Santa Ana mayor and city council: What you need to know about these Nov. 3 elections

GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES

• What’s at stake in this race
• <b>What’s on the agenda for next term</b>

Santa Ana voters have a lot of decisions to make at the ballot box this November. They are voting for mayor, three city council seats and a contentious city tax. Those newly elected officials will have to figure out how to address some of residents’ most pressing concerns: homelessness, cost of living, public safety and more. Santa Ana became a focus of immigration raids back in the summer of 2025, and many residents remain on edge.

What’s at stake in this race

Residents in the three wards up for election this year will have to decide between candidates who rank very progressive or moderate on the Democratic Party scale. Some residents believe the incumbent mayor has never answered questions about whether her response to ICE raids last summer was strong enough. She faced heavy criticism and even calls to resign.

Fast facts about the city

• Santa Ana is a city of more than 300,000 residents, making it the second-largest city in Orange County
• Some big names have Santa Ana roots, including actors Michelle Pfeiffer and the late Diane Keaton. 

What’s on the agenda for next term

• Depending on the fate of Measure N, the city’s proposed sales tax measure, officials may have some big choices to make in terms of its spending. 
• Santa Ana officials are waiting for a response from state leaders on whether the city can be included in California’s speed camera pilot program. 
• Residents are looking to leaders for more transparency around police surveillance technology.

Here are some of the highlights from the upcoming ballot decisions that residents will make in the Nov. 3 election, including the candidates for mayor, Council Ward 2, 4 and 6. We also asked candidates to speak directly to voters and make their case on key topics including homelessness and public safety.

The mayor’s race

The candidates

Valerie Amezcua

Incumbent Mayor

Valerie Amezcua was elected as Santa Ana’s first female mayor in 2022. Before that, she served on the Santa Ana Unified School District Board for eight years. She has also worked as a supervising probation officer with the Orange County Probation Department.

Amezcua did not respond to LAist’s request to discuss the city’s budget, homelessness and public safety. She has previously supported anti-camping and tough-on-crime policies.

Endorsements:

• Santa Ana Police Officers Association
• Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs 
• Full list of endorsements here.
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website
• ICE presence frays politics in Santa Ana, Orange County's only sanctuary city (LAist)
  

Dwayne Shipp

President, Orange County Heritage Council  

Shipp is a community organizer, caregiver and advocate. He currently serves on the city’s Community Development Commission.

Shipp told LAist his community work throughout Santa Ana goes back 40 years. “I’m running because after years of doing the work from the outside, I believe it’s time to bring that same community-first approach inside City Hall,” Shipp said. “I’m running because I believe the people doing the work should have a voice at the table.”

Here's what the candidate told us in his own words

Homelessness: "Homelessness is not something we are going to solve by simply moving people from one street to another. We have to deal with the reasons people are becoming homeless in the first place. That means mental health services, addiction treatment, affordable housing, job opportunities, and real support for people who are trying to get back on their feet. At the same time, our residents and businesses deserve clean, safe sidewalks, parks, and neighborhoods.

I believe we can have compassion and accountability at the same time. I’ve personally been involved in homeless outreach, passing out food, clothing, and necessities, so I’ve had conversations with people living on the streets. Everybody’s situation is different, and one solution will not work for everyone. As Mayor, I would push for stronger partnerships with the county, nonprofits, service providers, and neighboring cities because Santa Ana cannot carry this responsibility alone. My goal is simple: help people move toward stability while keeping our neighborhoods safe, clean, and accessible for everyone."

Public safety: "When I talk about public safety, I’m talking about more than police. Public safety means a mother feels comfortable letting her children play at the park. It means seniors can walk through their neighborhood without being afraid. It means our streets are well-lit, dangerous intersections are addressed, graffiti and illegal dumping are cleaned up, and residents know somebody is going to respond when they need help.

I support our police officers doing their job, but I also believe public safety requires trust and accountability. We need officers building relationships in the neighborhoods they serve, especially with our young people. We should also invest in prevention — youth programs, recreation, mental health resources, intervention programs, and opportunities that keep young people moving in the right direction. I don’t believe we have to choose between supporting law enforcement and holding government accountable. We can do both. For me, the question is always simple: Are our residents safer, and do they feel safer? If the answer is no, we still have work to do."

