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El Dorado County Elections & Politics Digest



Newsom Blasts Counties for Dragging Feet Over New Mental Health Law

12/15/2023

All but two California counties are delaying their implementation of a new law that makes it easier for a court to place someone in involuntary confinement if they can’t care for their own medical needs or personal safety.

Newsom Touts California to Seth Meyers

12/14/2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom defended his work and that of current or former California leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris during an appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Newsom suggested conservatives focus unduly on California's failures.

Sierra College Board of Trustees Appoint Area 6 Trustee

12/13/2023

Dr. Rachel Rosenthal is the new Area 6 trustee, representing the west border of the district shared by Nevada and Placer counties. Dr. Rosenthal will serve until the next regularly scheduled election in November 2024.

Camino School Community Demands Superintendent’s Resignation

12/11/2023

Camino Union Elementary School District parents, teachers and staff packed into the small portable classroom used for school board meetings to demand the resignation of Brett Nelson, the school's new superintendent/principal.

Protesters Expected Outside of Biden LA Fundraiser

12/08/2023

A large gathering of protesters sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinian people is expected outside a fundraiser Dec. 8 in Westwood for President Biden. Police have warned that any violence won’t be tolerated.

Hunter Biden Indicted in LA on Tax Charges

12/07/2023

Hunter Biden, a Malibu resident, is facing nine tax-related charges between the years of 2016 and 2019. It is the second criminal indictment for the son of President Biden, aside from a pending firearms case.

New Assembly Labor Committee Chair Faces Ongoing Worker Unrest, but Scores Some Wins

12/04/2023

With nine months’ experience in the Assembly, Liz Ortega will lead the Labor committee after a strike-filled summer and several wins for low-wage workers.

DMV Shift Appears to Spur Drop in ‘No Party Preference’ Voter Sign-Ups

12/04/2023

The California Department of Motor Vehicles changed its voter registration process in 2019 to put a party selection dropdown on the same page. Since then, the number of people registering as Republicans or Democrats has jumped close to 20 points.

California Congressional Reps Overwhelmingly Vote to Expel Santos

12/01/2023

Forty-eight of California’s 52 members of the House of Representatives voted in favor of expelling George Santos. Of the other four members, all Republicans, Kevin McCarthy didn’t vote while three opposed Santos’ expulsion.

Newsom-DeSantis Debate Could Benefit Each Man

11/30/2023

The Nov. 30 debate between governors Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis could be a win-win for both. DeSantis’s flagging presidential campaign could get a boost, while Newsom could increase his standing in Democratic circles.

Area Chaplain Joins Supervisor Race

11/29/2023

El Dorado Hills resident Linda Campbell has announced her candidacy for the District 1 seat on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors. Campbell will host meet-and-greets at the Raley’s One event center in El Dorado Hills.

California vs. Florida: Need-to-Know Facts About the Rival States Ahead of Newsom-DeSantis Showdown

11/28/2023

Political wonks in California, Florida and maybe a few states in between, will be glued to their screens Thursday night to watch Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Ron Desantis square off in a highly-anticipated Blue vs. Red State debate that’s been brewing since the summer.

Congressman’s Central Valley Office Gets Vandalized

11/27/2023

Rep. David Valadao, a Republican, had his district office in Hanford vandalized. Fliers were plastered on the doors of his office with pictures of children and the words “Murdered by Israel.”

Eshoo to Not Seek Reelection

11/21/2023

Rep. Anna Eshoo, who has served in Congress more than 30 years and represents Silicon Valley, announced that she will not seek reelection and is retiring. Eshoo, a Democrat who turns 81 on Dec. 13, said in a video that her heart is filled with gratitude.

Schwarzenegger Rules Out U.S. Senate Bid, Talks California

11/20/2023

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger met Nov. 17 with Sacramento press corps members. He ruled out a U.S. Senate bid, saying the only thing he was interested in running for was president, while acknowledging he can’t do this because he was born in Austria.

School Board Members Who Banned Pride Flag Face Recall Campaign

11/19/2023

Two members of the Sunol Glen Unified School District board have been served with recall notices. This came after the board approved a resolution that banned schools in the Alameda County district from flying the LGBTQ+ pride flag.

Joe Biden Touts Gavin Newsom as a Future President

11/16/2023

During a trip to San Francisco, President Biden said that California’s governor “could have the job I’m looking for.” The remarks have fueled speculation about whether Newsom might step in to run instead of Biden in 2024.

Daughter of Farmworkers Nabs 9th Circuit Appeals Judgeship

11/15/2023

Ana de Alba, a first-generation Mexican-American who is the daughter of farmworkers, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Alba was confirmed by a 48-43 vote.

