Gloria Soto
CA · Member, Santa Maria City Council, District 3
Gloria Soto has served on the Santa Maria City Council since 2018, the youngest woman ever elected to it, and has worked for Planned Parenthood California Central Coast. Her priorities are affordable housing and job and small business growth.
Where Gloria Soto stands, based on their records
Supports
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (1 record), Housing Affordability (3 records), Civil Rights (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (2 support · 1 oppose), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 support · 2 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 support · 1 oppose
Voted no on a 20% pay raise for Santa Maria council members, citing the city's budget deficit. The raise passed 3-2.
August 4, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: noozhawk.com
Voted no on Santa Maria's 2024-26 two-year budget, which faced a nearly $20 million deficit. She urged protecting city jobs. The budget passed 3-2.
June 18, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: santamariasun.com
Voted no on spending about $240,000 on automated license plate reader cameras for Santa Maria police. The purchase passed 4-1.
April 20, 2021Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: noozhawk.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support · 2 oppose
As mayor pro tem, added a condition to a downtown city land sale requiring the developer to pay $266,000 in police and fire impact fees. The sale passed 4-1.
September 17, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Cast the only no vote on agreements for Santa Maria police to provide law enforcement services to the local high school district. They passed 4-1.
August 1, 2023Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Voted no on spending about $240,000 on automated license plate reader cameras for Santa Maria police. The purchase passed 4-1.
April 20, 2021Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: noozhawk.com
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 1 support
Held a press conference outside the Santa Maria ICE facility, demanding transparency after dozens of local immigration arrests.
January 2, 2026Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: kcbx.org
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 3 support
Moved to approve the Perlman Apartments at 100 North Broadway, requiring the builder to offer relocation help to 14 affected tenants. It passed 3-1.
August 5, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Voted to start the Richards Ranch annexation, pre-zoning 43.75 acres for commercial use and high-density housing. It passed 4-1.
November 19, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Moved to approve rezoning 16.84 acres on South Blosser Road for the Betteravia Place apartments, changing commercial and industrial land to high-density housing. It passed 3-1.
February 7, 2023Supports Housing Affordability
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support
Voted no on a resolution supporting immigrant residents after the council rejected her stronger terms, including barring ICE from city property. It passed 4-1.
February 3, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: santamariatimes.com
Track record — General
General · 10 records
Was endorsed by the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party for Santa Maria City Council District 3 in the November 2026 election.
September 27, 2026
Source: sbdems.org
Cast the only no vote on appointing Ricardo Batalla to fill the vacant District 1 council seat. The appointment passed 3-1.
April 7, 2026
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Voted to form a council ad hoc committee on immigration. The motion failed on a 2-2 tie.
March 3, 2026
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Was appointed, with the mayor, to Santa Maria's new council Budget Ad Hoc Committee. The appointment passed 4-1.
July 1, 2025
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Moved a zoning ordinance that lets the city revoke land-use permits and sets rules for reconsidering them. It passed 3-2 on first reading.
March 19, 2024
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Voted no on a phased-in increase to Santa Maria city user fees. The increase passed 3-2.
April 4, 2023
Source: pub-santamaria.escribemeetings.com
Moved to adopt a 'quadrant' map for Santa Maria council districts, the map most public speakers favored. Her motion failed 2-3.
March 15, 2022
Source: noozhawk.com
Voted no on the council's advice to the county redistricting commission. She argued Guadalupe belongs with Santa Maria, not Orcutt. It passed 4-1.
October 19, 2021
Source: noozhawk.com
Was named executive director of Future Leaders of America, a Latino youth leadership nonprofit on the Central Coast.
July 29, 2021
Source: independent.com
Voted to have Santa Maria join Monterey Bay Community Power, a public power buyer offering an alternative to PG&E. The motion passed 3-2.
August 20, 2019
Source: noozhawk.com
Past race Gloria Soto ran in:
- Member of the City Council, District 3 · November 3, 2026 · Santa Maria city, California · incumbent