Staff Report
Local primary elections are coming earlier than normal this year, coinciding with the California presidential primary on Tuesday, March 3.
Mail-in ballots will be mailed beginning Monday, Feb. 3, and the close of voter registration will be Monday, Feb. 17, according to the Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters.
Four people are seeking the 3rd District county supervisor seat, which represents the Santa Ynez Valley. Incumbent Joan Hartmann will contend against former challengers Bruce Porter, a financial advisor and former Santa Ynez Valley Union High School board member; and Karen Jones, a member of the Santa Ynez Community Services District board. New to the field is Jessica Parfrey, a Goleta resident who works at Eco Vista.
The 3rd District includes UCSB, Isla Vista, western Goleta, Gaviota, the Santa Ynez Valley, Mission Hills, Vandenberg Village, Casmalia, Tanglewood and Guadalupe.
Some of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court judges also are up for re-election, but are all unopposed. They are John McGregor and Jed Beebe in Santa Maria and Thomas Adams Jr., Brian Hill and Von Deroian in Santa Barbara.
The seat for 4th District Supervisor will also be on the ballot, with incumbent Peter Adam not seeking re-election. His chief of staff, Bob Nelson, said he will seek the position,. He is running against Diana Perez, a member of the Santa Maria Join Union High School District Board.
First District Supervisor will be a race between incumbent Das Williams and Laura Capps, a member of the Santa Barbara Unified School District board.
For more information, visit www.sbcvote.com and click on Elections.
FYI
The Santa Ynez Valley Star will be co-hosting a forum with the Santa Barbara Independent for 3rd District county supervisor candidates at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, at Hotel Corque in Solvang.
For more information, watch our website at www.santaynezvalleystar.com or read our January 21 issue.
