West Hollywood City Council

Helen Krieger is a television writer. She is vice chair of the city's Transportation and Mobility Commission. She says West Hollywood has built 70% less housing in its 40 years. She wants that to change. She opposes TODAP and supports the Fountain Avenue bike lanes. She notes city outreach on that project dates back to 2017.

Kody Christiansen sits on West Hollywood's Business Task Force and Chamber of Commerce. He spent nearly two years across four shelters before getting sober 11 years ago. He later created a program that mails people ID. It helps them apply for housing and benefits. At an August forum, he criticized the Strip's billboards and the city's sidewalk delivery robots.

Jonathan Cottrell co-owns Gym Bar WeHo with his husband, Erik Braverman. He sits on the city's Public Facilities, Recreation and Infrastructure Commission. A software engineer by background, he is running on affordability. He also wants public safety done as care, not crackdown. He and Braverman announced during the campaign that they are expecting a child.

Stephen Post sits on West Hollywood's Public Safety Commission. He also manages a business improvement district. He wants faster building approvals and more social housing. He would send more money to the city's Human Services Division. That money would link homeless residents to services. He opposes TODAP and backs the city's unarmed Safety Ambassador program. He also proposes a new community safety officer role.

Joel Zaldivar is a first-time candidate. Their job and past civic work could not be confirmed. They filed their nomination papers by the August 7 deadline. They describe their run as a new way to be an activist in the city. They did not appear on stage at the first candidates forum. They were one of four candidates left off the ten-person lineup.

Kevin Ligon is a retired federal civil servant. They were a program manager at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. They helped more than 75,000 veterans use online services. They trained over 10,000 healthcare employees. They have lived in the same West Hollywood apartment building for 15 years. They say tenant landlord tension there inspired their run. They want to fill empty storefronts and support local businesses.

Tom Demille has lived in West Hollywood since 1993. He is running his sixth council campaign in three decades. A working actor, he played a Klingon on Star Trek Deep Space Nine. He sits on the city's Disability Advisory Board. He says he has never taken a campaign donation in his five prior runs. He wants to replace the city's Flock camera contract with a Motorola one. He backs 5150 holds for homeless residents who refuse services.

John Duran served on the City Council from 2001 to 2020. That included four terms as mayor. He lost his 2020 reelection bid and a 2022 comeback try. Term limits mean a win this year would be his last. He resigned as mayor in 2019, while keeping his council seat. Three members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles had made sexual harassment allegations.

Larry Block has owned Block Party WeHo for 17 years. He finished third in the city's 2024 council race, when two seats were up. He is also a co-owner of WEHOonline, a news outlet covering this race. He says he has stepped away from its editorial work while campaigning. He opposes a commercial vacancy tax. He backed AB 1620, a state law on rent stabilization. It lets elderly and disabled tenants move to ground floor units without losing it.

Kyle Brazeal has a background in private sector finance and operations. He got involved in city politics through Fountain Avenue bike lane meetings. He wants City Hall decisions based on data and results. He says the city's real problem is enforcing laws it already has. He points to sidewalk scooters and unlicensed vendors. He supports a TODAP. He opposes SB 79's one size fits all approach to redevelopment.

Chelsea Byers is the sitting councilmember, seeking a second term. She has served about four years on the council, including one as mayor. She has campaigned on housing affordability, the Metro K Line Northern Extension, and environmental projects. She is the first council candidate endorsed by the California Working Families Party. In June 2026, the council postponed two housing votes. They await an FPPC review of her job at a housing nonprofit. The review asks whether that job creates a conflict of interest.

Alden "Marlon" Gobel is an international fashion designer and creative director. He launched his own label 12 years ago. He has worked as director of operations for Thom Browne. He was also a liaison on a NASA spacesuit study. He did not meet the $5,000 campaign finance bar for the August 16 forum stage. He attended anyway.

Chukwudubem "Chiedu" Egbuniwe has lived in West Hollywood for 22 years. He chairs the city's LGBTQ+ Commission, an at-large appointment through February 2027. He spent about three decades in the tech industry. At the August forum, he pictured mixed-use development along south Santa Monica Boulevard. He described housing built above businesses. He also pressed the city to drop its Flock camera vendor. He raised concerns about data control and retention.

Tatyana "Tanya" Tsikanovsky is running on public safety, government transparency, and business support. She opposes SB 79 and supports a TODAP. At the August forum, she said she has faced antisemitism in West Hollywood. She also criticized a city funded human rights event. She said it featured an anti-Zionist speaker with no Zionist counter-voice.