Carlsbad Mayor · Nov 3, 2026
Keith Blackburn
Candidate for Mayor (incumbent)
Keith Blackburn, the incumbent, is running for mayor of Carlsbad in the Nov 3, 2026 election, against Bill Arsenault, Stephen Banister and Eric Nixon.
Ballots start going out · Mon, Oct 5, 2026
Today- Occupation (from candidate statement)
- Mayor, City of Carlsbad
- Endorsed by
- Carlsbad Firefighters Association, Carlsbad Police Officers' Association, National Electrical Contractors Association and Deputy Sheriffs' Association, as listed on his site. Keith Blackburn campaign site
- Campaign website
- keith4carlsbad.com
The League of Women Voters of North County San Diego held a Sept. 28, 2026 forum with mayoral candidates Keith Blackburn, Bill Arsenault, Eric Nixon and Stephen Banister. San Diego Union-Tribune · Sep 29, 2026
Ballotpedia lists the San Diego County Republican Party among endorsers of Keith Blackburn. Ballotpedia
Where Keith Blackburn stands: positions on the record
Village development3 sourced positions
Voted yes on a five-story mixed-use building with 50 condominiums at 840 Carlsbad Village Drive (passed 4-1, July 2026).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, July 28, 2026 · Jul 28, 2026
As reported by The Coast News
Said state housing laws left the council no choice but to approve the 840 Carlsbad Village Drive project.
“It kills me to have to say yes to these projects, but the state has mandated that we say yes to them.”
Own statementThe Coast News · Aug 3, 2026
Voted yes on a four-story mixed-use building with 23 apartments at 2621 Roosevelt Street in the Village (passed 4-1, July 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, July 29, 2025 · Jul 29, 2025
Drive-thru ban1 sourced position
Moved to allow privately initiated code amendments after reviewing the city's drive-thru ban; Option 1 would have kept the ban (passed 3-2, April 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, April 29, 2025 · Apr 29, 2025
Local control2 sourced positions
Seconded and voted yes on directing staff to bring back a resolution supporting the goals of the Our Neighborhood Voices ballot initiative (failed 2-3, June 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, June 17, 2025 · Jun 17, 2025
As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune; not a direct quote
Agreed with the other mayoral candidates at a League of Women Voters forum on the need for more local control over development.
Forum answerSan Diego Union-Tribune · Sep 29, 2026
Homelessness3 sourced positions
Voted yes on the city's Homelessness Action Plan funding plan for fiscal year 2025-26 (passed 4-1, Jan. 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 28, 2025 · Jan 28, 2025
Voted yes on the city's Homelessness Action Plan funding plan for fiscal year 2026-27 (passed 5-0, Dec. 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, Dec. 2, 2025 · Dec 2, 2025
Says he supports the city's Homelessness Action Plan.
“I support our City's Homeless Action Plan which continues to have great success helping our homeless receive the help they need to get off the streets.”
Own statementCandidate statement of Keith Blackburn, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
Terramar sidewalks2 sourced positions
Voted yes on resurfacing and restriping Carlsbad Boulevard in the Terramar area with no sidewalks, leaving a possible later project (passed 3-2, June 2026).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, June 9, 2026 · Jun 9, 2026
Voted no on a smaller Terramar project with roadway and sidewalk improvements and no roundabout (passed 4-1, Oct. 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, Oct. 28, 2025 · Oct 28, 2025
Immigration enforcement1 sourced position
As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune; not a direct quote
Said cities like Carlsbad are not responsible for aiding ICE and called the issue another area where the state interferes with cities' priorities.
Forum answerSan Diego Union-Tribune · Sep 29, 2026
Council pay3 sourced positions
Voted no on adopting a cost-of-living pay raise for council members tied to the regional Consumer Price Index (passed 3-2, Jan. 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 28, 2025 · Jan 28, 2025
Voted yes on introducing the 2026 council pay raise tied to the regional Consumer Price Index (passed 4-1, Jan. 2026).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026
Says he has donated his council salary to local nonprofits since he was first elected.
“Since being elected eighteen years ago, I have donated my salary to local non-profits.”
Own statementCandidate statement of Keith Blackburn, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
Proclamations1 sourced position
Moved to stop presenting most proclamations at council meetings, except for Pride Month and Arbor Day (failed 2-3, May 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, May 13, 2025 · May 13, 2025
Budget1 sourced position
Voted yes on the city's fiscal year 2026-27 operating budget and capital improvement program (passed 5-0, June 2026).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, June 16, 2026 · Jun 16, 2026
Past candidacy2 sourced positions
Ran for Carlsbad City Council, District 2 in 2020 (won).
Own statementSan Diego County Registrar of Voters · Nov 3, 2020
Ran for Mayor of Carlsbad in 2022 (won).
Own statementSan Diego County Registrar of Voters · Nov 8, 2022
What Keith Blackburn said vs. how Keith Blackburn voted
Local control
In their words
Agreed with the other mayoral candidates at a League of Women Voters forum on the need for more local control over development.
Sep 29, 2026 ·As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune; not a direct quote ·San Diego Union-Tribune · Sep 29, 2026
On the record
Seconded and voted yes on directing staff to bring back a resolution supporting the goals of the Our Neighborhood Voices ballot initiative (failed 2-3, June 2025).
Jun 17, 2025 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, June 17, 2025 · Jun 17, 2025
Homelessness funding
In their words
Says he supports the city's Homelessness Action Plan.
Candidate statement of Keith Blackburn, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
On the record
Voted yes on the city's Homelessness Action Plan funding plan for fiscal year 2025-26 (passed 4-1, Jan. 2025).
Jan 28, 2025 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 28, 2025 · Jan 28, 2025
Voted yes on the city's Homelessness Action Plan funding plan for fiscal year 2026-27 (passed 5-0, Dec. 2025).
Dec 2, 2025 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, Dec. 2, 2025 · Dec 2, 2025
Council pay
In their words
Says he has donated his council salary to local nonprofits since he was first elected.
Candidate statement of Keith Blackburn, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
On the record
Voted no on adopting a cost-of-living pay raise for council members tied to the regional Consumer Price Index (passed 3-2, Jan. 2025).
Jan 28, 2025 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 28, 2025 · Jan 28, 2025
Voted yes on introducing the 2026 council pay raise tied to the regional Consumer Price Index (passed 4-1, Jan. 2026).
Jan 13, 2026 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026
Also running for Mayor
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