City Council Candidates – Ventura

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz *

VOTER GUIDE – QUICK LINKS:

We will update the site with the video links of debates when they become available.

Ventura City Council, District 1 – Vote for (1)

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Liz Campos (D) (incumbent) – former educator

Praise from the Democratic Club of Ventura: “Ultimately, the three most important traits of a representative -at any level, city, county, state, federal- is them taking their job seriously, being accessible, and showing up. When we endorsed Liz Campos for district 1 (the west side) it was because we all had experience seeing her, running into her, and speaking to her, whether it was in a coffee shop on the avenue or a city council meeting. That happened again.

Recently there was a meeting about the data center at the fairgrounds at 9 AM. Liz’s opponent, of course, was not there. She was. She has, is, and will continue to show us that our endorsement was justified. It’s just icing on the cake that her heart is in the right place too. And nobody is getting paid to say this.“

  • Party: Democrat
  • Education: 
    • began undergraduate studies in Tennessee
    • completed graduate education within the UC and CSU systems
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Councilmember, City of Ventura (2022-present) 
    • Worked for the Franciscan Friars of California in Oakland
    • Was a middle school teacher (grades 6–8)
    • Active in local government in Richmond and Berkeley before moving to Ventura’s west side
    • Served on the Westside Community Council Board prior to her council election 
    • Long history of advocacy on Ventura Avenue and downtown
    • Frequently attends/speaks at Ventura Government Center events on constitutional rights
  • Priorities:
    • Environmental justice
    • Climate advocacy
    • Civic engagement
    • Government transparency/accountability, 
    • Housing solutions 
    • Keeping opportunities open for youth to stay and work in Ventura
    • Vocal advocate for stronger, enforceable tenant protections; has pushed for regulating short-term vacation rentals as part of addressing local homelessness
    • Advocates for the Environment, Affordable Housing, Children’s services, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act   
  • Links:              
CADEMGOOD club
WORKING FAMILY PARTY
Cause action fund
CANDIDATES
Candidate for insurance commissioner Jane Kim
Assembly Candidate Michael Macdonald
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Ventura Tide Pod Podcast
Vanessa Frank, Immigration Attorney
Yelyna DeLeon, Hollywood Chola

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Crawford Coates (D) – marketing executive

  • Party: Democrat
  • Age: 47
  • Education: 
    • M.P.P., California Lutheran University
    • B.A. American history, Boston University
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Works in marketing at a firm that does data analytics for public safety providers
    • Water Commissioner (June 2026-present)
    • Worked with public safety for 20 years — writing, editing, training, and publishing for EMS, fire service, law enforcement, and 911 professionals
    • worked in boat building as a carpenter at Knight and Carver Yachts in National City
    • carpenter and mason on residential construction projects in Washington State and the Bay Area
  • Priorities: 
    • Keep the the Westside working. Keep it industrial and working class. Create jobs for neighbors and support our business along The Avenue. 
    • Embrace our natural ecosystems. Create trails and opportunities with the land we love — the hillsides, ocean, and beautiful Ventura River. Let’s connect Harry Lyons Park to Ventura Land Trust lands! 
    • Rental protections. California has good protections for renters. We need these to be communicated and enforced. City Hall said they would do this, but I will get it done. 
    • Consolidate and empower our support services for our most vulnerable. Get them off the streets.  Work with the County, nonprofits, and city services to offer real solutions. 
    • Make Main Street work.  Recognize this as a major artery for Westsiders and not just a tourist destination. Work with businesses to make it work, exploring a hybrid model of closure and ongoing business support. 
    • No paid parking. We have revenue challenges but we also have a tendency to look at these issues in the short-term. I will bring long-term budgeting experience and a vision for how we remain solvent, while also keeping our roads paved, our communities safe, and our infrastructure robust.  
  • Links:
SEIU 721Central Coast Labor Council
Ventura Forward

Ventura City Council, District 4 – Vote for (1)

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Jeanette Sanchez-Palacios (D) (incumbent) – former special assistant to county CEO

