District 5’s New Leadership: Who’s on the Ballot
By Iris Heckes
On Nov. 3, the tide will turn for District 5, leaving residents of Upper State Street, Hidden Valley, Samarkand, Hitchcock and parts of San Roque with a new representative on the City Council. With Eric Friedman stepping up to run for mayor of Santa Barbara, Cevin Cathell, Ian Baucke or James Zurlinden will fill his shoes.
Cevin Cathell pitches herself as the next-door-neighbor candidate. Cathell has repeatedly said she is not running as a career politician, but as a community member with aspirations for Santa Barbara. Cathell hopes to enhance affordability and build more housing by finding underutilized areas and reducing construction costs. She supports a bustling and thriving La Cumbre Plaza and is deeply rooted in environmental protection. As a former Hollywood film producer, Cathell believes she can get her district back on track financially, dealing with the tight city budget and deficits in the emergency reserves. “First of all, we should not spend money we do not have,” said Cathell. “I’m very concerned about this.” She thinks she is the best candidate to be the voice of District 5. “I have the skills to step up and do this,” said Cathell at the Santa Barbara Independent candidate forum on Sept. 17. She runs with the support of Mayor Randy Rowse, former Police Chief Barney Melekian and former Fire Chief Pat McElroy, and local business groups including South Coast Business Action Fund, Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, and others.
With endorsements from both the state and county Democratic parties, Ian Baucke says he has solutions for Santa Barbara. To tackle the housing affordability issue, Baucke hopes to gather funding, build and improve housing on unused city properties, and apply streamlined permitting. He wants to find the "missing middle option" for Santa Barbara families while trying to support both homeowners and renters. Many citizens question how the new city council member will navigate the spending of the emergency reserves. At the Independent’s candidate forum, Baucke said, “It’s not acceptable for the city to be touching our emergency reserves. They are for emergencies.” Baucke says he is a champion of the environment and wants to emphasize wildfire safety, action plans, support clean energy, and more. At just 27 years old, he has experience in politics, from his work as a District Representative for California Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón. He is the current Chair of the City’s Transportation and Circulation Committee. At the forum, Baucke also said, “Safe streets is a major priority for my campaign.” Born at Cottage Hospital and a graduated San Marcos High Royal, Baucke is all in to better Santa Barbara. He has been endorsed by the Santa Barbara Independent, Sierra Club, CAUSE Action Fund, Indivisible, Santa Barbara City Firefighters, the Working Families Party, and various unions, including the Santa Barbara Tenants Union. He runs with the support of many local political figures, including Congressman Salud Carbajal and Assemblymember Gregg Hart.
James Zurlinden, a former chef and financial planner, thinks he has the priorities District 5 is looking for. With a background in budgeting, Zurlinden plans to replenish the emergency reserves that the city might drain in a few years. When it comes to State Street, Zurlinden is supportive of businesses and prioritizes saving money. He hopes to keep the environment thriving with clean energy and water conservation. In regard to the goals and plans of the La Cumbre Plaza, Zurlinden said, “We need to make a proactive step with the city and make sure we are addressing the housing before any other large monstrosities.” He has not claimed any endorsements other than the support of the “Moms Demand Action Common Sense Candidate” seal, which all three candidates share.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and ballot drop boxes have been open since Oct. 6. Read more election coverage here: https://www.unmutedyouth.news/101-guide-to-the-2026-midterm-elections/
