Fire Resilience: Protect Ojai’s natural beauty through community cleanups, improved infrastructure maintenance, and enhanced wildfire protection (ember screens, resilience planning).
    • Housing Affordability & Middle-Class Options: Reduce costly regulatory burdens to encourage middle-class and downsizing options (e.g., managed smaller housing) alongside lower-income developments.
    • Fiscal Responsibility & Local Spending: Stop wasteful or unmeasured spending, protect and grow reserve funds above 100%, and avoid budget shortfalls that force higher taxes or increased hotel development.
    • Immigration & Funding: Uphold existing state and local immigration laws while protecting city funding from any external cuts.
    • Focused City Governance: Keep the City Council 100% focused on local Ojai matters rather than taking positions on outside issues that cause community division.
    • Strict Process & Procurement Adherence: Require city staff and officials to rigorously follow established policies, legal processes, and procurement rules without workarounds.
    • Ordinance Modernization & Clarity: Implement automatic review or sunset dates for ordinances and eliminate ambiguities to ensure consistent enforcement (e.g., at the building department).
    • Community Expertise & Staff AI Integration: Leverage residents’ professional expertise to guide decisions, and safely equip city staff with AI tools (backed by training and human oversight) to streamline document and ordinance reviews.
  • Links:

District 3 – Vote for (1)

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman

ENDORSED Andrew K. Whitman (D) (incumbent) – attorney

TOP * Mayor: Gilman * District 1: Rule * Garst * District 2: Lang * Steingold * District 3: Whitman