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Monterey County Elections & Politics Articles



Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
County Supervisors Select Nominees for a California Coastal Commission Seat.

Three weeks after California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas released a letter requesting nominations, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors decided on three names to nominate for an open seat on one of the most powerful land-use agencies in the country:…

Image caption: Braver Angels members discuss election reform.
Bridging the Great Divide

In a time of unprecedented polarization, Braver Angels encourages citizens to do something completely revolutionary: listen to each other.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Addis Announces New Proposed Bill on Battery Plants, Church Gives Update on Vistra Cleanup.

Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay, and Monterey County District 2 Supervisor Glenn Church held a press conference in Moss Landing today, Jan. 23 with a twofold purpose: for Addis to talk about a bill she introduced Jan. 22, and for…

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Workforce Housing Solutions Act – Talk of the Bay

Bodie Shargel interviews two of the organizers behind the Workforce Housing Solutions Act, which kicked off its signature-gathering effort last week. Andrew Goldenkranz, the current chair of the County Democratic Party and Grace Stetson, signature gathering coordinator discuss the details …

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
People March in Monterey to Protest Trump's Inauguration.

About 200 people gathered on Saturday, Jan. 18 in the Window on the Bay Park in Monterey for the People’s March, a 2025 version of the Women’s March of 2017.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
A Message of Peace—hundreds Attend MLK March

Hundreds of people came to Santa Cruz Monday to honor Martin Luther King Jr., many waving signs, chanting and singing as they made their way down Pacific Avenue. Their message was one of community, activism and support.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Pacific Grove City Council Chooses a Former Councilmember to Fill Two-Year Term.

There was one point all six members of the Pacific Grove City Council could agree on as they deliberated who to fill the vacancy left by former councilmember Debby Beck, who resigned in November.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Newly Elected District 5 Supervisor Kate Daniels Is Sworn In.

It was standing room only at the County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, filled with joyful tears and culminating in a performance by mariachi band Nuevo Jalisco and tacos for all.

Image caption: BenitoLink reporter Noe Magaña and marketing director Mo Ismail.
Greetings from San Benito County

In Hollister, a nonprofit newsroom keeps local residents apprised of momentous changes.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Here Are Some of the Laws Our Local Legislators Authored Last Year. As for Their Impact, Time Will Tell.

On Dec. 2, California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, addressed his fellow Assembly members, informing them of a new rule he was implementing for the 2025-26 legislative session: The number of bills each member will be allowed to introduce will…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Supervisor-Elect Kate Daniels Hires Former Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig as Chief of Staff.

The dust has settled from the November election, with the vote certified on Dec. 3—the same day new members of Salinas City Council were sworn in. And 10 days after she officially concluded her duties as mayor of Salinas, Kimbley…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Pacific Grove Residents Have the Chance to Determine the City’s Future Voting Districts.

It’s possibly one of the most democratic tasks any citizen can partake in besides voting – direct participation in drawing the boundaries of future voting districts. Residents of Pacific Grove now face that task as the city creates six districts…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Without Funds From a Failed Bond Measure, Marina Looks to Alternatives for Facilities Upgrades.

Despite a majority of Marina voters supporting Measure U, a $50 million bond measure to upgrade outdated facilities, the approval fell short of the two-thirds approval needed to pass, and now the city needs to consider alternatives to fulfill staff…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Do Candidates for Local Office Believe in Ghosts, Plus Other Human Insights Beyond the Politics.

There’s more to Election Day than campaign platforms. While candidates run on policy ideas and promises, they are human beings behind all those glossy mailers. The Weekly has made a tradition of asking about some of that behind-the-scenes work of…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Carmel Unified School District Gets Three New Board Members in First-Ever District Elections.

Carmel Unified School District will have a new board of trustees after the Nov. 5 election, with three new candidates who won open seats as the district transitions from at-large to district-based elections.

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Tina Rau Pulls Ahead of Incumbent Luke Coletti in P.G. Council Race; Councilmember Beck Resigns.

In what could be a big upset the Pacific Grove City Council election, Tina Rau pulled ahead of incumbent Councilmember Luke Coletti in the latest round of vote counting. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, she was 41 votes behind…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
One Incumbent Survives, One Is Ousted in Election for Monterey Peninsula College Board.

Two incumbent trustees from the sometimes volatile board for the Monterey Peninsula Community College District faced challengers in the Nov. 5 election. One, Chair Libby Downey, survived in her contest for Area 3. The other, Debbie Anthony, lost in Area…

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Monterey County's Incumbent State and National Legislators Are All Headed to Sweeping Victories for Another Term.

While the presidency and the U.S. Senate flipped from blue to red, Monterey County's elected representatives to state and federal office remain solidly blue, with big victories on Nov. 5 for incumbents, all Democrats.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
General Election 2024: Early Results for South Monterey County School Boards, Health Care District

SALINAS VALLEY — Preliminary results from the Nov. 5 Presidential General Election show several candidates in the lead for seats on South Monterey County school boards and the Soledad Community Health Care District. Although these early counts provide insight, additional …

Monterey County Weekly logo LOCAL NEWS
Elections Mean Greenfield Will Have Two New Faces on City Council.

Three council seats were up for grabs in the City of Greenfield on Nov. 5, with districts 2 and 4 having district elections for the first time since the city began its transition away from at-large to district-based elections in…

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.