Carlsbad City Council District 1 · Nov 3, 2026
Melanie Burkholder
Candidate for City Council District 1 (incumbent)
Melanie Burkholder, the incumbent, is running for Carlsbad City Council District 1 in the Nov 3, 2026 election, against Nate Larson.
Ballots start going out · Mon, Oct 5, 2026
TodayDistrict 1 council member who runs a counseling practice in Carlsbad and is a former Secret Service agent.
- Occupation (from candidate statement)
- Council Member/Therapist
- Campaign website
- www.melanieforcarlsbad.com
Ballotpedia lists the San Diego Young Republicans and the California Women's Leadership Association among endorsers of Melanie Burkholder. Ballotpedia
Where Melanie Burkholder stands: positions on the record
Village development3 sourced positions
Voted no 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 the 840 Carlsbad Village Drive project was not what Village and Barrio residents want.
“I was not elected to represent Sacramento, I was elected to represent the Village and the Barrio and this is not a project folks want,”
Own statementThe Coast News · Aug 3, 2026
Voted no on a four-story mixed-use building with 23 apartments at 2621 Roosevelt Street; the minutes say she cited inadequate parking (passed 4-1, July 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, July 29, 2025 · Jul 29, 2025
Drive-thru ban1 sourced position
Seconded allowing 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
Moved 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
Says she testified before the Legislature against state housing mandates to defend local control over land use.
“I fought Sacramento's one-size-fits-all housing mandates by traveling to testify before the Legislature, defending Carlsbad's right to local control over land-use decisions.”
Own statementCandidate statement of Melanie Burkholder, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
Homelessness2 sourced positions
Voted no on the city's Homelessness Action Plan funding plan for fiscal year 2025-26; the minutes say she saw duplication of services the county should provide (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
Terramar sidewalks3 sourced positions
Seconded 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
As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune
Said she would not support anything that removes parking in the Terramar area.
“I am not inclined to support anything that takes away parking,”
Own statementSan Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 14, 2026
Voted yes 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
Council pay4 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
As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune
Said in 2025 it was unwise to raise council pay during uncertain economic times.
“I feel like we are in uncertain economic times, and I don’t think it’s wise, when we are looking at our budget, to increase our wages,”
Own statementSan Diego Union-Tribune · Jan 14, 2026
Voted no 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
Voted yes on adopting the 2026 pay ordinances for council members, the city clerk and the city treasurer (passed 5-0, Jan. 27, 2026).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 27, 2026 · Jan 27, 2026
Water rates1 sourced position
Voted no on water and wastewater rate increases; the minutes say she cited the effects on people on fixed incomes and business owners (passed 4-1, April 2025).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, April 22, 2025 · Apr 22, 2025
Anti-bullying1 sourced position
Voted no on a resolution declaring that bullying has no place in Carlsbad's public spaces (passed 4-1, April 2026).
Council voteCarlsbad City Council minutes, April 14, 2026 · Apr 14, 2026
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
Public safety1 sourced position
Says she supported adding police officers and firefighters without raising taxes.
Own statementCandidate statement of Melanie Burkholder, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
Past candidacy2 sourced positions
Ran for State Assembly, District 76 in 2020 as a Republican candidate (lost).
Own statementSan Diego County Registrar of Voters · Nov 3, 2020
Ran for Carlsbad City Council, District 1 in 2022 (won).
Own statementSan Diego County Registrar of Voters · Nov 8, 2022
What Melanie Burkholder said vs. how Melanie Burkholder voted
Village development
In their words
Said the 840 Carlsbad Village Drive project was not what Village and Barrio residents want.
Aug 3, 2026 ·As reported by The Coast News ·The Coast News · Aug 3, 2026
On the record
Voted no on a four-story mixed-use building with 23 apartments at 2621 Roosevelt Street; the minutes say she cited inadequate parking (passed 4-1, July 2025).
Jul 29, 2025 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, July 29, 2025 · Jul 29, 2025
Local control
In their words
Says she testified before the Legislature against state housing mandates to defend local control over land use.
Candidate statement of Melanie Burkholder, City of Carlsbad, Nov. 3, 2026
On the record
Moved 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
Terramar sidewalks
In their words
Said she would not support anything that removes parking in the Terramar area.
Jun 14, 2026 ·As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune ·San Diego Union-Tribune · Jun 14, 2026
On the record
Voted yes on a smaller Terramar project with roadway and sidewalk improvements and no roundabout (passed 4-1, Oct. 2025).
Oct 28, 2025 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, Oct. 28, 2025 · Oct 28, 2025
Council pay
In their words
Said in 2025 it was unwise to raise council pay during uncertain economic times.
Jan 14, 2026 ·As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune ·San Diego Union-Tribune · Jan 14, 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 no 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
Voted yes on adopting the 2026 pay ordinances for council members, the city clerk and the city treasurer (passed 5-0, Jan. 27, 2026).
Jan 27, 2026 ·Carlsbad City Council minutes, Jan. 27, 2026 · Jan 27, 2026
Also running for City Council District 1
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