Seaside council deadlocks on Ward 4 appointment after social-media concerns and split votes

After hearing opening statements and responses from two finalists for a one‑year Ward 4 vacancy, Seaside councilors were split and the roll-call vote resulted in a tie on Jan. 12, leaving the appointment unresolved.

The candidates were Patrick Ansbro and Brandon Craft (recorded in the transcript also as "Brandon Kraft"). Ansbro emphasized housing affordability for local workers, emergency preparedness including vertical evacuation structures and transparent use of transient lodging tax revenues; Craft highlighted hospitality experience, planning commission service and local infrastructure concerns. Each candidate made a multi-point case for why they would represent their ward effectively.

During deliberations, multiple councilors cited community input and emails submitted to the council. One councilor said a constituent raised a concern that a candidate had social‑media content linking them to a government watch list; other councilors said they had received community feedback about the candidates’ experience and focus areas. The transcript records these concerns as reasons some councilors preferred one candidate over another but does not include documentary evidence in the record nor a staff verification during the meeting.

The roll call produced a tie. With no councilor changing a vote, the mayor postponed action to the next meeting and asked staff to place the appointment back on the agenda for additional review and potential public comment.

What’s next: the appointment will be revisited at a future meeting; council asked staff to compile community input and any relevant documentation before final action.