Tyller Williamson
Candidate for Mayor, Monterey · Monterey Mayor
Tyller Williamson grew up in a military family — his mother served 20 years in the Navy — and has said finding an accepting community in Monterey shaped his decision to settle there permanently. He earned a degree in human communication and pre-law from California State University Monterey Bay, followed by an MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). He worked at NPS from 2010 to 2023, receiving the Civilian Service Achievement Medal, and now works in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Human Resources division, focusing on labor and employee relations. Williamson was elected to the Monterey City Council in 2018 and has served as the city's mayor since 2022, becoming the first openly gay and first Black person to hold the office.
Positions in brief
He supports building more housing stock to stabilize costs for renters, backs the Pure Water Monterey recycled-water project as a way to secure the city's water supply, and has emphasized government transparency throughout his time in office.
Williamson's campaign material ties affordable housing to Monterey's water constraints: he has said the city needs more housing stock to stabilize costs, particularly for the 66% of Monterey residents who rent. He has been a vocal supporter of Monterey One Water's Pure Water Monterey project, which he has argued could allow a cease-and-desist order currently imposed on California American Water (Cal-Am) to be lifted and add to the city's water supply. His campaign also lists transportation infrastructure among the issues he says the city must address, and government transparency has been a consistent theme of his public messaging.
On the issues
Wants to grow Monterey's housing stock to stabilize costs for renters, who make up 66% of city residents.
Source →Supports the Pure Water Monterey recycled-water project and views it as necessary to expand water supply and potentially lift the cease-and-desist order on Cal-Am.
Source →Has made government transparency a consistent focus of his campaign and time in office.
Source →Lists transportation infrastructure among the challenges facing Monterey.
Source →
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