Quick Take

Measure C has solidified its lead in Santa Cruz’s competing affordable housing ballot measures, earning 54% of the city’s vote compared to just 12% for Measure B. The measure, expected to raise $4.5 million annually through new property taxes, continues to gain ground as officials tally the remaining 8% of county ballots.

Measure C, the declared winner in the city of Santa Cruz’s dueling affordable housing measure battle, continued to widen its victory after Friday evening’s results. 

With 54% of the vote in the city, Measure C garnered more support  than the competing Measure B, which was approved by just  12% of voters. 

Measure C, sponsored by housing advocates and city officials, proposes a parcel tax and graduated transfer tax on home sales that is estimated to raise about $4.5 million a year. Meanwhile, Measure B, supported by the real estate industry, asked voters to approve a similar tax structure that would have raised much less, at about $1.1 million annually. 

Voters in Santa Cruz County continued to strongly support Proposition 50, with yes votes totalling 77.5% of the local ballots counted by 4 p.m. Friday. The measure easily passed statewide, with nearly 64% of the vote.

Measures B & C in charts

Both measures required 50% plus 1 of the vote to pass.

Prop 50 in charts

The proposition needs 50% plus 1 of the vote to pass.

There are still 8,640 ballots left to tally countywide, according to Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber’s office, or a little over 8% of the total ballots cast. Votes left to count included 6,000 mail-in ballots received on Election Day, 500 vote-by-mail ballots received by deadline or from other California counties, 1,800 same-day registrations, 115 provisional ballots and 225 damaged ballots. 

Locally, with 103,108 ballots cast among 173,331 registered voters, the special election drew a turnout of about 59% across the county.

The next update is scheduled for Monday at 4 p.m. 

Election signs in Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz