Wendy Sims-Moten

About this race

The city's top elected official. Depending on the city charter, either runs city government ("strong mayor") or leads the city commission alongside a hired city manager.

4 candidates ran for City of Santa Barbara Mayor (Santa Barbara County) in the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Santa Barbara voters.

About Wendy Sims-Moten

Executive Director, First 5 Santa Barbara County. Has led First 5 Santa Barbara County, the county's early-childhood commission, since 2018 and is a former Santa Barbara Unified School District board member. She has worked on racial justice and youth development efforts in the community.

What they say they'll focus on:

• Making Santa Barbara affordable for nurses, teachers, firefighters, seniors and young families, including childcare
• Rent stabilization to keep families in their homes
• Rebuilding trust between law enforcement and the community
• Protecting the environment and reducing wildfire, flood and beach erosion risks
• No new taxes that would affect residents

Summarized in our words from source 1, source 2, source 3, source 4, checked October 2026. Not an endorsement.

Where they stand

This is a nonpartisan race, so we don't estimate where candidates fall from their campaign materials or look up their personal voter registration. We'd place Wendy Sims-Moten only with a published academic score (from a voting record or campaign donors), and we haven't found one we can reliably source.

To see where they stand, read their own words: campaign site. What they say they'll focus on is listed above.

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More about Wendy Sims-Moten

Campaign website · Instagram · Ballotpedia

Social accounts are the ones linked from the candidate's own campaign site, or listed on Wikidata.

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Also running

• Eric Friedman
• Matt Kilrain
• Kristen W. Sneddon

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Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Quick answers

What does the City of Santa Barbara Mayor seat do?

The city's top elected official. Depending on the city charter, either runs city government ("strong mayor") or leads the city commission alongside a hired city manager.

Who is Wendy Sims-Moten running against?

Eric Friedman, Matt Kilrain and Kristen W. Sneddon, for City of Santa Barbara Mayor (Santa Barbara County).

Should I vote for Wendy Sims-Moten?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Compare Wendy Sims-Moten's record, funding and endorsements with the other candidates in this race and decide based on what matters to you.