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Santa Cruz County Elections & Politics Overview



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Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce promotes the economic vitality of Santa Cruz County. The Chamber connects the community together, linking businesses, workers, residents, organizations, and local governments.

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Capitola Revises Plans to Fill Vacant Council Seat

01/16/2025

In their January 16 meeting, the Capitola City Council announced that an open application process will be used to select a new member to fill a vacant seat. Read on to learn what changed and why.

Reflections of Former Councilmember Sandy Brown

01/13/2025

Former Santa Cruz City Councilmember Sandy Brown looks back on her terms of office with the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Read on to learn her thoughts.

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Image caption: BenitoLink reporter Noe Magaña and marketing director Mo Ismail.
Greetings from San Benito County

In Hollister, a nonprofit newsroom keeps local residents apprised of momentous changes.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
PVUSD Board Will Appoint New Member to Replace De Serpa

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will appoint a new member to replace outgoing Trustee Kim De Serpa, rather than hold a costly special election.

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Newly Elected District 5 Supervisor Martinez Steps Down as CEO of Encompass

With the recent election results now clear, the Encompass Community Services Board of Trustees has announced that its CEO, Monica Martinez, will be transitioning from her role at Encompass as she steps into her new position as Santa Cruz County …

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New Mayor, Council Members Sworn In

The crowd attending Watsonville City Council’s meeting got a surprise Tuesday evening as Speaker of the California Assembly Robert Rivas and his entourage entered the council chambers just in time for him to swear in Kristal Salcido and Maria Orozco …

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With Measure M Passage, PVUSD Planning Projects

Measure M, which will raise millions of dollars for construction, rebuilding and maintenance projects at each of Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s 35 schools has passed, and officials are starting to make plans for the money.

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Dutra Keeps Seat on Watsonville City Council

Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra has fended off a challenge from Trina Coffman-Gomez to hold onto his Sixth District seat, garnering a weighty 54% of the 2,321 votes in the race, results released Friday showed.

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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 …

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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