Backlash Politics: How Conservatives Have Success Rolling Back California Progressivism

11/14/2023

Lacking power at the state level, conservatives are leaning into local governance to protest California’s progressive politics. The fight in Huntington Beach could be a harbinger of what’s to come.

Barbara Lee’s Lagging Senate Bid Doesn’t Equal Another House Term

11/13/2023

Longtime Rep. Barbara Lee trails fellow representative Katie Porter and former Rep. Adam Schiff in their race for U.S. Senate. Lee still expressed determination to not seek a 14th term in the House, saying she’s running for Senate.

Biden Still Far Ahead of Trump in California, But the Margin Is Closer

11/08/2023

Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by nearly 30 points in California in the 2020 U.S. presidential race. A recent poll shows Biden now has just a 15-point lead in the Golden State over Trump, which might hint at a close national race next year.

Newsom Taking New Approach to California’s 10,000 Homeless Veterans

11/05/2023

California’s population of homeless veterans has plateaued despite billions of dollars in state spending to create housing for former service members. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to shift resources to focus on veterans with serious mental health conditions.

Schiff Gets Endorsement From CA Assembly Speaker in U.S. Senate Race

11/02/2023

California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has endorsed Rep. Adam Schiff in a crowded U.S. Senate race. Other candidates include representatives Barbara Lee and Katie Porter.

Is Honking Free Speech? U.S. Supreme Court to Review CA Woman’s Case

11/01/2023

One of the few areas the Supreme Court has agreed on in recent years is free speech. Now, the high court will decide if protections extend to a woman who sued after being cited in 2017 for honking 14 times as she drove by a political protest.

State Demands Compliance After Voting Rights Groups Warn About Shasta County Election

10/31/2023

California’s Secretary of State has told the Shasta County Board of Supervisors that it cannot hand-count ballots in its Nov. 7 special election. In a letter, Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the county must comply with new legislation that bars the hand-counting of ballots.

Voting Rights Groups Urge Shasta County Elections to be Monitored Due to ‘Misinformation’

10/27/2023

A nonpartisan coalition of voting rights advocates has asked the California Secretary of State’s office to monitor upcoming elections in Shasta County because of concerns about safety and the spread of misinformation.

Despite Newsom Veto, State Takes Steps to Ban Artificial Turf Due to ‘Forever Chemicals’

10/17/2023

California cities can ban synthetic turf under a law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed. He rejected a bill to ban PFAS in fake lawns.

He Bashes Republicans for ‘Rights Regression,’ but in Recent Decisions, Newsom Neglects Protections for Marginalized Californians

10/15/2023

Gov. Newsom vetoed bills to outlaw caste discrimination and to consider gender affirmation in child custody cases. Advocates wonder if he’s thinking about his national political profile.

With Merger Layoffs on the Horizon, Newsom Vetoes Bill to Pay Severance to Laid-Off Grocery Store Workers

10/10/2023

The governor signed two other bills that strengthen protections for grocery workers during grocery store mergers and acquisitions.

Sen. Alvarado-Gil Opens New EDH Office

10/08/2023

Marie Alvarado-Gil and her team recently celebrated the grand opening of the state senator’s El Dorado Hills district office. Events included an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Laphonza Butler’s Career Was Born in the Labor Movement. Will Unions Back Her Senate Bid?

10/08/2023

If California’s new U.S. senator runs in the 2024 election, she would likely have to court labor unions’ support, quickly. But with three other labor-friendly Democrats already winning union backing, time and resources are running out.

Latest Effort to Secede From California Is Happening in Sacramento’s Backyard

10/03/2023

El Dorado County is part of California’s long history of secessionist sentiment. There have been more than 200 efforts to exit, and more than 200 times the movements have come to naught. But some locals are trying again.

Featured

California cities switch to more inclusive, district-based elections system.
Voting Rights...the Final Frontier
Pushed by activists, cities move from at-large elections to district races.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
California continues to work on legislation that would make voting easier.
Voting Rites
And more bills are on the way to help you make your mark on Election Day.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
The California Supreme Court has defined the state’s legal and political agenda for more than 170 years.
How the California Supreme Court Blazes Legal Trails
From its beginnings in the Gold Rush, the state Supreme Court continues to define the state today.
Translated from the Greek, “Democracy” means “people power.” How much power do the people have in California?
People Power! What Is Democracy, and How Does It Work in California?
The Goddess of Democracy is alive and well in California, but that hasn’t always been true.
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