Santa Ana’s budget: "I look at Santa Ana’s budget the same way working families look at their household budget: we have to know what is coming in, what is going out, and whether we are getting something worthwhile for the money we spend. These are taxpayers’ dollars, and residents deserve to understand where their money is going.

Before asking people for more, I want us to look carefully at what we are already spending and whether those dollars are actually improving neighborhoods. We have obligations we must meet, including maintaining city services and addressing long-term financial responsibilities, but we also have to invest in the things residents see and use every day — streets, parks, public safety, youth and senior services, infrastructure, and clean neighborhoods. I also want Santa Ana to grow its revenue by supporting small businesses, attracting responsible investment, and creating economic opportunities instead of automatically looking to taxpayers. Fiscal responsibility doesn’t mean cutting everything. It means setting priorities, eliminating waste, planning ahead, and making sure residents can see the return on their tax dollars."

More voter resources:

• Candidate website
• Recognizing Orange County’s Black History (Voice of OC)
• Black History Parade leader’s death ignites next generation (OC Register)

Dan Shimell

Attorney

Dan Shimell is an attorney focused on commercial litigation. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego and graduated from UC Davis School of Law. Shimell told LAist that the ICE raids became a pivotal moment in his decision to run for mayor.

“I watched family, friends and neighbors live in fear because of federal government overreach — and I saw a city government that was unwilling to do anything substantive to protect them,” Shimell said. “That’s not the kind of leadership Santa Ana deserves.

In his own words

Homelessness: "I think it’s important that we treat this issue with the dignity it deserves. People experiencing homelessness do not represent a “problem” that can or should be solved primarily through enforcement. Rather, the unhoused crisis is a symptom of larger failures of housing availability and affordability, as well as our systems, including healthcare and criminal justice.

This is not a crisis that we can simply arrest our way out of, despite what the social media accounts of some elected officials might suggest. We need holistic solutions that address the root causes, not just the effects we see on our streets. To that end, we should be investing further in systems we know work, including strict adherence to our just cause eviction ordinance, other pre-homelessness interventions, and use of the City’s Navigation Center to move people off the streets and into permanent housing."

Public Safety: "Providing public safety is an essential government function. While a well-run and well-staffed Police Department is a key component of a good public safety program, it must be grounded in public trust. I think there is, and historically has been, mistrust of our Police Department among a substantial number of our residents.

In recent years, that perception has worsened, due in part to the way in which the Department was deployed during last year’s ICE raids. There needs to be a higher degree of public trust for policing services to be truly effective, and that’s something I hope to change if elected. In addition, improved public safety does not just mean more, better-trained, or better-equipped police officers.

Investments in our city services and public spaces—such as parks, soccer goals, basketball nets, and libraries—are also investments in public safety. We should give our young people safe, accessible places to spend their time, develop their skills, and pursue opportunities through sports and education. A soccer field or basketball court can be the beginning of a pathway to college or a career. Creating those opportunities keeps young people engaged and focused on their futures, and helps build a safer community."

Santa Ana’s budget: "I think the City has been overly reliant on Measure X revenue. Regardless of Measure N’s outcome in November, we need to be looking for alternative revenue sources and finding ways to mitigate unfunded future liabilities. If Measure N doesn’t pass, we’ll also need to be prepared to make strategic cuts and focus on streamlining measures across all city departments. My goal is to avoid such cuts through responsible long-term financial planning and diversification of city revenues."

Endorsements:

• Santa Ana Educators Association
• Santa Ana Councilmember Benjamin Vazquez
• Full list of endorsements here.
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website

Follow the money

The LAist voter guide will bring you more campaign finance information as we get close to Election Day.

City Council Ward 2

The candidates 

Selica Diaz

Realtor

Selica Diaz is a local realtor from Santa Ana. She graduated from Cal State Fullerton. She previously served on the city’s parks and recreation commission.

Diaz told LAist that she is running for City Council because she wants to give back to the city she has called home since 1988.

“My goal is simple: listen to residents, work together and take action to make Santa Ana safer, cleaner and healthier,” she said.

