Interested in running for a local office?
POSITIONS AVAILABLE for the November 3, 2026 Statewide Election
More than 100 elected positions to represent Santa Cruz residents are up for grabs in the Nov. 3 general election.
Candidate Filing begins July 13 and ends August 7.
Click Here for filing information
What’s on the ballot
The November ballot will vary significantly across the county, in keeping with the overlapping patchworks of school districts, cities and special districts. To see which races you’ll vote in, or where you may be eligible to run, look up the address of your voter registration on the county’s interactive map, then check the tabs on the bottom for which jurisdictions it falls in.
- The positions have four-year terms. Some seats up for election would serve a partial term if a prior representative left prematurely.
- Most positions do not have term limits.
- Candidates must be registered to vote in California, and most must live in the area they will represent. Some positions have other requirements.
Open city council seats
What they are: Bodies that govern cities, including local taxes, spending and staffing. Watsonville, Scotts Valley and Capitola city councils include an appointed mayor position that rotates between council members.
Why they matter: City councils must take on some of Santa Cruz County’s largest challenges, including housing, homelessness, transportation and adaptation to climate change. City leaders must also have to contend with federal funding changes as they trickle down to state and local governments.
| Capitola | Three at-large council members. | Joe Clarke, Susan Westman, Margaux Morgan. |
|---|---|---|
| Scotts Valley | Two at-large council members. | Derek Timm, Greg Wimp. |
| Watsonville | District 3 | Maria Orozco. |
| Watsonville | District 4 | Kristal Salcido. |
| Watsonville | District 5 | Casey Clark. |
| Watsonville | District 7 | Ari Parker (termed out). |
Open school board and other public education seats
What they are: Board members govern the finances, staffing and policies of the district. They have the power to approve the budget, hire or fire the superintendent, place new tax proposals on the ballot and set curriculum. Community college trustees govern similarly to school boards, while county boards of education oversee the county office of education.
Why they matter: Most Santa Cruz County school districts are facing declining enrollments alongside student mental health concerns, test score declines, trouble retaining teachers, and aging facilities. Many are facing — or will soon face — conversations about school closures and layoffs.
| Pajaro Valley Unified School District | Trustee Areas 1, 4, 5 and 7. |
|---|---|
| San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District | Trustee Areas 1, 2, and 4. |
| Santa Cruz City School District | Full terms for Trustee Areas 1, 2, 4, 5. Short term for Trustee Area 6. |
| Live Oak School District | Three at-large board members. |
| Cabrillo Community College District | Trustee Areas 1, 2, 5 (short term), and 6. |
² Includes San Benito and Monterey counties.
³ Includes Santa Clara County.
Open fire district seats
What they are: While some cities have their own fire departments, fire districts are governed independently of counties and cities. They are in charge of finances, staffing and policy for local emergency response.
Why they matter: Fire districts across Santa Cruz County have faced budget shortfalls and aging facilities. At the same time, fire risk due to climate change continues to climb, and an aging population may need more robust medical emergency response.
| Aromas Tri-County Fire⁵ | Three at-large directors. |
|---|---|
| Ben Lomond Fire | Three full-term and two short-term directors, all at large. |
| Boulder Creek Fire | Two at-large directors. |
| Central Fire | Divisions 4 and 5. |
| Felton Fire | Two full-term directors and one short-term director, all at large. |
| Pajaro Valley Fire | Two at-large directors. |
| Scotts Valley Fire | Two at-large directors. |
| Zayante Fire | Three full-term directors and one short-term director, all at large. |
Open water district seats
What they are: Special districts independent of cities and counties, water districts manage the extraction, storage, treatment and distribution of drinking water.
Why they matter: Santa Cruz County water districts are tasked with maintaining clean and reliable water service in the face of recurring droughts and natural disasters. Some are making systems that are less likely to fail during fires, while others are trying to restore depleted groundwater reserves. Water districts can also impose rate increases, and often manage parts of public land.
| Central Water | Three full-term directors and one short-term director, all at large. |
|---|---|
| Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency | Divisions A and C. |
| San Lorenzo Valley Water | Three at-large directors. |
| Scotts Valley Water | Three at-large directors. |
| Soquel Creek Water | Three at-large directors. |
Other open seats
| Pajaro Valley Health Care District⁶ | Zones 1 and 3, plus one short-term at-large seat. | Registered voter of the district living in the zone. | Oversees finances and operations of Watsonville Community Hospital. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder Creek Recreation & Park District | Two at-large directors. | Registered voter living in the district, or registered voter in California who owns property in the district. | Manages parks and two community centers, plus classes and youth programs. |
| La Selva Beach Recreation District | Two at-large directors. | Registered voter living in the district, or registered voter in California who owns property in the district. | Manages a clubhouse, multiple parks, and other open space. |
| Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District | Wards 1, 2, 5 and 6⁷. | Registered voter of the district living in the zone. | Purchases and mantains natural open space. |
| Pajaro Dunes Geologic Hazard Abatement | Three at-large directors. | Registered voter and property owner in the district. | Maintains a seawall and river wall for flood and erosion protection. |
For questions, contact:
- Scotts Valley City Clerk Cathie Simonovich at csimonovich@scottsvalley.gov or (831) 440-5600.
- Capitola City Clerk Julia Gautho at jgautho@ci.capitola.ca.us or (831) 475-7300 ext. 228
- Watsonville City Clerk Irwin I. Ortiz at irwin.ortiz@watsonville.gov or (831)768-3040.
- Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber at tricia.webber@
santacruzcountyca.gov or (831) 454-2060. - Candidate Services Manager Stanley Avila at stanley.avila@
santacruzcountyca.gov or (831) 454-2423.
Trainings!
CAGOP is offering FREE training through their Trailblazers program for any registered Republican looking for information or training opportunities for poll workers and election volunteers. Click to see their dates. ELECTION-INTEGRITY
The only way we will get stronger in our area is to get conservatives elected to local positions. This is a great time to get even the most liberal folks thinking they need to vote differently if they want anything to improve. We are done with the failed policies of the left – they’ve been in charge for too long and it’s time to get them out!
Please contact our committee for any questions or more information. We are happy to buy you a coffee and chat about local opportunities! info@santacruzrepublicans.com
Issues you care about?
You need to let your elected officials know how you feel! They legally must read and respond to every communication. The other side is relentless in expressing their voices and we need to speak up. There are some bad, destructive bills that are very anti-freedom out there and we need to let these folks know we won’t stand for it.
Congressman Jimmy Panetta: https://panetta.house.gov/
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren: https://lofgren.house.gov/
Senator Alex Padilla: https://www.padilla.senate.gov/
State Senator John Laird: https://sd17.senate.ca.gov/
Assemblyman District 28 Gail Pellerin: https://a28.asmdc.org/
Assemblyman District 29 Robert Rivas: https://a29.asmdc.org/
Assemblyman District 30 Dawn Addis: https://a30.asmdc.org/
