Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Articles

SANTA CRUZ >> With more than 132,000 ballots processed and an estimated 2,980 ballots to go as of Friday, Santa Cruz County election officials started to wind down their work. Official results are due by Dec. 6.
Several themes emerged …

Kim De Serpa has held her seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees for more than a decade. In her full-time professional life she serves as social services manager for Salinas valley Memorial Healthcare System.

After first-place finisher Donna Lind, the incumbent for Scotts Valley City Council, local voters selected Steve Clark—a retired law enforcer, known for volunteering around town—and Krista Jett—a relatively-young nurse, who’s also a mother—for the dias.

When Monica Martinez is sworn in to the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors in January, she will be one of two women to take seats on the dais in more than a decade.

When Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s newly elected governing members are sworn in Dec. 18, the board will have a drastically different look with at least two new members—and possibly four—if recently released election results hold.

SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide is the most comprehensive guide to candidates and ballot measures in Santa Cruz County.
The guide provides in-depth and nonpartisan information to help voters understand candidates’ positions on the issues. It also …

Some of you may have heard: We're having an election next week. And while there's, rightly, lots of focus on the various candidates and the measures that voters will weigh in on in only a few days, there is not …

Unlike some of its neighbor municipalities on the Silicon Valley side of the hill, like Monte Sereno and Los Gatos—which canceled their council elections when no more hopefuls put their name in the ring than the number of seats available—Scotts …

There are three Scotts Valley City Council seats up for grabs this election, and Donna Lind, a retired Scotts Valley Police Department sergeant, is the only sitting member seeking another term. She’s formed a slate with food industry salesman Corky …

In this engaging interview, Kristen Brown, the current mayor of Capitola and candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor (District 2), discusses the final stretch of her campaign with host Bodie Shargel.
In the final week, Brown's campaign to focus on …

Measure Q asks Santa Cruz County voters whether public agencies and nonprofits including the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County should collect about $7.5 million annually for land management, cleanup and conservation projects. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA …

With mail-in ballots already sent out by the Santa Cruz County Clerk, early voting for the Nov. 5 election has begun. Included in the mail-in voting kits are a sample ballot, an official ballot and a voter guide. There are …

As local voters prepare to fill in their ballots for the Nov. 5 election, they are faced with a large array of candidates and local ballot initiatives that can seem daunting. We attempt to demystify the local ballot. For more …

The No on Z campaign mailed at least nine fliers to Santa Cruz voters as of Oct. 18, sent at least five people door to door and blanketed social media and TV with advertisements. (No on Z campaign)
SANTA CRUZ …

With election day approaching, voters have several state propositions from which to choose. Below is a brief description of each of them. For a deeper dive, visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions.

With the November election just weeks away, residents are facing an onslaught of information regarding candidates and ballot measures. Previously, the Press Banner focused on the two county supervisor candidates for District 5, Christopher Bradford and Monica Martinez. This week …

Encompass CEO Monica Martinez speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony of an Encompass substance abuse and mental health treatment center in Watsonville in June. (Marcello Hutchinson-Trujillo — Santa Cruz Local file)
Clarification: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect …

By Robin Musitelli

Every two years, Santa Cruz County residents are inundated with requests to vote on measures, propositions and local candidate races. Quadrennially, those attempts to garner votes seem to increase in propensity and quantity, with some local intersections plastered with so …

Several candidates tossed their hats in the ring in early 2024 when Zach Friend announced his retirement from the District 2 seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors.