Ashley Oelsen
City of Santa Monica, Member of the City Council
AI wrote this from the sources listed below. A second AI checked each sentence against its source, and software checked the links and dates. A person didn’t review it, so every sentence links to its source for you to check. Updated Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Overview
Ashley Oelsen is a conservation biologist and a commissioner on Santa Monica's Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice and the Environment.1 She says she chairs the Clean Oceans and Beaches Measure V Oversight Committee.1 Her campaign focuses on a sustainable environment, sound city finances and safe streets.1
She led community opposition to AB 1740, a bill that would have exempted Santa Monica from California Coastal Commission oversight.1 She opposes upzoning single-family neighborhoods, or any other areas until infrastructure and evacuation studies are completed and community input is gathered.1 She supports homelessness programs with measurable outcomes, including tracked job placement and retention rates.1 After the 2025 Palisades fire, she tested beach sand, finding heavy metals not present in pre-fire samples.2
Campaign money
- Reporting period
- July 1 to September 19, 2026
- Raised
- $75,716Of this, $25,000 came from the candidate.
- Cash on hand
- $78,018
| Source | Amount | Share of money raised |
|---|---|---|
| Small gifts (under $100) | $3,679 | 5% |
| Gifts from people ($100 or more) | $46,880 | 62% |
| The candidate | $25,000 | 33% |
| Businesses and other groups | $157 | Under 1% |
Large contributions reported since September 19, 2026: $5,800 in 5 gifts. See the large contribution reports.
Source: City of Santa Monica filings for Ashley Oelsen for Santa Monica City Council 2026
Endorsements
Sources
- Oelsen seeks Santa Monica council seat on environmental platform, Santa Monica Wave. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Canyon Resident Creates Coastal Alliance to Safeguard State Coastline, The Canyon Alliance. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- 2026 Endorsements, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Public safety unions expand endorsements alongside new survey saying the City is on the wrong track, Santa Monica Daily Press. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Council Endorsements 2026, Santa Monica Coalition for a Livable City. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- SM.a.r.t Column: SMa.r.t. City Council Endorsements, Santa Monica Mirror. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Slow-Growth Group Endorses Negrete, Oelsen, Santa Monica Lookout. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- 2026 City Council Candidate Questionnaire: Ashley Oelsen, Santa Monica Democratic Club. Viewed Thursday, October 15, 2026.