Derrick Townsend is running for one of three open seats on the Santa Monica City Council in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Townsend, who lists his ballot designation as "Healthcare/Rehabilitation Specialist" on the city's candidate page, is certified for the nonpartisan race. Voters will choose up to three candidates.
Townsend said the loss of his younger brother to a fentanyl overdose drives his candidacy. He said he is running to protect families from similar pain and to restore safety in Santa Monica.
Candidate information
- Residence: Santa Monica, approximately seven years, according to his campaign
- Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Family background: Son of a military father and a nurse mother, according to his campaign
- Ballot designation: Healthcare/Rehabilitation Specialist
- Party: Nonpartisan
Experience and public service
Townsend said he is a licensed occupational therapist with more than 18 years of experience helping elderly and disabled residents live safely and independently. He said he is also a former small business owner and investor in local startups, which he said gave him firsthand experience with the challenges of high business costs in the Santa Monica area.
On the issues
Public safety and the fentanyl crisis
Townsend said public safety is his top priority, citing the death of his own brother to a fentanyl overdose as a motivating factor, according to his campaign website. He said he wants to protect Santa Monica families from drug overdoses and restore safety across the city.
Government accountability and fiscal transparency
Townsend called for accountability, transparency and fiscal sanity in city government. He argued that tax dollars are wasted on inefficient bureaucracy while the basic services residents rely on deteriorate. Working families are being priced out, he wrote in a column published in the Santa Monica Observer.
Santa Monica Airport
Townsend said he is running to save Santa Monica Airport, according to his Forward Party profile. He did not provide additional detail on his airport plans in the materials reviewed for this profile.
About this race
Three seats on the Santa Monica City Council are on the Nov. 3 ballot. The other certified candidates are Ashley Oelsen, Brett Morrow, Caroline Torosis, Daniel S. Ivanov, Doug Trussler, Eli Gill, Ericka Lesley, Lana Negrete, Lindsay Davis, Phil Brock and Wade Kelley.
