The Santa Barbara mayor’s race is getting a shakeup.
Current Mayor Randy Rowse announced on Monday that he won’t seek reelection. Rowse was elected to a five-year term in 2021 and had previously said he would seek a second term.
In a statement, Rowse said he’s proud of much of what the city has done, but also mindful of how much work is ahead.
Rowse said his reasons for dropping out of the race are strictly personal and aren’t related to any issue or individual, but that it's time to move on. He'll finish his current turn. He's served for nearly 14 years as a city councilman and mayor.
The announcement leaves former Santa Barbara Unified School District Board Member Wendy Sims-Moten, City Councilmember Eric Friedman, and Councilmember Kristin Sneddon in the race.
