There is an important message:

This Holiday Season, Donate to Santa Cruz Gives.

Elections & Politics Image

Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Overview



California Local Pin Marker Get To Know A Group

SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals who fight against white supremacy and racial discrimination. The organization connects people through community outreach, with multiple chapters active across California and the United States.

California Local Pin Marker Local Elections & Politics Digest

Supervisor-elect Monica Martinez Resigning as Encompass CEO

11/20/2024

Anticipating certification of her election to the 5th District seat on the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors, Monica Martinez is resigning as CEO of local nonprofit Encompass Community Services. Read on to learn what's ahead for her and Encompass.

California’s Slow Vote Count Sows Doubt. Here’s How One Group Is Trying to Fix That

11/19/2024

The California Voter Foundation launched a tool tracking daily vote counts in 18 close contests for Congress and the state Legislature. The tracker aims to show how counts change over time and dispel misinformation about election fraud, the group says.

California Local Pin Marker Recent Articles

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
3 Takeaways From Santa Cruz County Election Results

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 …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
De Serpa Clinches Second District Supervisor Seat

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.

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
New Scotts Valley Council Members Look Forward to Making Their Mark

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.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Monica Martinez to Be First LGBTQ County Supervisor

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.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board’s Big Shift

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 Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz Local’s Election Guide Covers Local Races and Ballot Measures

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 …

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Everything You Need to Know About Running a Local Election – Talk of the Bay

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 …

Press Banner logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley Candidates Make Final Pitches to Voters

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 …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Scotts Valley Contender Steve Clark Has Battled Activists for Decades

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 …

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Interview: Kristen Brown, Candidate for District 2 Santa Cruz County Supervisor – Talk of the Bay

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 …

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.
Select Facebook Feed From Menu

Join Us Today!