In her own words

Homelessness: "Homelessness is a complex regional issue that requires cooperation among the City of Santa Ana, County of Orange, nonprofit organizations, and community partners. Santa Ana has made significant investments in shelter, outreach, supportive services, and efforts to reconnect individuals with family and other support networks.

The city has committed substantial taxpayer resources to these efforts, while the County of Orange also has funding and programs available through agencies such as the Health Care Agency and its Continuum of Care system. I support continued coordination between the city and county to make sure available resources are used effectively and that residents experiencing homelessness have access to meaningful assistance.

As a city council member, I would support a comprehensive approach that connects individuals with housing, mental health and health services, employment resources, substance-use services when appropriate, and other support. I would also support evaluating existing programs and improving coordination among agencies and service providers.

Addressing homelessness also means addressing the broader cost of living. Keeping Santa Ana affordable is an important part of the long-term solution. I would support policies that promote housing affordability, responsible economic development, and opportunities for residents to remain safely and sustainably housed."

Public Safety: "Public safety is my Number 1 priority because every resident deserves to feel safe in their home, on their street, and throughout their neighborhood. Through my door-to-door conversations in Ward 2, I hear residents consistently asking for safer neighborhoods, better responses to crime, and action on issues that affect their quality of life.

As a City Councilmember, I will make sure our Police Department has the resources, staffing, training and technology needed to respond effectively to calls for service and keep our community safe. I support strong community policing because public safety works best when residents and law enforcement have trust, communication and a partnership. I also believe we must support our officers and firefighters, who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our community. At the same time, accountability and transparency are important to maintaining public trust.

Public safety also means investing in our youth and seniors, supporting programs such as the Santa Ana Police Athletic and Activity League, library services, parks and recreation, addressing homelessness, improving lighting and streets, and keeping our neighborhoods clean and well-maintained. My goal is a Santa Ana where families can feel safe, businesses can thrive, and residents know their concerns are heard and acted upon."

Santa Ana’s budget: "On June 16, 2026, the City of Santa Ana adopted its 2026–27 budget, totaling approximately $891.87 million, the largest budget approved by the city to date. The city is experiencing strong revenue levels compared with recent years, while at the same time facing increased costs associated with providing services and programs to residents.

Santa Ana has also faced ongoing discussions about its structural deficit and the long-term sustainability of its finances. Measure X, approved by voters in 2018, has provided an important source of revenue to support city services and address financial needs.

As a city council member, I would approach the city's financial challenges with a long-term focus. I would support developing a five-year structural-balancing plan designed to align recurring expenditures with recurring revenues, while reducing reliance on reserves and one-time funding. This approach would include evaluating city programs and services, identifying opportunities for greater efficiency, monitoring long-term obligations, and considering responsible strategies to strengthen recurring revenues.

The goal would be to maintain essential services, protect the city's financial stability, and ensure that future budgets are sustainable for Santa Ana residents."

More voter resources:

• Candidate website

Benjamin Vazquez

Incumbent City Councilmember, Teacher

Benjamin Vazquez is a high school teacher at Valley High School in Santa Ana. He has more than 20 years of teaching experience with the Santa Ana Unified School District. He was first elected to the City Council in 2022 and is now running for reelection.

In his own words

Homelessness: "I support a caring, practical response that has already worked. By using our shelter and Quality of Life Team, Santa Ana reduced homelessness by 15% without relying on mass sweeps. Arresting people, taking their property, and releasing them the next day does not solve homelessness. We need outreach, shelter, permanent housing, and vouchers that keep families housed. Every program should have clear goals, measurable results, and costs that match the outcomes — not just look good on social media."

Public Safety: "Safety is about more than arrests. Santa Ana families face overcrowded housing, too few parks, and too few libraries. During COVID, violence rose as families were confined in cramped homes. Young people need safe places to learn, gather, and grow. Investing in affordable housing, parks, libraries, and youth programs prevents harm and improves everyone’s quality of life."

Santa Ana’s budget: "Our money is limited, so we must spend it wisely. Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes has said that every dollar invested in youth can save seven dollars in later criminal justice costs. Prevention is both the responsible financial choice and the best path to a safer, healthier Santa Ana."

Endorsements:

• Santa Ana Educators Association
• California Working Families Party
• Orange County Democratic Socialists of America
• Full list of endorsements here
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website

Follow the money

The LAist voter guide will bring you more campaign finance information as we get close to Election Day.

