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Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Articles



Image caption: Lobbyists have been big spenders in 2023, with oil companies alone spreading around more than $15 million.
Led by Oil Companies, Lobbyists Flood State Govt With Cash

By the end of September 2023, more than $358 million had been spent this year on lobbying California’s Legislature, agencies, and Public Utilities Commission.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Ballots due Nov. 7 for Scotts Valley bond measure

Santa Cruz Local newsletter briefs for the week of Nov. 5:

Image caption: House Reps (L-R) Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), Katie Porter (D-Irvine) and Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) lead the race for California's open U.S. Senate seat.
Where California Senate Candidates Get Their Campaign Cash

It’s the highest-profile race next year in California. This is where the leading candidates—Democrats Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff—are raising the most money.

Image caption: Gov. Newsom has signed a bill moving the state toward a single-payer health care system. Not all single-payer backers are happy.
California Takes One Small Step Toward Single-Payer Healthcare

California took the first step toward a single-payer health care system when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 770 this month, but the move is not enough for many backers of universal health coverage.

Image caption:
What Reparations Could Look Like in California

KQED has spent more than three years reporting on how reparations could work in California. This series looks at the nuanced work that could be needed.

Image caption: Though Donald Trump claims, with no evidence, that COVID-era voting practices are fraudulent, California Republicans need every ballot they can get.
Trump Aside, California GOP Now Embraces ‘Ballot Harvesting’

Former President Trump claims mail balloting is rife with fraud. But to win more elections, the state GOP is expanding its efforts to collect mail ballots to boost turnout.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Meet The Candidates Vying To Represent Mid-County

Incumbent Manu Koenig and newcomer Lani Faulkner face-off

San Lorenzo Valley Post logo LOCAL NEWS
SLV Water: Rate Increases on the Horizon

By Bob Fultz The San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) has started the process to raise rates, ultimately leading to a community vote. I’m a member of the SLVWD Board of Directors but speaking only for myself. Our community has …

Image caption: Gov. Newsom calls bringing down price of insulin “a priority,” then vetoes a bill to do just that.
Why Did Gov. Newsom Veto Bill to Cap Copay on Insulin?

Gov. Gavin Newsom has made lowering the cost of prescription drugs a signature health care issue, but he rejected a bill to cap what diabetics pay for insulin. His reasoning: California is working on a different solution.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
PVUSD: Strong Support For Possible Bond

Voters likely to support bond measure for Pajaro Unified School District projects

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Local Women Speak On Challenges In Political World

Systemic and community biases hinder women of color vying for office

Image caption: Demonstrators in Sacramento went on a hunger strike to persuade Gov. Newsom to okay a bill banning caste discrimination.
Newsom Vetoes 'Unnecessary' Caste Discrimination Bill

Gov. Newsom vetoes what would have been a first-in-the-nation law banning caste discrimination in education, housing and the workplace. The bill divided South Asian communities in California.

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Democratic Women’s Club Celebrates Seven Decades

In this interview, co-president Peggy Flynn and board member Angela Chesnut of the Democratic Women's Club of Santa Cruz County talk about the evolution of the club and what it stands for, as well as future events and challenges.

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors adopts new AI policy

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has unanimously adopted an adaptive Artificial Intelligence Appropriate Use policy, becoming among the first local governments in the United States to encourage the use of artificial intelligence among staff while creating a framework to …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
County Supervisors Approve Equity Statement

The statement was widely well-received, but a few spoke against it

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
The Candidates Running For District 3

Opponents Kalantari-Johnson and Schendledecker have different ideas for the lower westside neighborhood

Image caption: Gov. Gavin Newsom names Laphonza Butler, longtime political strategist, to replace the late Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate.
Newsom Names Laphonza Butler to Replace Dianne Feinstein in Senate

The governor says he's not stopping the president of EMILY's List and former University of California regent from running for a full term in the 2024 election. He rebuffed pressure to appoint Rep. Barbara Lee.

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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