On Nov. 5, in addition to electing a new president and vice president, voters in California will choose a new senator and elect members to the U.S. House of Representatives.
And they’ll also be making many local decisions. In addition to selecting school board members, city councilors, county supervisors and members of the state assembly and senate, voters will decide on 10 statewide propositions and myriad local measures.
KAZU’s California Newsroom partner CalMatters says “California could again help decide which party controls the U.S. House.”
CalMatters’ complete voter guide includes details about all the statewide propositions, competitive races throughout the state, and fundraising.
Here in the Monterey Bay region, KAZU will continue to provide election-related news as the date approaches.
Already, counties have begun sending out ballots to all registered voters and early voting is underway.
KAZU reporters are working on feature stories about local ballot measures and why many races are uncontested—including some school board seats that may not appear on your ballot at all.
For starters, opponents of a soda tax in Santa Cruz have raised vastly more money than supporters. KAZU's Scott Cohn explores why.
In Monterey County, half of the ballot measures are school district bonds. Doug McKnight explains why state-funded schools have to raise money through local property taxes.
Salinas voters will be choosing a new mayor after the incumbent chose not to run for re-election. Sara Rubin of the Monterey County Weekly tells us about the three candidates running to replace Mayor Kimbley Craig.
One of the most contentious local election races is for District 2 Supervisor in Santa Cruz County. Scott Cohn spoke with Santa Cruz Local reporter Jesse Kathan about the candidates' distinct stances on issues like housing and the rail trail.
But not every race is competitive. Out of 26 school board races in San Benito County, only one is on the ballot. That's because the rest are uncontested. Elena Neale-Sacks breaks down the possible reasons for this and the implications for local democracy.
Pacific Grove residents will vote again on whether to reduce the size of the city council. As Jasmine Mirbaha reports, residents first considered the change two years ago, and rejected it by just 13 votes.
In Santa Cruz County, a coalition of non-profit groups got a parcel tax on the ballot to raise money for wildfire resilience, cleaner beaches and water, and other open space projects. Erin Malsbury reports on the support for Measure Q and why some fire chiefs have concerns.
NPR, the California Newsroom and KAZU will bring you live special coverage on Election Night, beginning at 4 p.m. Pacific time, on the radio, on our app and via our live stream.
In the meantime, here’s how to reach local elections offices with any questions, and to see what's on your ballot:
Monterey County Elections Department
831-796-1499, elections@countyofmonterey.gov
San Benito County Registrar of Voters
831-636-4016, sbcvote@cosb.us
Santa Cruz County Elections Department
831-454-2060, info@votescount.santacruzcountyca.gov
CalMatters has also produced this series of videos explaining the statewide propositions, in English and in Spanish. Two examples are below.
This page will be updated as more KAZU election content becomes available.