City Council Ward 4

Sandra De Anda

Immigrant rights defender  

Sandra De Anda was born and raised in Santa Ana. She is an immigrant rights advocate and community leader.

In her own words

Homelessness: "Homelessness is a housing crisis and a policy failure — not a personal failing. I support permanent, publicly funded supportive housing, paired with mental health care, addiction treatment, wraparound services, and case management. But we must also act before people lose their homes. Too many Santa Ana residents are one paycheck away from eviction. I will fight for emergency rental assistance, just-cause eviction protections, and legal defense to keep families in their homes.

We must also stop criminalizing homelessness. Punishment does not solve homelessness; it pushes people deeper into crisis and makes it harder to connect them with housing and services. Our priority should be housing, treatment, outreach, and stability — not citations and punishment.

The City cannot solve this alone. Santa Ana must partner with the County and State to secure funding, build more housing, and coordinate mental health and shelter services. We need shared accountability and investment at every level. Housing is a human right, and I will fight for sustained public investment to make that right a reality in Santa Ana."

Public Safety: "Public safety is so much more than law enforcement. I support investing in community-based solutions, including alternative crisis response for mental health and non-violent emergencies, youth programs, and violence prevention. Diversifying our public safety response allows us to match the right tools and training to each situation — a mental health crisis, a neighborhood dispute, and a medical emergency all require different approaches.

I have done crisis response work myself, and I’ve seen that families in distress don’t just need someone to show up. They need someone who can listen, de-escalate with proper training, and connect them with clear next steps and concrete resources. That kind of response keeps everyone safer and more stable in the long run.

I also believe the people closest to our challenges should help shape the solutions. Co-governance means residents, community organizations, and local leaders working together to identify problems, set priorities, and build policies that reflect what people actually experience — not simply being asked for feedback after decisions are made. Government works best when it works with the people it serves. I will fight for a Santa Ana where safety means investing in people and building solutions with the community, not just for it."

Santa Ana’s Budget: "Santa Ana’s budget should reflect our values, and right now, I don’t believe it does. I support a people’s budget process where residents have a meaningful voice in spending priorities. That means investing in affordable housing, youth programs, and direct services for working families while ensuring public safety spending delivers real results.

I also support raising revenue by ensuring corporations, developers, and large property owners doing business in Santa Ana pay their fair share. We should not balance the budget on the backs of working-class residents.

Every major budget decision should be transparent, participatory, and grounded in community input. Before approving significant expenditures, the City should engage residents, evaluate the need, consider alternatives, and ensure we are getting the best value for public dollars. A high price tag should never be accepted simply because it is presented as the only option.

Budgets are moral documents. They ask a fundamental question: Who is worth investing in? My answer is working families. I will fight for a Santa Ana budget that puts working people first, invests in our communities, protects essential services, and treats every public dollar with care and accountability."

Endorsements:

• Orange County Democratic Socialists of America
• SEIU 721
• CHISPA
• Full list of endorsements here
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website
• Fear of ICE sweeps prompts some Santa Ana families to use a remote learning program set up during COVID (LAist)

• Sandra De Anda responded to immigration operations with action, support (OC Register)

Phil Bacerra

Incumbent City Councilmember

Phil Bacerra was first elected to the City Council in 2019. Before being elected, he served five years on the city’s planning commission. During his time on the City Council, he has prioritized public safety and homelessness efforts.

In his own words

Homelessness: "I support connecting homeless individuals with services that will help them, but our city needs the County to step up and provide services for homeless individuals more equitably throughout the rest of Orange County to relieve the disproportionate burden that has been placed on Santa Ana residents and businesses. Santa Ana has done much more than its fair share to help homeless individuals. I will continue to advocate for the closure of operations that attract homeless individuals to Santa Ana, as I did with the closure of entities that attracted homeless individuals to nearby schools and neighborhoods."

Public Safety: "Our city is improving public safety through increased focus on quality of life issues, including stricter enforcement of laws regarding public intoxication and camping in public spaces. We need to prioritize the safety of Santa Ana residents and businesses, not those who come from out of town and out of state to commit crimes in our city. We also need to continue to have a high-quality police department that is accountable to our community, which is why I proposed the creation of our Police Oversight Commission."