SALUD CARBAJAL
JACQUI IRWIN

Central Coast Labor Council
ELECTED LEADERS
Eric Friedman, Santa Barbara City Councilmember
Monica Solorzano, Carpinteria City Councilmember
Amber Thompson, Executive Board Member, Ventura County Democrats Central Commitee
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Mike Marostica, Ventura Resident
Joseph Summers, Ventura Resident
Suzanne Schroeder, Ventura Resident
Joe Schroeder, former Ventura Mayor
Sofia Rubalcava former Ventura Mayor
Randy Encinas, Ventura Resident
Margaret Curley, Ventura Resident
Sal Flores, Ventura Small Business owner
Marta Castellanos, Ventura Resident
Karie-Portillo Guerra, Ventura Resident
Betty Trist, Ventura Resident
Ingrid Morales, Ventura Resident
Eduardo Morales, Ventura Resident
Rosie Ornelas, Ventura Resident
Jim DeArkland, Ventura Business owner
Marie Lakin, Ventura Resident
Madhu Bajaj, Ventura Resident

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Richard T. Rosin (Green) – teacher

No endorsements found.

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Scott A. Shoemake (R) – business owner, clergy

CANDIDATE CLOSE-UP!
We add extra context to our guide for candidates whom we believe would be particularly damaging to democratic institutions, even a local one such as a city council. We are calling out Mr. Shoemake because we believe he holds extremist views that should disqualify him from gaining the power of a public office over specific populations he would be unable to serve with dignity and respect.
COVID DENIALISM
A. Seriously, not doing the whole Antichrist thing! But this does remind us of that old joke where a person sitting on their roof during a flood refuses numerous rescue attempts, explaining that they are waiting for God to save them. When, as a newly-drowned person, they arrive at Heaven’s border checkpoint, they are told that God tried to help them by sending his invention – mankind – to help. So Mr. Shoemake, is it possible you had the wrong of this stick? That God sent his best – highly skilled scientists – to help against a plague, and that you were actively working against His wishes? Just asking.

B. To the public – Don’t elect a council member who makes pronouncements with limited input and study. There were EIGHT hospitals in Ventura County treating COVID patients. By the date Scott was walking around one mercifully quiet ICU on November 17, 2020, a total of 172 people had already died from COVID-19 in Ventura County. In pain. Leaving grieving families behind.

Would you get vaxxed to save another person’s life? We would. We would also mask, and do whatever else that was necessary so we could look those families in the eye and tell them we did our best.

5 years later: Ventura County had approximately 239,000 reported cases of COVID with 1,913 deaths. Funeral homes were overwhelmed. Scott is an extremism-over-facts guy.
ANTI-LGBTQ
Dear Mr. Shoemake, we will start by saying that there are exactly zero times when it’s acceptable to ask people to justify their existence. It doesn’t matter if you try to make it sound like a polite debate, even one with vaguely scientific overtones. Did we learn nothing from the ugly history of eugenics? But these attacks are even worse if your target is a minority that has been persecuted throughout history by “religious” folks like you.
But to answer your question: Yes, we all believe (or should believe) in the basic tenets of Darwinian evolution, but this isn’t going to go the way you want it to, because…science.

1. The “Is-Ought” Fallacy: Nature isn’t a moral guide. Saying something is “unnatural” or doesn’t directly lead to reproduction doesn’t make it wrong or bad. Darwin explained how traits change over time; he never said every biological trait or behavior has to serve a singular moral purpose. 
2. Homosexuality Exists Throughout Nature: Hundreds of animal species—including penguins, dolphins, sheep, and primates—exhibit same-sex behavior. Some lions even exhibit what appears to be transgenderism. Yet, all these species persist!
3. Evolutionary Benefits and the “Darwinian Paradox”
“The evolutionary persistence of homosexuality is a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by genetic, hormonal, epigenetic, and social factors. While direct reproductive advantages may not be apparent, the indirect contributions of homosexual individuals to kin selection, social cohesion, and cultural evolution highlight their integral role in human societies. Future research should continue to explore these complex interactions, further enriching our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of sexual orientation.“
4. Evolution Doesn’t Require 100% Reproduction
Diversity is normal (See note #2). Evolution doesn’t wipe out every trait that isn’t strictly focused on making babies. Human biology and psychology are full of variations that don’t fit a rigid, mechanical mold.
ANTI-LGBTQ – Part 2 – WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that roughly 1 in 4 high school students (about 26%) identified as LGBTQ or non-heterosexual in a study released in April 2023. The findings came from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), which surveyed 17,508 high school students across 152 schools nationwide using 2021 data. Here are the breakdowns of the students’ answers:
– Heterosexual students: About 74.2% to 75.5% of students identified as straight/heterosexual. 
– Bisexual: 12.2%
– Questioning: 5.2%
– Other: 3.9%
– Gay or lesbian: 3.2%
– Did not understand the question: 1.8% 

