District 2 Santa Cruz County supervisor
The District 2 Santa Cruz County supervisor seat is up for election. District 2 includes Aptos, Freedom, Corralitos and parts of Watsonville and Capitola. Look up which districts you vote in here (desktop only).
Santa Cruz County Supervisor District 2 candidates
District 2 voters will choose between Kristen Brown and Kim De Serpa. In the March 5 primary election Brown and De Serpa were the top two vote-getters of five candidates.
Key differences between Kristen Brown and Kim De Serpa
| Issue | Kristen Brown | Kim De Serpa |
|---|---|---|
| Experience: |
|
|
| Views on passenger rail service on the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line: | Supports passenger rail on the Santa Cruz Branch Line. | Willing to support rail “if feasible” but has concerns about its cost and usefulness. |
| Road repair priorities: | Would prioritize roads in moderate condition, with less money for failed roads. She said South County roads should get equitable funding. | Wants to increase spending to repair and maintain all roads. She declined to state which roads she would prioritize. |
| Would you support a county law that allows rent control? | Yes. | No. |
| View on a potential empty-home tax in unincorporated county areas: | Instead of an empty-home tax, wants to incentivize long-term rentals for empty homes. Would consider an empty-home tax with broad support. | Would consider supporting an empty-home tax, depending on the amount of the tax. |
| Do you support the Nov. 5 ballot measure for a parcel tax for land and water management, cleanup and conservation? | Yes. | Yes. |
What we heard from District 2 voters
Santa Cruz Local spoke with residents in District 2 and collected responses through an online survey to better understand their top priorities for supervisor candidates in the Nov. 5 election. This was not intended to be scientific, but rather a straw poll of issues important to voters.
District 2 residents’ most common concerns included:
- Affordable housing.
- Road conditions.
- Bike safety.
- Traffic relief.
- Public transit.
- Natural disasters.
- Homeless services.
Background on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors includes five members. The board create laws for unincorporated county areas, sets the county budget and oversees many state functions. Supervisors serve four-year terms with an annual salary of $143,328 excluding benefits.
The supervisors oversee:
- County roads.
- County fire protection.
- Public health.
- County law enforcement: Sheriff’s Office, jails, probation.
- District Attorney’s Office, public defender.
- Handles most federal, state money to county.
- Building and environmental services.
- County parks.
- Assistance with food, shelter.
The board typically makes policies for the unincorporated areas of the county. However, they can coordinate with cities for countywide policies such as for homelessness. Roles include:
- Planning for new construction and land use in unincorporated county areas.
- Advocate and plan for parks and recreation facilities.
- Response to emergencies.
- Homeless services.
- Housing policies including vacation rentals, affordable housing.
- Parking permits.
Map of Santa Cruz County Supervisor District 2
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is composed of five supervisors representing five districts. You can find high-resolution maps of each district on the county’s website. You can also look up which district you live in by your address.
Find answers to frequently asked questions about voting in our Election Guide for Santa Cruz County.