Local Politics · Hollister, CA
The Hollister City Council voted 3-2 in closed session on Oct. 21 to terminate City Manager Ana Cortez's contract "for convenience," following criticism over her issuance of 36 layoff notices to city employees on Oct. 14. At a Monday, Oct. 26 meeting, the council unanimously rescinded all layoff notices after continued outcry from affected workers in police, public works, airport, parks and recreation, and finance departments. Mayor Roxanne Stephens cautioned that the city's financial crisis persists—Cortez had reported only $178 in the general fund on Oct. 2—and warned new layoff notices remain possible pending union concessions. Hollister Airport Director Jeff Crechriou was appointed acting city manager while the council considers a permanent replacement.
Local Politics · San Benito County
San Benito County Elections officials identified a minor clerical error on the Spanish page count of the Nov. 3 ballot, where the fifth page is labeled "página 6 de 6" instead of "página 5 de 6." The Registrar of Voters office confirmed no contest pages, candidates, or state propositions are missing from the six-page bilingual ballot. All votes marked on the affected pages will be counted and processed accurately according to California election standards.
Local Politics
Election officials in multiple California counties reviewed federal lists of alleged noncitizen voters and found them inaccurate, illegible, or incomplete. Butte County Clerk-Recorder Keaton Denlay said 32 of 47 names on the list were not on active voter rolls, while San Benito County Registrar Francisco Diaz reported some listed individuals weren't registered to vote. Orange County received a letter naming 1,754 alleged noncitizens but was initially addressed to the wrong office. A federal judge appeared skeptical of the administration's legal arguments in court Tuesday, and state officials have refused to segregate ballots based on the lists.
