Christopher Neely

A rundown of what we know so far about how races across the county are shaping up. Tens of thousands of ballots remain to be counted, but drama has begun for incumbent city council members in Watsonville and Capitola, while Santa Cruz's soda tax holds narrow support and the race for District 2 county supervisor remains a toss-up.

In the heart of liberal Santa Cruz County, an unlikely gathering of Donald Trump supporters came together on Election Night. After Trump's second ascendancy to the White House, local conservatives and Trump supporters say they don't want to hide anymore. Meanwhile, residents in the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities gird for the second term of a president who has targeted them constantly.

Santa Cruz's plans to enforce strict parking restrictions to facilitate street sweeping face scrutiny from the California Coastal Commission on Thursday amid claims it unfairly affects those living in their vehicles. Proponents argue it's a crucial environmental measure; critics warn it enacts “hostile architecture” against the unhoused.

California State Sen. John Laird, reelected to a second term, faces a complex landscape as former President Donald Trump returns to office. Drawing on his past experiences resisting first-Trump-term environmental policies, Laird anticipates new challenges for California, from federal tensions over climate initiatives to potential impacts on immigration and education policy.

A new street sweeping pilot program that threatens to tow cars violating its parking restrictions can move forward following a unanimous vote from the California Coastal Commission.

In Santa Cruz County, most election results are in, but two critical races—Measure Z's soda tax and the District 2 supervisor seat—remain unresolved. Thousands of same-day registration ballots hold the key, but resource constraints and certification priorities have slowed their processing at the county clerk's office.

Inside Santa Cruz County politics & policy via Lookout correspondent Christopher Neely.

At 831 Water Street, a revamped proposal for 140 income-restricted units has reignited a debate over local control that has become all too familiar in the city of Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz County supervisors were divided amid public criticism on Tuesday over the selection process behind an allocation of $4.3 million in tax revenue to support local nonprofits. The county received more than 100 proposals totaling $15 million and turned to a 60-member anonymous panel to judge the proposals. Critics called for a more transparent process.

Santa Cruz civic leaders unveiled an ambitious dual-tax proposal to fund affordable housing, blending a $99 annual parcel tax with a progressive real estate transfer tax. Aiming for the November 2025 ballot, the plan hopes to generate $5 million annually for the city.