Mr. Shoemake melts down over all this in the post below and should not be on a city council that supported the CARE policy.
– Yes, that 1.8% did not understand the question is unfortunate, but that’s nothing to pearl-clutch over.
– Yes, parents should watch out for the ugly misogyny of manosphere content that our president let his son indulge in.
– Yes, parents should model kind and inclusive behavior with their children and encourage reading a wide variety of authors.
– We want to assure Mr. Shoemake that all these kids will eventually follow their “biological instincts,” whether or not they match his own. His issues should not be theirs to bear.
Anti-Catholic AND a COVID-denier
While we appreciate the economy of stuffing two hateful concepts into one post, this type of Christian-against-Christian bat-shittery is why our founding fathers to very specifically DID NOT CREATE A CHRISTIAN NATION. They prioritized protecting religious freedom by deliberately leaving out a national religion in our U.S. Constitution. And just to be sure for those “too-long-didn’t-read” folks, they repeated that concept in the First Amendment. Yeah, the one they thought was more important than guns. Here are a few reasons that historians and the founders’ own writings point to as to why they made this choice:

– Religious wars: Europe spent centuries soaked in blood over fights between different Christian sects. Lots of royals assassinated or getting decapitated (a British specialty), lots of soldiers and townspeople slaughtered. Here’s a list of this idiocy. Our founders were very aware of the dangers of mixing religion with civil power.
– State-established churches: In colonial times, some colonies forced everyone to pay taxes to support specific churches and barred non-believers or other sects from holding office. The founders experienced firsthand how state-backed religion leads to oppression
– Keeping religion pure: Many deeply religious people, including our hero, Roger Williams, the Baptist minister who founded Rhode Island, opposed a national church.

If our forebears could keep religious zealots out of our constitution, we can keep this zealot out of our council chamber.
(Senior Pastor, The River Community Church

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Kyle R. Clark (AI) – no ballot designation

  • Minimal online footprint — no education, employment, platform, website, phone, or social media found despite repeated searches and the official county candidate-statement documents.
  • NOTE: The “American Independent” party is often accidentally checked when people think they are registering as an “Independent Voter.” It is not at all the same thing. (loc.gov) “

“The American Independent Party (AIP) is a far right political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill Shearer and his wife, Eileen Knowland Shearer, a cousin of the late Republican U. S. Senator William F. Knowland of California. The AIP is best known for its nomination of former Governor George Wallace of Alabama, who carried five states in the 1968 presidential election running on a segregationist platform against Richard M. Nixon and Hubert H. Humphrey. The party split in 1976 into the modern American Independent Party and the American Party. From 1992 until 2008, the party was the California affiliate of the national Constitution Party. Its exit from the Constitution Party led to a leadership dispute during the 2008 election.” — Summary retrieved on October 7, 2019 http://dbpedia.org/resource/American_Independent_Party“

No endorsements found.

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Ventura City Council, Dist. 5, District 5 – Vote for (1)