Santa Ana’s Budget: "Our city needs to take growing revenue through economic development more seriously and trim more fat to prevent future budget deficits. I would like Santa Ana to be more affordable for its residents, so I would rather see revenue grow from an improved business environment rather than continuing to charge our residents one of the highest sales tax rates in OC. Hotel tax revenue is paid by visitors, not by residents. Anaheim generates $250 million in hotel tax revenue, which is more than their sales tax and property tax revenue combined. Meanwhile, Santa Ana only generates $9.5 million in hotel tax revenue. We need to increase Santa Ana’s hotel tax revenue to enhance city services and improve affordability for Santa Ana residents and businesses."

Endorsements:

• Santa Ana Police Officers Association
• Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs 
• Full list of endorsements here
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website
• Some Santa Ana leaders want to pilot CA’s speed camera program (LAist)
• Santa Ana council wants police to arrest people intoxicated in public, sleeping on sidewalks (OC Register) 
• Santa Ana councilmembers raise concerns proposed anti-camping law could criminalize homeless (OC Register)

Follow the money

The LAist voter guide will bring you more campaign finance information as we get close to Election Day.

City Council Ward 6

The candidates

Giovanni Chavez

Lawyer

Giovanni Chavez works as a personal injury attorney. He attended UC Irvine for his bachelor’s degree and later Loyola Marymount University for his law degree. In July, he joined the city’s Rental Housing Board.

He told LAist that he decided to run to help the city address its most pressing issues: finances, affordability, homelessness and public safety.

“These are challenging times. And in these challenging times, we must do everything in our power to invest in the people that keep our city running,” Chavez said. “We must invest in our neighborhoods, build more affordable and accessible housing, fix our streets, invest in after-school programs and work with our community to build a cleaner and safer Santa Ana.”

In his own words

Homelessness: "Santa Ana is facing a human dignity crisis. Our city has the highest homeless population in the entire county, and it is impacting our quality of life. This not only negatively impacts folks living in the streets, but residents raising families in our neighborhoods. We need to treat this issue like the emergency crisis that it is, and target it from all angles, so that we keep our residents housed and our streets clean.

I support building more affordable housing, increasing drug abuse and mental health programs, encampment sweeps in public areas, and mandating homeless folks to accept services when offered. With the current budget crisis, tackling this crisis will require working with our federal, state, and county partners to secure funding for our city. As a councilmember, my goal will be to maximize existing funds, find new funding sources, and adopt a variety of solutions. There is no one size fits all solution. However, we need to do everything in our power to tackle this issue like the emergency crisis that it is."

Public Safety: "Santa Ana experiences noticeably higher crime than the rest of Orange County. As our residents are seeking a better quality of life, more must be done to ensure our streets and children are safe. Our public safety personnel do incredible work, but they are short-staffed and lack the resources to deal with evolving crimes, such as underground operations and cyber crimes. As a councilmember, I will work with public safety personnel to ensure they have the tools necessary to combat all forms of crime.

I am running a campaign built by working families and for working families, which is why I am honored to be endorsed by the Orange County Labor Federation, and over 50 local labor unions. I support all our labor brothers and sisters. Blaming the police union for failures at city hall is how council members escape their own responsibility for the city’s economic condition. In these challenging times, we must work closely with the working families that keep our city running."

Santa Ana’s budget: "For years, we have seen the same pattern of the city failing to fix budget issues and tax measures being extended over and over again. Over the last 10 years, we have seen succeeding city councils vote on policies that reduced our workforce by almost a third. In the latest city budget, we saw cuts through the form of removing five city commissions and reducing youth after school programs. This issue has only been exacerbated when you have Councilmembers taking extravagant trips on the taxpayers dime and attempting to increase their salaries.

I am running for City Council because I want us to invest in the people that keep our city running. I want us to invest in jobs, small businesses, and city services, so that we can grow and charge residents less, while giving them more. As a start, I will ask my colleagues to support a freeze and zeroing out on all external city council travel to conferences and events, unless they specifically bring a benefit to the city of Santa Ana. I would also ask my colleagues to support a special budget meeting to work on bringing in additional revenues to the city. It is time that we fix our budget issues once and for all."

