Carlsbad voters in District 1 will choose between incumbent Council Member Melanie Burkholder and challenger Nate Larson on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Both candidates appeared on the Carlsbad Chamber Podcast on Thursday, Sept. 17, with Larson featured in Episode 190 and Burkholder in Episode 191. The episodes are hosted by Chamber President and CEO Bret Schanzenbach.

The two are the only qualified candidates for the seat, according to the city's official candidate list.

The incumbent

Burkholder is seeking a second term. A former U.S. Secret Service agent and licensed mental health counselor, she has held the District 1 seat since 2022. She owns a counseling practice in Carlsbad, according to her city council profile.

Her record includes a willingness to break with colleagues on spending. In January, she cast the lone vote against a 4% pay raise for council members. She had also opposed the prior year's 2.6% raise, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The challenger

Larson, an art director and educator, is a lifelong Carlsbad resident. In his candidate statement filed July 31, he traces his family's roots to the Marrón and Pico families, who raised cattle in the 1800s, and the Frazee family, who planted the area's ranunculus flowers.

He has served on the city's Barrio Public Art Subcommittee, according to The Coast News. His candidate statement also describes him as a co-founder of Save the Carlsbad Theatre, an educator in Carlsbad public schools and a director and producer of local youth theater.

Larson's pitch centers on development and local control. "… I see developers and outside investors reshaping our Village, destroying its character, and impacting us all," he wrote in his candidate statement. He pledged to fight state mandates and pursue every available tool to restore local authority over land-use decisions.

He also promised to preserve historic and natural sites and to advocate for underserved residents.

What's ahead

The Nov. 3 ballot also includes races for mayor, District 3 council member, city treasurer and city clerk. No candidate forum for the District 1 race has been announced as of Friday, Sept. 18.