Bill McReynolds (D) (incumbent) – land acquisition executive

  • Party: Democrat
  • Age: 55
  • Education: 
    • M.S. Public Administration, CSU Long Beach
    • BA in political science and government, CSU Long Beach
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Ventura City Councilmember (2022-present)
    • VP of Land Acquisition, Toll Brothers (2022–present)
    • VP of Land Acquisition, Warmington (2017–2022)
    • President of L.A./Ventura Counties chapter of the Building Industry Association (2022), (recognized as Homebuilder of the Year in 2019)
    • Served on the Board of Directors of VC HOME (Housing Opportunities Made Easier) an affordable housing advocacy non-profit.
    • VP of Development, DB Companies (2016–2017), City Ventures (2009–2015), and The Olson Company (2004–2009)
    • Served on the City of Ventura Parks & Recreation Commission, Street Tree Advisory Committee, and the General Plan Advisory Committee
    • Worked for several municipalities in Orange County in the City Manager’s Office, Park & Recreation, Police, Human Resources and Finance departments
  • Priorities:
    • strong police/fire services
    • addressing homelessness
    • using business experience to strengthen the local economy
    • improving aging infrastructure 
  • Links:
Central Coast Labor Council

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Vernon Alstot (R) – retired battalion chief

  • Party: Republican
  • Age: 70
  • Employment & Experience:
    • 33-year public safety career: 6 years as a police officer, 27 years with the Fire Department (firefighter, then battalion chief); helped pioneer the city’s paramedic and hazardous-response systems
    • In the private sector, worked with local partners to establish shower/hygiene facilities for unhoused residents now used citywide and countywide
    • Serves on the executive board of a homeless shelter in Santa Paula
  • Priorities:
    • Safer Community (infrastructure and public safety)
    • Reliable Public Works Systems (streets, sidewalks, water, sewer, lighting)
    • Responsive Government (listening to citizens, timely follow-up)
  • Links:

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Ventura City Council, Dist. 6, District 6 – Vote for (1)

Karba Eckley (D) – energy policy consultant

  • Party: Democrat
  • Age: 36
  • Occupation: Energy Policy Consultant
  • Residence: Born in New York to Austrian immigrants (came to the U.S. in 1980); grandfather was a city councilmember in his small village. Moved to Ventura for a job; lived briefly in her car at Emma Wood State Beach and in a Saticoy apartment before settling in Montalvo, where her mother now lives next door. Wife and dog, Kona.
  • Education:
    • B.S. Hydrologic Sciences & Policy, UC Santa Barbara
    • M.S. Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Works at The Energy Coalition, leading energy programs for public agencies across California (work focuses on energy efficiency, building electrification, and making sure climate policies don’t leave out lower-income neighborhoods)
    • Member of the City of Ventura General Plan Advisory Committee, helped shape policies guiding city growth through 2050 (2021-2025)
    • Member of the Montalvo Area Community Council (Secretary from March 2024, elected Chair November 2025)
    • Previously worked 6+ years at Patagonia leading environmental impact and sustainability research
  • Priorities:
    • Housing & Affordability – Build more affordable housing supply and encourage infill in the right places. Protect the affordable units we already have before they’re lost to the market. Push for stronger tenant protections as the city enters its next Housing Element cycle
    • Roads & Infrastructure – Push for a transparent infrastructure funding strategy that prioritizes the neighborhoods that have waited the longest. Finish what we’ve started on active transportation, including the Santa Paula Branch Line Trail connecting Montalvo to Saticoy by bike and on foot, with construction expected to begin in late 2026. Invest in safe streets, complete sidewalks, and protected bike lanes as baseline infrastructure, not luxuries.
    • Parks & Open Space – Complete a new Community Park Master Plan with real input from the families who use it most. Invest in better facilities, safer lighting, and activated spaces for all ages. Ensure programming reflects the full diversity of Ventura’s community. Expand meaningful access to green space, trails, and recreation to every neighborhood, not just the ones that have always had it.
    • Economic Development – Protect and grow Ventura’s small business ecosystem through continued investment in local partnerships and accelerator programs. Address the shortage of available commercial and industrial space so businesses that want to grow don’t have to leave Ventura to do it. Support our neighborhood commercial districts. Invest in arts and culture as an economic driver that strengthens community identity.
  • Links:
WORKING FAMILY PARTY
Cause action fund
SEIU 721Central Coast Labor Council
COMMUNITY LEADERS
– Carolyn Mullin, Executive Director, Oxnard Performing Arts Center;
– Michelle Rosenblum, LGBTQ+ Advocate
– Claudia Armann, Nonprofit Director
– Nick Deitch, Architect
– Christy Weir, Ventura City Council (Former)
– Mike Johnson, Ventura City Council (Former)

