Caroline Torosis, the mayor of Santa Monica, is running for reelection to the City Council in the Nov. 3 California General Election. Three seats are on the ballot in the nonpartisan race, with 11 other candidates certified.

Asked why she is seeking reelection, Torosis said in our questionnaire: "I am running for re-election to finish the work of turning Santa Monica around." She said she has "helped close a $29.6 million structural deficit, earn a AAA credit rating, fully staff our police department for the first time in more than 20 years, and reduce unsheltered homelessness by about 18 percent while it rose across the region."

Candidate information

Party affiliation: "Democrat. The City Council is a nonpartisan office, and I work with anyone who wants to make Santa Monica better."

Education: "Juris Doctor, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. … Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in French and Francophone Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. … In 2026, I was selected for and completed the Just City Mayoral Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design."

Family: "I live in Santa Monica with my husband, Dan, and our dogs Luna and Olive, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and came to Los Angeles for college at UCLA."

Experience and public service

Occupation and work history: "I am a consumer protection attorney … I serve as Policy Director and Senior Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, where I oversee economic development, major events, human services, child welfare, and arts and culture for the Los Angeles County's Second District. I began my career as a workers' rights attorney, litigating on behalf of workers who were marginalized or retaliated against for asking for fair wages."

Previous and current elected or appointed office: "Mayor of Santa Monica, December 2025 to present. Santa Monica City Councilmember, elected in 2022 with the most votes of any candidate in that race. Santa Monica Rent Control Board, elected in 2016, serving six years, including two as Chair."

According to her campaign website, Torosis has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, Los Angeles County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Holly J. Mitchell, state Sen. Ben Allen, the Sierra Club, Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights and the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

On the issues

Accomplishments: Torosis pointed to the city's Realignment Plan. "In October 2025, we committed $60 million over 24 months because I refused to simply manage decline," she said. "Dangerous crime is down, unsheltered homelessness is down, and we just had our best summer since COVID for spending and hotel occupancy."

She added: "I am equally proud of how we delivered Right to Counsel. … That produced Santa Monica Renter Aid, a $6 million investment of voter approved Measure GS funds that provides emergency rent assistance to about 150 households a year at risk of losing their homes."

Proudest policy decision: Torosis cited the Realignment Plan's specifics: "We created a $3 million fund to help businesses build out and open in vacant storefronts. We eliminated the $1,000 per seat wastewater fee, saving restaurants as much as $70,000. We dropped sidewalk dining fees, waived film permit fees, and launched a Self-Certification Pilot Program to speed up building permits."

What sets her apart: "I am the only candidate in this race who has led the city as Mayor and chair of the Rent Control Board, and I bring a decade of service to Santa Monica," Torosis said. "I also work in government every day at the county level, so I know how to bring regional resources home."

Voters choose up to three candidates. The other candidates certified for the race are Ashley Oelsen, Brett Morrow, Daniel S. Ivanov, Derrick Townsend, Doug Trussler, Eli Gill, Ericka Lesley, Lana Negrete, Lindsay Davis, Phil Brock and Wade Kelley.

Candidate responses were collected through a Surround Sound News questionnaire. All answers attributed to the candidate represent her own claims and have not been independently verified.