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Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Articles



Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Voters convey their needs to Santa Cruz County school board candidates

Teacher pay, mental health, curriculum emerge as top voter concerns

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo LOCAL NEWS
Measure T: Boulder Creek Rec Parcel Tax Measure

Boulder Creek and Brookdale residents served by the Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District will be voting on a parcel tax measure on the November ballot. The synopsis of the measure reads: To improve and build large capital and infrastructure …

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo LOCAL NEWS
November 8 Election: SLV Water District Candidates

California’s General Election is Tuesday, November 8 with mail-in ballots arriving around October 10.  Here are the candidates running for San Lorenzo Valley Water District Board of Directors.   The SLVWD Board of Directors is responsible for setting the district's …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz voters list priorities for candidates

Housing, homelessness are top concerns in straw poll

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Watsonville voters ask for youth and family activities, rent help

Residents express priorities for candidates in the Nov. 8 local election.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley voters share priorities for local election

Safe bike routes, child care options are top themes

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Capitola voters discuss their priorities for Nov. 8 local election

Bike safety, housing are among residents’ needs

Image caption: California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a number of climate-related bills surrounded by state legislators at a press conference at the USDA Forest Service Regional Office on Mare Island in Vallejo on Sept. 16, 2022.
Newsom’s California Economic Forecast: Veto Message Edition

Loyal readers of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s veto messages may have noticed a new theme popping up lately; Newsom, again and again: “With our state facing lower-than-expected revenues over the first few months of this fiscal year, it is important to …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
The Watsonville Roots of San Jose Mayoral Candidate Matt Mahan

The Harvard-educated Silicon Valley influencer comes from a South County working-class household

Image caption: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses the United Nations.
International Day of Democracy

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres defends "the cornerstone of democratic societies—free, independent, and pluralistic media.”

Image caption: Supporters of Donald Trump have been behind a series of disruptions and threats at local government meetings.
New California Law Aims to End Public Meeting Disruptions

A wave of public government meeting disruptions by right-wing groups often inspired by Donald Trump has inspired a new law designed to help officials restore order to the process of running local government.

Image caption: The Sacramento County Registrar of Voters office in Sacramento on June 7, 2022.
CalMatters 2022 General Election Voter Guide

The nonpartisan CalMatters 2022 Voter Guide was crafted by reporters, editors, data journalists, visual journalists and product designers.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Explainer: Santa Cruz’s Empty Home Tax measure

City voters to decide Measure N in Nov. 8 election

Image caption: Rep. Michelle Steel chats with a registered Republican voter through his front gate while canvassing for voters ahead of Tuesday's primary in Buena Park.
Could California Save Dems’ US House Majority?

Democrats are targeting five Republican-held congressional seats in California this year, hoping that gains in the state could save their House majority.

Image caption: Pres. Joe Biden (r) signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes incentives for clean energy.
How the Inflation Reduction Act Will Save You Money

The new Inflation Reduction Act offers substantial cash savings to California homeowners who convert to clean energy by using heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicles.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Voters to decide bonds for Santa Cruz City Schools

Measures L and K include plans for $371 million in building upgrades, workforce housing

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Local Candidates Set for Nov. 8 Election

The candidate nomination period for the upcoming November election closed on Aug. 12, and three people came forward to run for Scotts Valley City Council. Incumbents Derek Timm and Jim Reed are running for reelection while Allan Timms will try …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Five local elected seats to go unopposed

WATSONVILLE—Kristal Salcido says that she had for months planned to spend the final weeks leading up to the Nov. 8 election walking door-to-door throughout Watsonville’s Fourth District to drum up support for her city council run. On Wednesday, Salcido received …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
County Supervisors reject term limits

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected a proposal to set term limits on their positions, saying that the current system of letting voters decide who fills the seats is sufficient. The proposal by 4th …

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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