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Noe Aguilar Vega (party unknown) – business owner

  • Party: Party unknown
    • Age: 32
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Took over ownership of his grandfather’s business, Inova Industries, in 2022
    • Worked at the Summerland wastewater treatment plant, reaching the manager position in six years. Responsibilities included overseeing public funds, budgets, and capital improvement projects, and reporting at board meetings
    • Received the “President’s Award” from the California Special Districts Association for outstanding service
  • Priorities:
    • Bold, accountable leadership to support a strong local economy
    • Eliminating barriers to community growth
    • Attracting entrepreneurs who pay livable wages 
    • Provide more housing opportunities
    • Support public safety and schools
    • Repair aging infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, parks, beaches)
    • Practical, compassionate solutions to homelessness
  • Links:

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Kevin James Daly (R) – nonprofit executive

Kevin Daly did NOT write this ugly screed, but he posted it to show his agreement with its sentiments. “Sanctuary” has several meanings, one of which defines it as a protected place or political status granted to refugees, immigrants, or hunted individuals escaping persecution or danger. It is not a plate of brownies that are being denied to him and his friends.
By endorsing this letter, we can also see that Mr. Daly also has a lot of trouble with that pesky1st Amendment prohibition of mixing religion with government.

  • Party: Republican
  • Education: 
    • J.D., Southern California Institute of Law
    • Mediation Training Certificate, Cal State Dominguez Hills
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Divorce Mediator, Mediation Services (2024-present)
    • Member of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee (2024-present)
    • President, Professional Dispute Resolution (2013-2023)
    • Paralegal, Law Office of Louis Vigorita (2013-2014)
    • Owner, Mediation Resolution Services (2009-2013)
    • Law Instructor, Santa Barbara Business College (2010-2011)
    • Teacher, Oxnard Elementary School District (2001-2010)
  • Priorities:
    • Repair Roads in District 6
    • Solution to homelessness: “Building temporary housing for the homeless does not solve the root cause of the problem for a majority of the Unhoused which is drug addiction, alcohol addiction and mental illness. We need to give those Unhoused with these issues the choice between jail time for vagrancy and medically supervised drug and alcohol treatment.”
  • Links: 
  • ·      Email: drke1976@gmail.com 
  • ·      Campaign website: kevinfoeventuradistrict6.com (link doesn’t work)
  • ·      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61593158277830# 
  • ·      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinjamesdaly/ 
  • ·      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-james-daly-88705026/ 

Did not file a candidate statement. No campaign website or social media found.

Nope, his post above was not an anomaly! He IS a mean-spirited, demon-haunted transphobe and should not be in a position of power where he can harm innocent people. He is also not a good researcher. This bill referenced in his post was passed on May 10, 2024. By May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia – more than 60 national LGBTQ organizations had staged a protest Friday in front of the ministry’s headquarters in Lima. By June of that 2024, “Peru’s Ministry of Health has clarified that trans identities are not mental health conditions, walking back a heavily criticized presidential decree in May that portrayed trans identities as diagnosable in in the Essential Health Insurance Plan.” (Human Rights Watch)
This is was almost a year before Kevin posted a meme to prove his viewpoint.

As an educational opportunity, as we are big science nerds, we’re sharing this lovely explainer.

(https://youtu.be/Kr8RbY8uB_0?si=PnyU_bvllJ1V6wPo)

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

James Loughrie (DTS) – teacher

  • Party: declines to state
  • Age: 46
  • Education: 
    • bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California 
    • master’s degree from Arizona State University
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Special education at the Oxnard Union High School District
    • Vice Chair of the Montalvo Area Community Council
    • Member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
    • leads his street’s Neighborhood Watch program
    • Former community newspaper reporter
  • Priorities:
    • Community Safety & Zoning: Pass a City Council ordinance to limit the density of sober living homes and protect neighborhoods from high concentrations of violent felons. Ban e-bikes from city parks.
    • Infrastructure & Roads: Prioritize Measure O funds and any new five-year funding strictly for street and sidewalk repairs, backed by a transparent timeline.
    • Fiscal Responsibility in Water Projects: Curb out-of-control spending and cost overages on major Ventura water projects like WaterPure and advanced membrane bioreactors.
    • Local Business Protection: Eliminate paid parking downtown to support local businesses and stop funding underperforming parking programs.
    • Democratic Decision-Making: Put divisive community issues – like the Main Street debate – to the voters as a ballot measure for broader public input. 
  • Links:
No endorsements found.

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Danny Carillo (party unknown) – college personnel commissioner

  • Party: unknown
  • Education: 
    • BS in Business
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Commissioner for the Ventura County Community College District
    • Board member, Friends of the Ventura Library and the Social Justice Fund of Ventura County
    • Former Regional Director for SEIU Local 721 
    • Former board member, Community Action of Ventura County and Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE)
    • Former Chair of the Central Coast Labor Council
    • Former director of LULAC
    • U.S. Marine Corps veteran
  • Priorities:
    • Safe Communities – Promote a comprehensive approach to public safety that extends beyond police and fire services by investing in prevention, neighborhood partnerships, mental health resources, and community programs that help keep Ventura safe for everyone.
    • Affordable Housing & Smart Growth – Support responsible, well-planned growth that expands housing opportunities for residents across all income levels, including first-time homebuyers, working families, young professionals, seniors, and essential workers.  Ventura should provide housing options that allow local employees to live in the community they serve, reducing long commutes and strengthening the local economy.
    • Quality of Life Issues – Expand access to parks, libraries, and other public spaces that enrich neighborhoods, promote recreation, and provide opportunities for lifelong learning and community engagement. 
    • Support Neighborhoods with Quality City Services – Prioritize well-maintained infrastructure, safe streets, and equitable city services to ensure every neighborhood receives the attention and resources it deserves.
    • Preserving Ventura’s Character – Protect the natural beauty, coastal charm, and unique character that have made Ventura a special place to live while embracing thoughtful improvements that enhance the community for future generations.
    • Ventura City Budget and Spending – Reviewing the city’s budget while ensuring sustainability for programs and expenses making sure taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently.
  • Links:

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz

Steven Almcrantz (DTS) – public works inspector

  • Party: declines to state
  • Education: 
    • Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration and Political Science, University of Kansas
  • Employment & Experience:
    • Public Works Construction Inspector, City of Port Hueneme
    • Nearly a decade in local government overseeing hundreds of public infrastructure/community improvement projects (streets, sidewalks, traffic signals, parks, beaches, recreational facilities, public access improvements, land development)
    • Chair, APWA Ventura Construction Inspector Networking Subcommittee
    • HOA board member
  • Priorities:
    • Housing Equity – Committed to expanding housing opportunities by supporting responsible, well-planned development that increases the supply of attainable housing while preserving the character of Ventura’s neighborhoods. We must streamline processes, encourage a mix of housing options, and partner with the private sector to help make homeownership and quality rental housing more affordable for working families, seniors, young professionals, and future generations.
    • Transportation – Committed to delivering practical transportation solutions that improve mobility and public safety. Drawing on his experience in public works, he will focus on maintaining our streets, optimizing traffic operations, improving sidewalks and intersections, supporting dependable public transit, and investing in infrastructure that meets Ventura’s needs today and into the future.
    • Safety & Security – Committed to keeping Ventura safe by supporting our police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders while ensuring they have the resources they need to serve our community effectively. Will prioritize crime prevention, emergency preparedness, wildfire resilience, and investments in safe, well-maintained infrastructure that protects our neighborhoods and enhances the quality of life for every resident.
    • Environmental Stewardship – Committed to protecting Ventura’s natural environment through practical, responsible stewardship of our parks, open spaces, waterways, and coastline. Will support investments in sustainable infrastructure, strengthen wildfire and climate resilience, promote water conservation, and ensure that growth and development preserve the natural beauty and environmental resources that make Ventura a special place to live, work, and visit.
  • Links:
No endorsements found.

TOP * District 1: Campos * Coates * District 4: Sanchez-Palacios * Rosin * Shoemake * Clark * District 5: McReynolds * Alstot * District 6: Eckley * Vega * Daly * Loughrie * Carillo * Almcrantz