In Watsonville, there will be four seats up for grabs in the November election — including a seat that will determine next year’s mayor. Here’s a roundup of who’s running, which includes some familiar faces.
Watsonville City Council
Posted inPolitics & Policy
¿Quiénes se postulan para el Concejo Municipal de Watsonville? Cuatro contiendas distritales comienzan a tomar forma
En Watsonville habrá cuatro puestos del Concejo Municipal en juego en las elecciones de noviembre, incluido uno que determinará quién será el alcalde el próximo año. Aquí presentamos un resumen de los candidatos, entre los que figuran algunos rostros conocidos.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville approves ‘no encampment zones’ along sloughs, levee and downtown plaza
Watsonville City Council will decide whether to make changes to its camping ordinance, establishing “no encampment zones” in areas such the Struve Slough, the Pajaro River levee and other public spaces around the city.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Change afoot in South County politics? Keep an eye on the upcoming county supervisor race
Longtime political observers see a shift in Watsonville’s political landscape as the 2026 election cycle gets underway. Lookout spoke with current and former elected officials and community leaders about where South County politics is heading.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council pushes discussion of extending term limits to March
The Watsonville City Council on Tuesday pushed back a discussion on extending term limits for elected officials. The proposal would allow city councilmembers to serve more than the current limit of two terms.
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Watsonville City Council to consider proposal to extend term limits
Watsonville City Councilmember Eduardo Montesino plans to propose extending current term limits for city councilmembers, who currently are termed out after two consecutive four-year stints.
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Watsonville becomes first city in Santa Cruz County to restrict feds from using its facilities for immigration enforcement activities
Watsonville is the first city in Santa Cruz County to prohibit the use of city-owned facilities for federal immigration enforcement. It follows in the footsteps of cities such as San Jose and Santa Clara, which have adopted similar policies.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Watsonville City Council to hear initial plans for making Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians, cyclists
The Watsonville City Council will receive a report on conceptual plans to make Freedom Boulevard safer for pedestrians and cyclists at its Tuesday meeting.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Watsonville City Council moves forward with changes to its oversized vehicle ordinance
The Watsonville City Council has approved changes to a local law that could ban RVs and semitrucks from parking along public streets citywide. The ordinance is slated for a second hearing Feb. 10 before being formally adopted.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In reversal, Watsonville reinstates labor pact with unions, adds exemptions for some projects
The Watsonville City Council reversed its earlier decision to scrap the city’s project labor agreement with trade unions, adding changes that would allow certain projects to be exempt from having to use unionized workers.
