Politics

Voting has begun in the Nov. 8 general election, as voters throughout California will receive ballots in the coming days—and can drop them off, completed and signed, at authorized locations now through Election Day. Elections officials in Santa Clara County began sending ballots in the...

The Morgan Hill Unified School District is moving ahead with plans to place a bond measure and parcel tax before voters in November 2026, hiring consultants and laying groundwork for what officials say would be a badly needed infusion of cash for aging facilities...

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s draft 10-year outlook for Measure B has received sharp criticism from South County officials, who say the agency is going against the voters by allocating most of the funds away from street repair.

Michael Doty is the new Santa Clara County Undersheriff, following the retirement in late December of former Undersheriff Dalia Rodriguez.  Doty’s return to the local sheriff’s office follows a “distinguished career and a brief retirement,” says a press release from Sheriff Robert Jonsen’s office.  “Doty's decision...

Lorraine Barke, former mayor and longtime community leader in Morgan Hill, died March 5. She was 87. Born in Illinois to Alexander and Emily Furtek, Barke spent most of her adult life in Morgan Hill with her husband Bernard, where they would grow into outsized...

If you have ever considered running for local office in Santa Clara County, now is your chance.Monday, Feb. 12 kicked off the nomination period for the June 5, 2018 Statewide Primary Election. The nomination period ends Friday, March 9, but can be extended to Wednesday, March 14 for contests where the eligible incumbent doesn’t file.And while local Morgan Hill offices won’t appear on the ballot until November, City Council incumbent Rich Constantine has signaled he might run for mayor, and former two-term Councilwoman Marilyn Librers has tossed her hat back into the ring.Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Shannon Bushey urged candidates running for office in June to call the Candidate Services Division at (408) 299-8639 or come to the office in order to review forms and requirements for successful filing.“There is no leeway in the filing deadline,” Bushey said. “It is always best to file nomination papers as early as possible so that any incorrect forms may be corrected before the filing deadline, which in most cases cannot be extended.”District 1 Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who represents Morgan Hill, said he intends to run for reelection.“It’s been my privilege to represent South County on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors,” Wasserman said. “I am seeking reelection in June 2018 and have been honored to receive a strong outpouring of support from local leaders in education, public safety, business, agriculture, and community members who share my passion for improving our county.”The following federal, state, and county offices are up for election in June:GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateControllerTreasurerAttorney GeneralInsurance CommissionerSuperintendent of Public InstructionState Board of Equalization, District 2U.S. SenatorU.S. Representative District 17 (incumbent Ro Khanna)U.S. Representative District 18 (incumbent Anna Eshoo)U.S. Representative District 19 (incumbent Zoe Lofgren)U.S. Representative District 20 (incumbent Jimmy Panetta)State Senator District 10 (incumbent Bob Wieckowski)State Assembly District 24 (incumbent Marc Berman)State Assembly District 25 (incumbent Kansen Chu)State Assembly District 27 (incumbent Ash Kalra)State Assembly District 28 (incumbent Evan Low)State Assembly District 29 (incumbent Mark Stone)State Assembly District 30 (incumbent Anna Caballero)Santa Clara County Supervisor District 1 (incumbent Mike Wasserman)Santa Clara County Supervisor District 4 (incumbent Ken Yeager)Assessor (incumbent Larry Stone)District Attorney (incumbent Jeffrey F. Rosen)Sheriff (incumbent Laurie Smith)Judge of the Superior Court, 24 officesThe City of Morgan Hill will not participate in the June primary, and instead will hold elections for local offices in November. The nomination period for the Nov. 6 election opens July 16 and closes Aug. 10.This will be the city’s first council election in the district format. Candidates will need to reside in the districts they are seeking office in. The mayor’s seat will still be elected at large.Three seats will appear on the November ballot, including Mayor Steve Tate, District B Constantine and District D Councilwoman Caitlin Robinett Jachimowicz.Jachimowicz is currently nine months pregnant and said she hasn’t decided if she’ll run to retain her seat later this year. She was appointed to her council seat in January 2017 to complete the unexpired term of former Councilmember Gordon Siebert.“I want to make sure the baby is healthy,” Jachimowicz said by phone Tuesday. “After that, I’ll be able to make some more decisions.”According to City Clerk Irma Torrez, Constantine has already filed a Form 501, candidate intention statement, to run for mayor in 2018.Constantine said that he opened a committee to explore the possibility of a mayoral run, but paperwork for a possible campaign wouldn’t be filed until June.“I think I have a lot to offer Morgan Hill in the higher capacity than just as a city councilmember,” Constantine said by phone Tuesday.Former Councilwoman Marilyn Librers also filed a Form 501 to seek an open council seat in the November 2018 election. Librers served two terms on the council from 2008 to 2016, but was defeated in the November 2016 election.Additionally, the Morgan Hill Unified School District will hold their election in November. Four trustees are up for reelection, including Donna Ruebusch, Ron Woolf, Gino Borgioli and David Gerard. Also, Claudia Rossi’s seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Trustees is also up for election in November.Candidates are encouraged to make an appointment and begin the nomination filing process as early as possible to ensure all paperwork is completed and submitted on time.For more information, contact the Registrar of Voters’ Office at (408) 299-VOTE or toll-free at (866) 430-VOTE, or visit sccvote.org.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed a new state law that could lead to more farmworker housing development in Santa Clara County.  Assembly Bill 3035 was authored by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin and was inspired by Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas’ Agricultural Worker Housing Initiative, says...

County election officials certified the results from the Nov. 6 election one month to the day, according to a Dec. 6 announcement from the Registrar of Voters. The final local turnout for the general election totaled 625,425 ballots cast, representing 70.61 percent of registered Santa...

At the time of writing, we are just days away from another presidential election here in the U.S.  Depending on your viewpoint, you may be excited, disappointed or frustrated at the results of the election.  Yet no matter who has won, the response of Christians...

Tenants in California will have twice as much time to respond to eviction notices and potentially avoid losing their homes under a bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 24. The new law comes amid a statewide housing crisis, and after a...