Local Politics · Mendocino County
Mendocino County Elections Office reported receiving 17,581 ballots as of Saturday afternoon, Oct. 31, out of approximately 54,000 mailed to voters along with 322 overseas and military ballots. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Katrina Bartolomie outlined secure drop-box collection procedures at sites in Ukiah, Willits, Fort Bragg, Point Arena, Boonville, and Covelo. The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution extending the electioneering prohibition zone from 100 to 200 feet around polling places and ballot-drop locations, effective starting with the Nov. 3, 2026, Statewide General Election through 2029. Polling places will be open Tuesday, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., with initial results posted on the county website after 8 p.m.
Community News · Mendocino County
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife delayed the commercial Dungeness crab season until at least January 1, 2027, citing humpback whale entanglement risks across coastal fishing zones from the Oregon border to Point Conception. Director Meghan Hertel announced that recreational crabbing may begin November 7, but crab traps are restricted in those zones due to confirmed entanglements and high whale abundance; hoop nets and snares remain permitted with two-hour servicing requirements. CDFW also reported unhealthy levels of domoic acid—a neurotoxin linked to warmer El Niño ocean conditions—in crab caught north of Fort Bragg, warning that exposure can cause nausea, seizures, or in severe cases be fatal. As of the announcement, two humpback whales had been confirmed entangled in commercial crab gear and five in unknown gear this year, with aerial surveys counting 34 whales in Zone 2 and 38 in Zone 3. The next fishery assessment is scheduled for December 17.
