Tag archives: voting
Money in politics has been something we have seen for too long, and the results have been devastating. The 1st District Supervisor race pits incumbent Das Williams against challenger Roy Lee. Williams, with substantial campaign funds, has continued to accept financial contributions from the cannabis industry, despite the ethical concerns highlighted by the 2020 Santa […]
Political pundits still predict a polarizing presidential prizefight in 2024 between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. It seems inconceivable that voters of either party want a rematch between two tired octogenarians. Trump would be 79, Biden 82. John F. Kennedy was 43 when elected to the Oval Office. How does one choose between the divisiveness […]
The 2010 midterm election for President Obama brought a devastating change in Congress. But, what did it mean? I happened to be listening to San Francisco talk radio KGO for several hours just before that election. The host asked people to call in, offering this framing of the issue: President Bush made a mess of […]
There were many big winners in Tuesday’s election, most importantly: democracy and grace. It made my heart sing to watch defeated candidates, red and blue, gracefully acknowledge that things had not gone their way, this time. Who knew that we still had the human capacityfor humility? Beyond that biggest of wins… a few local highlights: […]
Here at the Montecito Journal, we have long believed in offering a variety of views, letting each side have its space to speak. In light of the upcoming election, two of our longtime contributors have written in on what they think you should consider when heading to the ballot box this November 8. With Rinaldo […]
As we head into the close of the 2022 California Legislative session, bills are passing that could help our community, and some that could hurt it. Here’s a round-up of the bills we’re watching: Conversion of commercial zones to housing. Senate Bill 6; Caballero. This bill allows a housing development project on a parcel that […]
Editor’s Note: In this industry, you’re only as good as your last mistake. And we made one. A big one – in the Voter’s Guide in the previous issue (MJ Issue 19, May 12-19). Somewhere between juggling incoming stories and caffeine stares our collective eyes missed two candidates in the United States Representative, District 24, […]
Misplace your sample ballot? We have you covered. Here are the candidate statements for the upcoming election: United States Representative, District 24 Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer […]
These K-Rails on the 101 are extreme causes of fear. Who pays for the cleanup after accidents, including the semi on fire in Summerland backing up traffic for hours? Does the City have recourse for cleaning up after the fire and accidents? This superhighway they are building will have big effects on the community. I […]
The showdown for Santa Barbara City Council’s District 4 seat has been an unexpected, no-holds-barred battle between challenger Barrett Reed and incumbent Kristen Sneddon, who, in the face of Reed’s intense criticism, has chosen to focus on her own strong record as a councilmember, and turning up the heat on her current councilmates. Sneddon, a […]
The right to vote is one of our most foundational rights as Americans – we have the right to be equally and fairly represented. Our county is redistricting, which means that we are assessing current Supervisorial district boundaries and redrawing all five districts based on the federal 2020 Census to account for changes in the […]
It’s become a useful axiom in national politics to ask voters: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Applied to the City of Santa Barbara, I don’t know anyone who would answer that question in the affirmative. I don’t even believe the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party (known to insiders as the […]
While the other city of Santa Barbara races feature a plethora of candidates, the battle for District 4 is a two-person showdown, with incumbent Kristen Sneddon taking on Barrett Reed. Sneddon, a professor at Santa Barbara City College, has been on council as the pandemic forced both State Street and Coast Village Road into plenty […]
With Coast Village Road’s well-being at the heart of the race for the District 4 seat on the Santa Barbara City Council, the two candidates have shown polar opposite tactics in portraying their vision for the corridor. Challenger Barrett Reed has been outspoken about the leadership style stemming from City Council, including that of his […]
As October approaches, you will start receiving mail-in ballots for Santa Barbara’s mayoral race, and if you live in Districts 4, 5, or 6, you will also receive a ballot for those City Council races. While the rest of this section previews the candidates, the logistics of voting is just as important so you can […]
Elections matter. The Supreme Court matters. There is no more heartbreaking evidence of these truths than Texas, where, this week, abortion is effectively banned for the first time since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. The Texas legislature’s SB-8 went into effect in the state at midnight on September 1, after the Fifth Circuit […]
“The best part of competition is that through it we discover what we are capable of — and how much more we can actually do than we ever believed possible.” — Anonymous When it comes to Downtown Santa Barbara, these words ring truer now than ever before. The pandemic has brought massive change to the […]
Four races. Thirteen candidates. We’ll go ahead and shave that to 12, as Eric Friedman is running for Santa Barbara City Council’s District 5 spot unopposed. But that leaves District 4 (Coast Village Road), District 6 (Santa Barbara’s downtown), and mayor (the whole enchilada). These are critical races, responsible for major tourism corridors and the […]
The “Sedition Caucus” is defined as those members of the House of Representatives who, after the January 6 insurrection was brought to a halt, voted to stop counting Electoral College votes in the hopes of overturning the 2020 presidential election. Counting these Electoral Ballots is the final legal act prior to initiating the “Peaceful Transfer […]
I am troubled by the apparent conflicts-of-interest by attorney Marc Chytilo involving his lobbying for a major cannabis grower and Foothills Forever. The latter is a large community philanthropic effort involving the pro bono efforts of many attorneys, but one that Mr. Chytilo seeks primary credit. Last Wednesday, many in the First District were left […]
