Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.
RSVP TODAY FOR OUR 61ST ANNUAL MEETING
Keynote Speaker: County CEO Nicole Coburn
When: Sunday, June 28, 2026
Where: Crow’s Nest Restaurant (Harbor Room), 2218 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz
Time: 10:00 AM (check-in begins at 9:40)
Breakfast Cost: $40 per person (optional)
The public is welcome. Join the League as we celebrate 61 years of education and advocacy at our annual meeting in June. RSVP by June 21.
This year we are honored to welcome Nicole Coburn, our County Executive Officer, as our featured speaker. Since her unanimous appointment in October 2025, CEO Coburn has been leading our county with over 20 years of public service experience and a deep community connection. She will share her "view from the top," discussing her current plans, priorities, and the unique challenges of being Santa Cruz County’s CEO.
This event is open to the public. Reservations are required to attend (meal purchase is optional).
Unlawful Seizure of Ballots from the 2025 Special Election by the Riverside County (CA) Sheriff
On March 30, 2026, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a Letter Brief on behalf of Common Cause and the League of Women Voters of California urging the California Supreme Court to take swift and decisive action to address the unlawful seizure of ballots from the 2025 special election by the Riverside County (CA) sheriff. The sheriff’s abuse of law enforcement authority to seize thousands of ballots on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct by a group of election deniers is an escalation of a growing trend by law enforcement to disrupt election administration by taking custody of ballots and other election materials. These actions risk breaking chain of custody over ballots, endangering sensitive voter data, and amplifying baseless election conspiracies, all of which undermine voter confidence and damage our elections.
Reject the SAVE America Act
The SAVE America Act is a voter suppression and voter purge bill. Congress continues to introduce bills that would require voters to present documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) to register and/or vote. It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Requiring documentary proof of American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary and seeks to divide us. It simply creates another barrier to voting.
Celina Stewart, Esq., Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the League of Women Voters, US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), US Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, US Representative Joe Morelle (NY-25), Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, and voting rights advocates held a press conference rejecting the SAVE America Act, an extreme voter suppression bill debated in the Senate. The push to pass the anti-voter legislation follows President Trump’s threat to stop signing legislation until its passage.
For more go to:
Failed Attempts to Gain Voter Data
Federal Court Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Seeking California Voter Data
Jan. 15, 2026 A federal judge dismissed the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against the State of California in United States v. Weber, in which the DOJ sought to compel the state to turn over its full, unredacted statewide voter registration list—including voters’ sensitive personal data—to the federal government. The lawsuit was part of a broader series of actions by the DOJ seeking similar information from jurisdictions across the country.
The dismissal comes after the League of Women Voters of California (“LWVC”), represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, intervened on behalf of voters to defend voter privacy and the integrity of the democratic process. The groups maintained that state law and federal privacy protections prohibit the disclosure of highly sensitive voter information.
Fighting for Mail In Ballots
League of Women Voters, ACLU, Broad Coalition Urge Supreme Court to Reject Novel Reading of “Election Day” Statutes that Would Disenfranchise Mail Voters
Jan 12, 2026 The League of Women Voters, the Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural, the Center for Rural Strategies, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), and Disability Rights Mississippi (DRMS), filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court case Watson v. Republican National Committee. Amici urge the Court not to disrupt the states’ ability to determine mail-ballot receipt rules in their own state and depending on the needs of their voters. The coalition of organizations is represented by the ACLU and the ACLU of Mississippi.