Seth Hewett near the Kern River

Ward 3 · 2026

Meet Seth

Bakersfield born. Six generations deep. Running because it matters.

Seth Hewett — Bakersfield City Council Ward 3 Candidate

Who am I?

I’m a Bakersfield local through and through. I grew up here, I work here, and I plan to stay here and start a family. Right now, I’m finishing my Master of Public Administration at the University of Southern California while working as a City Hall Fellow with the Bakersfield Fire Department — seeing firsthand how decisions get made when resources are limited. That’s not abstract to me. It’s real.

I also teach Sunday School at Olive Knolls Nazarene Church. For a 26-year-old, that’s probably not the expected credential, but it matters to me. Leadership that doesn’t serve others isn’t leadership.

My humanitarian work has taken me to Central America, South America, and Africa. Right now, my focus is Wabulungu, Uganda, where we’re building a nursery for a primary school that serves 1,800 students.

In October, I’ll begin my term as President of Kern Kiwanis, one of the most active community service chapters in Northeast Bakersfield. I also chair Teen Government Day at the divisional level — a partnership between Kiwanis, the City of Bakersfield, and the Kern High School District that exposes students to careers in public service.

Three leadership programs have shaped how I think about this city: the Kern Leaders Academy, the Kern County Network for Children Leadership Program (where I served as Class Speaker), and the Bakersfield City Hall Fellowship — all of which put me directly in the room with agency heads, department directors, nonprofit leaders, and industry figures to understand what’s working and what isn’t.

Seth speaking to a crowd of residents at dusk

Why am I running at this stage of my life?

I was 23 when I first felt called to run for City Council. But I knew Bakersfield didn’t need another ambitious candidate. It needed leaders willing to prepare before asking for the public’s trust.

So instead of running, I chose to learn. I pursued graduate studies in public administration, gained experience serving our community, and sought to better understand how local government truly works.

Today, I’m more prepared than I ever imagined I’d be, not just to win an election, but to serve our city responsibly.

Seth Hewett — six generations of Kern County roots

What are my roots in Bakersfield?

My connection to Bakersfield didn’t begin with this campaign. It began generations ago.

I’m a sixth-generation Kern County resident. My family has helped shape this community in different ways over the years. My great-grandfather served on the City Council, where he helped negotiate the transfer of the Kern River into public hands because he believed some things should belong to everyone. Other members of my family built careers serving our universities, churches, and oil industry. They also founded Sandstone Brick and Mortar Company, a local business that many longtime Bakersfield residents still remember today.

None of that means I’m entitled to serve.

It means I understand that public service is something you inherit as a responsibility, not a privilege.

Now it’s my turn to leave Bakersfield better than I found it.

Meet Our Next Champion.

How am I involved in the community?

I don’t believe the best ideas come from LinkedIn politicians.

They come from classrooms, neighborhood meetings, volunteer projects, churches, youth programs, and conversations with the people who call Bakersfield home. That’s why I’ve made community involvement a regular part of my life long before asking for your vote.

Today, I serve as President-Elect of Kern Kiwanis, helping support programs that invest in local children and families. I also lead Division Teen Government Day, where high school students step inside City Hall to experience public service firsthand and discover that local government is something they can be part of. At Olive Knolls Church, I teach Sunday School because investing in the next generation begins long before they are old enough to vote.

I’ve also been fortunate to grow through leadership programs like the Kern Leaders Academy, the Kern County Network for Children Leadership Program, and the Bakersfield City Hall Fellowship. Each has introduced me to people working every day to solve problems and strengthen our community.

One lesson has become clear through all of these experiences.

A healthy city isn’t built by government alone. It’s built by residents who choose to become active citizens.

Whether that’s volunteering, mentoring, coaching, starting a business, serving on a nonprofit board, attending a council meeting, or simply helping a neighbor, every person has something to contribute. My hope is that this campaign encourages more people to realize they don’t have to hold public office to make Bakersfield better.

That’s how communities grow stronger. One citizen at a time.

Campfire in the Kern mountains with a German Shepherd and cowboy hat

What do I believe about leadership?

I believe leadership at the local level should be practical and accountable. You’ll hear a lot about “wicked problems” in government — the kind of problems that have no clean solution and resist every attempt at a final fix. Housing. Homelessness. Infrastructure. Water.

What I’ve come to believe is that good local leadership isn’t about solving those problems once and declaring victory. It’s about showing up consistently, making decisions with real information, and being honest when something isn’t working.

I also believe that the people closest to a problem usually have the most useful things to say about it. A City Council member who only talks to other officials is going to miss most of what’s actually happening in the ward.

What happens next?

If you have questions, ideas, or even disagreements — I want to hear them. This campaign doesn’t work without the people it’s meant to serve.

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Republican or Democrat?

I get this question a lot, and I understand why. Our political system has trained people to sort each other into two boxes.

I am not against the two-party system itself. I am against the culture that has grown around it. Everything becomes binary. You are expected to pick a side and stay there, even when the issue in front of you deserves more thought.

I try to approach politics as a spectrum. I appreciate parts of both sides. At a personal level, I lean conservative — even traditionally so. My faith also plays a role in how I see leadership. And I believe local communities should have the ability to uphold their values, especially when outside pressures try to impose one-size-fits-all solutions.

I am running as an Independent not to abandon my Republican roots or ignore Democratic perspectives, but to encourage something better in our city.

Politics should be a spectrum, not something we are forced to fit.

Come as you are.