Candidate Q&A Hosted by: Lookout

Name: Candidate Q&A Hosted by: Lookout
Start: 2026-09-23T18:00:00-07:00
End: 2026-09-23T20:00:00-07:00
Location: The 418 Project (Large Theater)

Santa Cruz mayoral election forum with Ryan Coonerty and Ami Chen Mills

Date & Time

Sep 23 2026 (Wednesday)

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Location

The 418 Project

In the: Large Theater

Ticket sales concluded. This event has already taken place.

About This Event

Lookout Santa Cruz brought its Santa Cruz City mayoral election forum to The 418 Project on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, with the two candidates competing to become the city's next mayor: Ryan Coonerty and Ami Chen Mills.

The forum was moderated by Jody K. Biehl, Lookout's Community Voices opinion editor, and gave voters the chance to hear directly from both candidates about their priorities, experience and vision for the city ahead of the November 3 general election. Topics included housing, development and the city budget.

The in-person audience in the Large Theater was full, and the forum was also livestreamed. Lookout reported that about 230 residents watched in person and online.

Read Lookout's coverage of the forum.

Event Schedule

Times and locations across the venue

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Large Theater

Mayoral election forum

Ryan Coonerty and Ami Chen Mills, moderated by Jody K. Biehl of Lookout Santa Cruz.

Visiting The 418 Project: What to Expect

House guidelines to ensure a welcoming, inclusive space for everyone

We are committed to a safe, welcoming environment where everyone is treated with cultural and personal respect across all backgrounds and identities. We hold the highest standards for consent—in movement, touch, and conversation. Always check in first, honor boundaries, and ensure that consent is clear, voluntary, and ongoing.

As a community-run non-profit collective with a small staff, we cannot clean everything after every event. Please help us care for the space by picking up after yourself, placing recycling and compost in the bins provided, and treating every room with kindness so it remains welcoming for the next gathering.

We have a filtered water bottle refill station on-site, so feel free to bring a refillable bottle. All restrooms are all-gender, ADA-accessible, and located conveniently on the ground floor.

To ensure everyone can breathe and move comfortably—especially community members with chemical sensitivities and asthma—The 418 Project is a low-fragrance space. Please refrain from applying perfumes, scented colognes, or strongly scented lotions before attending.

As an artist-driven non-profit collective, we believe movement and art should be accessible to all regardless of financial circumstances. Many events feature sliding scale tickets, and we offer work-trade opportunities for community members who wish to volunteer in exchange for admission.

Explore volunteer & work-trade opportunities

Plan Your Visit

Venue & Accessibility

The 418 Project is located in downtown Santa Cruz. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming space for all dancers, artists, and community members.

Address: 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Accessibility: Ground floor entrances & all-gender accessible restrooms

Parking: On-street parking & nearby River Street public garage

Get Directions on Google Maps