By Jorge Casuso

Editor's note: A previous version of this article stated that the proposed Parcel Tax initiative to fund local schools requires at least 66.7 percent of the vote. It requires a simple majority.

February 19, 2026 -- The November 3 general election race is slowly taking shape with six potential candidates and two ballot measures listed on the City Clerk's web page.

Five of the potential candidates, who must gather the valid signatures of 100 registered voters to qualify for the ballot, would be running for three open seats on the seven-member City Council.

Only one Council incumbent, Mayor Caroline Torosis, has filled financial disclosure statements. Councilmembers Lana Negrete and Jesse Zwick are not listed among the current potential candidates.

School Board President Alicia Mignano is the only other potential candidate listed on the Clerk's page. Mignano, who has filed financial statements, is running for one of four open seats on the seven-member board.

No potential candidates are listed in the races for the College and Rent Control boards. No elections were held for those boards in 2024 becasuse no candidates challenged the incumbents.

Two ballot measures have also been cleared to begin gathering signatures -- a measure to include housing with a Great Park at the Airport when it closes at the end of 2028 and a parcel tax to fund Santa Monica public schools.

Of the five Council hopefuls, Torosis has raised and spent the most money, reporting $12,175 in contributions and $2,166 in expenditures. The Mayor's campaign listed an ending cash balance of $3,533.

The only other potential Council candidate to list campaign contributions was Derrick Townsend, an occupational therapist at Kaiser-Permanente, who has raised $4,000, including a $3,500 loan. He has spent $1,050.

Daniel Ivanov, a Rent Control Board member whose first four-year term expires in November; Brett Morrow, who rus the video blog onlyinsantamonica, and Eli Gil, a senior product manager at Teak, did not report any contributions.

Mignano, who lists major endorsements on her campaign website in her bid for re-election to the School Board, received a contribution of $2,000 in the form of a loan.

Councilmember Negrete has not publicly indicated she will seek re-election in November, while Mayor Pro Tem Zwick, who has expressed reservations about seeking a second term, is not expected to run.

Two ballot measures cleared the initial hurdle this month after the City Attorney prepared a Ballot Title and Summary for each ("Two Ballot Measures Filed," January 22, 2026).

The Great Park and Community Housing Initiative -- which requires a simple majority vote at the polls -- would reserve 25 percent of Airport land for 3,000 "permanently affordable" housing units ("What Is in the Airport Housing Initiative," January 26, 2026).

The tax measure to fund public schools -- which also requires a simple majority -- establishes an annual parcel tax of $495 per parcel in Santa Monica to replace funding currently provided by the City.

The $12 million in annual funding to local schools under a Master Facilities Use Agreement with the City expires on June 30, 2027.

Proponents of the measures have 180 days after the title and ballot summary was issued to gather the signatures of 10 percent of Santa Monica registered voters needed to place the measure on the ballot.

The City Council can then adopt a resolution to place the measures on the ballot.

If the measures are taken to a public vote, supporters and opponents would prepare arguments for and against the measure, and the City Attorney would prepare an impartial analysis.