San Benito County Local News: Elections & Politics


All Local Elections & Politics News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: 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?

Democracy is a 2,500-year-old system of government still looked on today as the best system, because under a democratic system, the people govern themselves. But is that all there is to it? What is democracy? And how does it work …

Image caption: 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

The California Supreme Court has kept the state at the forefront of legal issues surrounding abortion, the death penalty and same-sex marriage, starting in its earliest days in the Gold Rush era.

Image caption: 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

The links between homelessness and crime are complex, and the idea that unhoused individuals present a danger to their community seems to be exaggerated.

Image caption: California continues to work on legislation that would make voting easier.
Voting Rites

California keeps on taking legislative steps that will keep it ranked in the top 10 of voter-friendly states.

Image caption: There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained

Community service districts can do most anything a city government can do. Here’s how they work and how to start one.

Image caption: 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.

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02/05/2025
Image for display with article titled Referendum to Rescind Hollister General Plan Advances

A petition circulated by Hollister Guardians Action to rescind the 2040 Hollister General Plan appears to have obtained enough signatures to be considered by the Hollister City Council. The San Benito County Elections Office notified the city of Hollister that it predicts 2,902 of the signatures collected by the local activist group are valid.

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02/03/2025
Image for display with article titled Community Members Gather for ‘A Day Without Immigrants’

To the sound of honking horns, about 17 community members gathered on Fourth Street in Hollister to show their support on Feb. 3 for the migrant community as part of the nationwide “Day Without Immigrants” demonstration.

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01/30/2025
Image for display with article titled San Benito County’s New Lobbyist Ordinance: Enhancing Transparency and Accountability

On October 22, 2024, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors approved Ordinance Number 1070, aimed at promoting greater transparency and accountability in government decision-making. The ordinance requires individuals and organizations that lobby County officials to register, disclose their activities, and provide detailed information about who they represent, their spending, and the officials they contact.

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01/25/2025
Image for display with article titled Hollister Receives Signatures to Rescind General Plan

The group Hollister Guardians Action submitted signatures to the city of Hollister on Jan. 21, in a referendum campaign to rescind the recently adopted 2040 General Plan, City Clerk Jennifer Woodworth confirmed to BenitoLink.

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01/21/2025
Some schools destroyed years ago in the Sonoma and Butte fires are just now reopening. The long, expensive process of rebuilding in LA may eat up much of the money voters approved in November for school repairs statewide.

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01/21/2025
California’s Democratic leaders set aside tens of millions of dollars to challenge President Donald Trump’s executive orders and policies.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/20/2025
With assurances that “sunlight is pouring over the entire world,” President Donald Trump was sworn into office Monday for his second term. He wasted no time taking potshots at California.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

01/04/2025
THREATS AND HARASSMENT are pushing some politicians out of office, scaring off some would-be candidates and even compelling some elected officials to change their vote.

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01/03/2025
Those in California who’d like a latte with a side of weed have gotten their wish now that a new law goes into effect that permits licensed cannabis dispensaries to add sit-in cafes to their sites.  

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01/02/2025
Image for display with article titled Thousands of Voters Skipped Some November Races

In many elections, voters will cast a ballot selecting candidates at the top of the ticket but skip voting on “down-ballot” races—resulting in what election officials call “undervotes.” In the Nov. 5 election, a number of San Benito County races had more undervotes tallied than the margin between the top two choices, which means the undervotes may have determined the outcomes of those races.

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01/02/2025
After winning a costly legislative battle last year, California’s casino-owning tribes have sued their rivals in the gambling business. Cities could lose money if the tribes prevail in court.

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01/01/2025
Image for display with article titled Q&A With Zoe Lofgren, 18th District Congressional Representative

In November 2024, Susan Ellen “Zoe” Lofgren (D) was reelected as the 18th District’s representative in Congress, defeating San Benito County Republican Peter Hernandez with 64.6% of the vote. Having first been elected to Congress in 1994, Lofgren maintained her popularity in an election year that was generally harsh on incumbents.

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12/31/2024
Image for display with article titled New California Laws Take Effect on Jan. 1

Read on to learn about some of the new California laws going into effect in 2025.

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12/31/2024
Image for display with article titled Top Stories of 2024

Being an election year, there was no shortage of news for BenitoLink to dig into in 2024. Stories included several campaign flyers distributed by two unknown organizations which, as BenitoLink’s Fact Check project revealed, contained numerous false and misleading statements.BenitoLink also increased its sports coverage, including high school sports, and highlighted achievements by club teams. Here’s a look at what made news in San Benito County in 2024.

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12/29/2024
Image for display with article titled Last-Minute Campaign Donations Pour Into County Candidates’ Coffers

Though campaigns and fundraising efforts culminated on Election Day, and the deadline to submit campaign finance reports was more than a week before in-person voting, money poured into state races until Nov. 5.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/26/2024
The increase in lobbyists means there’s now at least one lobbyist for every legislative staff member.

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12/25/2024
Here are some of the most noteworthy 2025 laws that go into effect on Jan. 1.

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12/19/2024
Image for display with article titled Leslie Jordan Appointed Mayor of San Juan Bautista

After deciding not to run again, John Freeman ended his eight years on the San Juan Bautista City Council as it underwent a change of guard. At the Dec. 17 meeting, after a ceremony recognizing Freeman’s contributions to the city, his replacement, former planning commissioner Jose Aranda, along and reelected councilman Scott Freels, were sworn into office.

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12/17/2024
Image for display with article titled Valley Water Board Elects Chair, Vice Chair for 2025

The Valley Water Board of Directors elected Tony Estremera as the Chair for 2025, and Richard P. Santos as Vice Chair. The board voted on their new officers at the Dec. 10 meeting.

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12/16/2024
Image for display with article titled Measure a Clashes With Federal ‘Opportunity Zones’

In 2017, President Donald Trump created a program called Opportunity Zones to spur economic growth in low-income communities—two of these are located in San Benito County.