Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Digest

Those watching the race to replace retiring Supervisor Bruce McPherson wondered whether Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart would run. Instead, Hart has endorsed Monica Martinez, giving the nonprofit CEO a leg up over fellow candidates Christopher Bradford and Theresa Bond.

California’s population of homeless veterans has plateaued despite billions of dollars in state spending to create housing for former service members. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to shift resources to focus on veterans with serious mental health conditions.

California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has endorsed Rep. Adam Schiff in a crowded U.S. Senate race. Other candidates include representatives Barbara Lee and Katie Porter.

Gail Pellerin filed election paperwork for most of her adult career as the chief elections officer in Santa Cruz County, but now she’s getting used to the process from the other side of the desk.

One of the few areas the Supreme Court has agreed on in recent years is free speech. Now, the high court will decide if protections extend to a woman who sued after being cited in 2017 for honking 14 times as she drove by a political protest.

California’s Secretary of State has told the Shasta County Board of Supervisors that it cannot hand-count ballots in its Nov. 7 special election. In a letter, Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the county must comply with new legislation that bars the hand-counting of ballots.

Living in a town that straddles Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties can sometimes be a challenge for people living in Aromas.

A nonpartisan coalition of voting rights advocates has asked the California Secretary of State’s office to monitor upcoming elections in Shasta County because of concerns about safety and the spread of misinformation.

China modeled some of its climate programs on policies first adopted by California. Now, California depends on the world’s most populous country for essential materials in its electric vehicle ambitions.

California cities can ban synthetic turf under a law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed. He rejected a bill to ban PFAS in fake lawns.

Gov. Newsom vetoed bills to outlaw caste discrimination and to consider gender affirmation in child custody cases. Advocates wonder if he’s thinking about his national political profile.

The governor signed two other bills that strengthen protections for grocery workers during grocery store mergers and acquisitions.

If California’s new U.S. senator runs in the 2024 election, she would likely have to court labor unions’ support, quickly. But with three other labor-friendly Democrats already winning union backing, time and resources are running out.

The statement will be incorporated into the county’s strategic plan, which was originally adopted in 2018. County staff will present the board with recommended indicators, such as life expectancy and rent burden, that will be used to guide cohesive action.

Student workers at the 23-campus system say their pay is low, their hours are restricted and they get no sick pay. They are hoping to join the employees union to fix that.

Gov. Newsom's pick to replace the late Dianne Feinstein is set to be sworn in Tuesday as California's U.S. senator. She isn't saying whether she will run next year, but if she does, it would change the dynamics of the U.S. Senate race.

Newsom rejected Senate Bill 799, which would have paid striking workers California unemployment benefits after two weeks, and SB 686, which would have extended workplace safety protections to domestic workers, such as housekeepers and nannies.

Incumbent Councilmember Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson is running for the newly established District 3 seat on the Santa Cruz City Council against former Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Joy Schendledecker.

GOP leaders and activists will hear Friday from Donald Trump and other presidential candidates before deciding whether to change the party platform on abortion and same-sex marriage.

Kim De Serpa brings a background in social services and years of experience as a public official to the much-anticipated race. She is currently the social services manager at the Salinas Valley Health Center.

Former Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Joy Schendledecker is running for the newly established District 3 seat in the Santa Cruz City Council against incumbent Councilmember Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson.

Unions won major victories this session on pay for fast food and health care workers, benefits for strikers and bargaining rights. Business groups say that labor has too much power at the Capitol.

About 5,300 companies would file annual emissions reports. The aim is to hold corporations accountable for the role they play in climate change.

A bipartisan bill would create a state ombudsperson to intervene when public records requests are denied. But an advocacy group is concerned that it will encourage state agencies to go to court.

The Legislature is approving lots of significant bills in the final days of the session. But the final call is up to the governor, and he isn’t shy about using his veto pen.

"Shasta County is not our own country," said Tim Garman, a Shasta County supervisor who opposed the hand-counting effort. "We don't get to make all of our own laws.”

In rapid-fire votes in suspense file hearings, lawmakers determined the fate of hundreds of bills on crime, transgender students and more.

A small group of activists want California voters to decide whether transgender minors should be allowed to receive puberty blockers, hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgeries.

Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley is on the mend after a successful surgery to remove a tumor, and will soon return to his mayoral post.

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants counties to spend some revenue from California’s so-called “millionaire’s tax” on the state’s homeless crisis. That alarms advocates for programs that are getting that money today.

As the California Legislature reconvenes for the final five weeks of its session, the leader of the Assembly Public Safety Committee is under the spotlight. But Reggie Jones-Sawyer isn’t backing down.

Recent media attention to the thefts has given Lumen Gallery owner Cierra Ryczek positive opportunities to speak to community members about her intentions in hanging the flag.