Endorsements:

• Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua 
• Democratic Party of Orange County
• California Young Democrats
• Full list of endorsements here
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website
• Appointment of Ward 6 candidate sparks ethics debate (Santanero)

Isuri S. Ramos

Executive Director, CHISPA

Isuri S. Ramos is a lifelong Santa Ana resident and a long-time advocate for tenants and affordable housing. She is chair of the city’s planning commission.

Ramos told LAist that being born and raised in Santa Ana has shaped who she has become. Spending her youth at the Santa Ana Public Library and the Jerome Boxing Club drove her to public service.

“I'm running because Ward 6 has felt neglected for too long, especially the neighborhoods carrying the heaviest environmental and industrial burden,” Ramos said. “Santa Ana deserves a Councilmember who has already proven she delivers, not one still learning the job. I don't lead by assuming what this community needs. I lead well because I'm part of this community, and I bring it with me everywhere I go.

In her own words

Homelessness: "Housing has been the focus of my entire career, and my priorities on homelessness start with preventing it before it happens. The same forces pushing families into housing instability, rising rents, evictions without cause, are forces I've spent my career fighting. That's why enforced rent stabilization, just-cause eviction protections, and expanding deeply affordable housing options like the Legacy Square are homelessness prevention policy to me. We have to do everything we can to keep our residents housed.

For those already experiencing homelessness, I support expanding access to permanent supportive housing paired with wraparound services, mental health care, job support, and case management, because temporary shelter won't address the root causes keeping people on the street. I don't support encampment sweeps that displace people with nowhere to go.

Housing has always been my starting point, because I know from experience that losing a stable place, whether it's a home or a space that holds a community together, has consequences that ripple for years. Housing and homelessness are the same fight for me, and Ward 6 deserves a councilmember with experience and compassion that can work to address the issue on day one."

Public Safety: "Public safety means my constituents feel safe in their homes, their streets, and their neighborhoods, and I believe that requires both accountability and investment in the root causes of crime that policing alone can’t solve. I believe we must invest resources to address mental health crises, substance abuse, housing instability, and programs that reach young people where they are. When we think of public safety we have to think about more than policing.

I've already led this kind of work in Santa Ana. When unregulated smoke shops were putting our neighborhoods at risk with no city tool to respond, I led the effort as a Planning Commissioner to reclassify and regulate them; and with Councilwoman Jessie Lopez’s help it got done in 3 months. That's the same instinct I bring to public safety broadly: identify what's putting our community at risk, and act on it directly.

I also believe accountability matters. I've advocated for increased oversight of the Santa Ana Police Department, and I will push to strengthen our Police Oversight Commission so its recommendations are implemented. Real public safety means residents trust the officers and systems meant to protect them, and that trust has to be earned through transparency."

Santa Ana’s budget: "Santa Ana is facing a real financial challenge. Our budget stability depends heavily on Measure X, and if that revenue isn't renewed, we're looking at a genuine crisis. I believe the City needs to find new streams of revenue rather than solving this by cutting the services working families rely on, or by placing a heavier financial burden on residents already struggling with the cost of living.

Before I'd support any specific cut, I want a full, transparent audit of our finances. Residents deserve to see exactly where every dollar is going and why, especially as we make difficult budget decisions ahead.

My top priority is new revenue that maximizes our city resources like the Santa Ana Stadium and the vacant land we see throughout our community. Whatever path this city takes, it has to center the needs of the people who've made Santa Ana the cultural hub it is, and no major budget decision should be made without the residents who will live with it."

Endorsements:

• California Working Families Party 
• Santa Ana City Councilmembers Jessie Lopez and Benjamin Vazquez 
• Orange County Democratic Socialists of America
• Full list of endorsements here
  

More voter resources:

• Candidate website

Follow the money

The LAist voter guide will bring you more campaign finance information as we get close to Election Day.

How to watchdog local government

• Read tips on how to get involved.
• The City Council meets twice a month. You can check out the Santa Ana City council meetings and agendas here.
• You can watch the meetings in person at the Council Chambers, 22 Civic Center in Santa Ana, or watch the meetings live on the city’s YouTube channel.
• Learn how to submit a public comment.