OjaiNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Ojai Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 6 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 4 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

Find your match: 4-question quizSee who is on your ballot

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Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
In-person voting at vote centers begins (Oct 24): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Every Ojai voter chooses the mayor; voters in Districts 1, 2 and 3 each choose one council member for their district.

In-person voting at vote centers begins · Oct 24

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Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

What the next council decides

01Permanent supportive housing project4 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is building a 30-unit permanent supportive housing project with developer DignityMoves, and a county grand jury has criticized how the developer was selected.

What's on the tableHow to oversee the project's budget and construction, and which operator to hire to run it.

02City budget and spending3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe council adopted the fiscal year 2026-27 budget in June 2026 on a 3-1 vote.

What's on the tableHow much to spend, how much to keep in reserve, and how to oversee large contracts.

03Affordable housing3 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is moving to give a Montgomery Street property to Habitat for Humanity and is studying a vacancy or second-home tax for affordable housing.

What's on the tableWhether to complete the Habitat for Humanity transfer, set up a community land trust, and pursue a new housing tax.

04District or at-large elections2 sourced facts

Where it standsOjai elects council members by district, and in May 2026 the council took no action on a proposal to return to at-large elections.

What's on the tableWhether to keep district elections or ask voters to return to at-large elections.

2 notes on these statements

Andy Gilman is the only candidate for Mayor and Andrew K. Whitman is the only candidate for City Council District 3. City of Ojai · Aug 7, 2026

Clay Creasey pulled papers to run for mayor but withdrew. City of Ojai · Aug 7, 2026

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Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should Ojai keep building the Permanent Supportive Housing project with DignityMoves?

  2. 2. Should Ojai have adopted the fiscal year 2026-27 budget as recommended?

  3. 3. Should the city transfer its Montgomery Street property to Habitat for Humanity for affordable homes?

  4. 4. Should Ojai return to at-large City Council elections?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted6 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Kim Mang4 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works

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