Dems Celebrate New County Election Headquarters

With a November ballot packed with important races – from the local 3rd District Supervisor race to the presidential race, to water boards, city councils, State Senate and Assembly races – battle lines are being drawn. And Santa Barbara Democrats have found their headquarters for the battles: a newly christened, 6,000-square-foot building at 430 Chapala Street, which will be home to volunteer efforts for elections throughout the county.

A few hundred people packed the “Headquarters for Change” to enjoy drinks and snacks and to hear from some of the party’s choices in the biggest races this fall. Hannah-Beth Jackson, candidate for State Senate, started the show with an impassioned speech, followed by 3rd District Supervisor candidate Doreen Farr and then Representative Lois Capps, who is up for reelection. Also on hand were six out of seven Santa Barbara City Councilmembers, 1st Distric Supervisor Salud Carbajal, and many other faces well-known throughout the local Democratic party. Daraka Larimore-Hall, chair of the Democratic Party of Santa Barbara, said the unit was the “bitchin’-est headquarters in the history of Santa Barbara.”

The building will be campaign headquarters for Jackson and Assemblymember Pedro Nava, but volunteers based in the building will also be working on behalf of Capps, Farr, and others in their campaigns, in addition to working to promote the party’s positions on various ballot measures.