Ben Lomond, California Public Records

Law enforcement in Ben Lomond falls under the jurisdiction of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. This agency is responsible for patrolling the unincorporated areas of the county, including responding to calls, investigating crimes, and maintaining arrest records. Residents can contact the Sheriff's Office for non-emergency inquiries or access the online crime mapping tool to stay informed about local law enforcement activities.

Ben Lomond voters are served by the Santa Cruz County Elections Department, located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 210, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, phone (831) 454-2060, website www.votescount.us. This office administers all federal, state, county, and local district elections for Ben Lomond residents, including voter registration, ballot distribution, polling place operations, vote counting, and election results certification. California residents can register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov up to 15 days before any election, though California also offers conditional voter registration at vote centers and county elections offices through Election Day. To register, applicants must be U.S. citizens, California residents, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and not currently serving a state prison term for a felony conviction. No photo ID is required to register or vote in California in most circumstances. As an unincorporated community, Ben Lomond does not hold municipal elections for mayor or city council because it has no city government. Ben Lomond residents vote in Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors elections (Ben Lomond is in District 5), California State Assembly and State Senate races, Congressional elections, statewide ballot measures and initiatives, and special district elections for entities like the San Lorenzo Valley Water District and local school districts. The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors holds elections on a rotating schedule, with each of the five districts electing a supervisor to a four-year term. Ben Lomond residents can find their assigned polling place by visiting the county elections website at www.votescount.us and using the polling place lookup tool, or by checking the sample ballot mailed to every registered voter before each election. Santa Cruz County has transitioned to a Vote Center model under the California Voter's Choice Act, allowing voters to cast ballots at any vote center in the county during a multi-day voting period, not just on Election Day. In the November 2024 presidential election, Santa Cruz County recorded voter turnout of approximately 73-75%, with strong participation reflecting the county's politically engaged electorate. Santa Cruz County historically votes Democratic by large margins. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Ben Lomond and Santa Cruz County voters will decide several significant races. California will hold elections for all 52 U.S. House seats, including the district that encompasses Ben Lomond. California will also elect all 80 State Assembly members and 20 of 40 State Senate seats (even-numbered districts). No U.S. Senate seat is up in California in 2026, as both Senator Alex Padilla and Senator-elect Adam Schiff were elected/reelected in 2024 to terms extending beyond 2026. Gavin Newsom's gubernatorial term runs through January 2027, so the Governor's race will be in 2026, with the primary in June 2026 and general election in November 2026. Santa Cruz County offices on the 2026 ballot may include Sheriff-Coroner, District Attorney, Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Clerk-Recorder, and Treasurer-Tax Collector, depending on term schedules, as well as Superior Court judges in contested seats. Local measures for school bonds, parcel taxes, and special district matters commonly appear on Santa Cruz County ballots. California is a universal vote-by-mail state: every registered voter automatically receives a mail ballot before each election, which can be returned by mail (postage-free), deposited in secure drop boxes located throughout the county, or brought to any vote center. Voters can also cast ballots in person at vote centers beginning several days before Election Day. Under the California Public Records Act, certain election records are publicly accessible, including voter registration lists (available with restrictions under California Elections Code Section 2194), campaign finance reports filed with the Santa Cruz County Elections Department and the California Fair Political Practices Commission (available at www.fppc.ca.gov), candidate statements and filings, precinct-level election results, and statements of vote. Voter registration data for commercial purposes is restricted. Santa Cruz County provides detailed election results by precinct on the Elections Department website after each election is certified.