County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors Supervisor Bruce McPherson

Bruce McPherson is a seasoned politician who served in the California Legislature as a state senator and was the 30th California secretary of state after being appointed to the position by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2005. McPherson is a fourth-generation Santa Cruz native whose family owned and ran the local newspaper, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, for much of his life. After graduating from the California Polytechnic State University, McPherson spent 28 years in the news business, first as a reporter and then later as editor-in-chief. He served two terms in the California State Assembly beginning in 1993 and two terms in the California State Senate beginning in 1996. He began serving on the county board of supervisors in 2013 and has been re-elected twice. 

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First elected: Nov. 6, 2012

Alma mater: California Polytechnic State University (bachelor’s degree, journalism)

Notable quote: “We can do it and I think we should do it.”

During the pandemic, Supervisor McPherson is temporarily suspending in-person constituent meetings. He encourages constituents to contact him at (831) 454-2200 or bruce.mcpherson@santacruzcounty.us.