The Board of Supervisors’ newest addition will either be Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera or Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board member Ricardo Valencia. Aguilera—a local attorney and registered independent—received endorsements from the Santa Maria Police Officers’ Association, Santa Maria Firefighters Local 2020, California School Employees Association, Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis […]
candidates
Some Santa Maria candidates raise thousands of dollars in donations
Depending on the outcome of November’s election, up to three seats on the Santa Maria City Council could change hands. Of those three races, the 4th District race is guaranteed to bring new blood to the dais, without an incumbent to consider. While current 4th District Councilmember Maribel Aguilera vies for retiring Santa Barbara County […]
Empty seat: Board of Supervisors’ 5th District candidates race toward June’s primary election
With 2026 marking Santa Barbara County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino’s last year in the role, his chief of staff, Cory Bantilan, threw his hat into the ring to take the soon-to-be vacant 5th District seat, along with two others: Santa Maria City Councilmember Maribel Aguilera and Santa Maria-Bonita School District board member Ricardo Valencia. All three […]

