Early returns in Goleta's District 2 City Council race show incumbent James Kyriaco holding a lead over challenger Phebe Mansur, though Santa Barbara County election officials are still processing ballots and the outcome remains unofficial. The seat represents southeast Goleta and Old Town, and whoever wins will serve the next four years on the city council.
According to Noozhawk, preliminary election-night results had Kyriaco taking 57.9% of the vote to Mansur's 41.9%. A separate tally published by The Santa Barbara Independent listed slightly different figures, with Kyriaco at 58.48% and Mansur at 41.42%. The discrepancy between the two counts has not been explained, and the certified outcome of the race has not yet been determined.
Kyriaco, who has held the District 2 seat since 2018, is seeking another term on the council. Per News Channel 3-12, Kyriaco and Mansur both spent Election Day connecting with residents and discussing neighborhood issues before Kyriaco joined supporters at an election night gathering in Santa Barbara.
Hollister Avenue Emerges as Central Flashpoint
Mansur, owner of CopyRight Printing Systems, built her campaign around changing the Hollister Avenue restriping project. The same Noozhawk report notes that her platform focused prominently on “fixing Hollister Avenue,” with proposals to restore four active travel lanes, improve bike safety infrastructure, implement regular parking enforcement, and eliminate back-in parking along the corridor. Her campaign also emphasized stronger support for businesses facing community challenges, as detailed by News Channel 3-12.
Kyriaco has taken a more cautious stance on the same issue. He described the restriping dispute as a two-sided matter needing a balanced solution, one he hopes will emerge from further community discussions, the outlet's report states. His broader campaign centered on housing, childcare, traffic and transportation concerns, along with what he called sparking joy for residents.
Race Framed as a Rematch of Familiar Faces
Mansur had run for a Goleta City Council seat multiple times, and the Santa Barbara News-Press described the District 2 contest as incumbent James Kyriaco facing Phebe Mansur, with the Hollister Avenue debate a defining theme of the campaign well before ballots were counted.
Santa Barbara County election officials continue processing ballots, and the Santa Barbara County Elections Office is expected to provide updated results as the count progresses. Noozhawk reported that final, certified results for the race would be available by Dec. 3, meaning Goleta residents may wait weeks before learning the confirmed outcome of the District 2 seat.
