The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is a nonpartisan organization. We do not endorse candidates.
Positions taken on ballot measures reflect our Public Policy Framework and are intended to inform, not direct, your vote.
Local Elections
Seats & Candidates
Learn who's running for office and make informed decisions at the polls. The below information shows who is running for each seat in this year's local election, with links to learn more about the candidates.
Note on "unopposed" seats: Under California law, when only one candidate files for a nonpartisan local office, the governing body may declare that person elected without the office appearing on the ballot. Some unopposed candidates may not appear on the ballot.
Local Ballot Measures
What’s on the Ballot
Chamber positions are evaluated against our Public Policy Framework and finalized by the Public Policy Committee.
Measure C — City of Santa Maria Support
Measure C is a half-cent sales tax on the November 3, 2026 ballot in Santa Maria, raising the local rate from 8.75% to 9.25%. All revenue stays in Santa Maria. It funds essential city services: police and fire, street repair, parks, the library, and youth and senior programs. The City faces a $25 million structural budget gap and has eliminated or frozen roughly 60 positions before asking voters for new revenue. Safeguards include a five-member Citizens Oversight Committee and an independent annual audit.
Rationale: The Chamber supports Measure C because it closes a $25 million gap in essential city services, including public safety, that a competitive business climate depends on (Public Policy Framework: Community Development).
Measure H — Allan Hancock Joint CCD Support
Measure H is a $290 million bond for Allan Hancock College on the November 3, 2026 ballot. It costs up to $19 per $100,000 of assessed value and unlocks $38 million in state matching funds. Funds would repair aging classrooms, labs and infrastructure, upgrade training facilities for nursing, skilled trades and public safety, and build a University Center offering bachelor’s degrees through Cal Poly and CSU Channel Islands. Independent citizens’ oversight and annual audits are required.
Rationale: The Chamber endorses Measure H because Hancock is our region’s most direct pipeline of skilled workers, and a modern campus keeps local talent learning, working and building careers at home.
Measure G — City of Guadalupe Neutral
Measure G is a cannabis business tax on the November 3, 2026 ballot in Guadalupe. It would replace the city’s current negotiated public benefit fees with a voter-approved tax. The tax could be up to 8% of gross receipts for cannabis retailers and up to 4% for other cannabis businesses, such as cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and testing. The City Council could set or lower the rates by resolution, but only within those caps. Guadalupe’s only dispensary, Root One, asked the city to put the tax on the ballot. Revenue would go to the city’s general fund, and the measure passes with a simple majority. If approved, the current fee agreements would end by January 2027.
Rationale: Neutral. Measure G is a local revenue decision for Guadalupe voters. The Chamber reviewed it against our Public Policy Framework and found no direct impact on the Valley's broader business climate that would warrant a position.
Measure J — City of Guadalupe Neutral
Measure J would double Guadalupe’s transient occupancy (hotel) tax from 6% to 12%. The tax applies to stays of 30 days or less at hotels, motels, short-term rentals, RV parks and campgrounds. The city currently collects about $10,000–$15,000 a year from the tax, and the increase would roughly double that. City officials say revenue could grow a lot if a new hotel opens. The money goes to the general fund to support infrastructure, parks and public safety while the city faces a roughly $3.6 million budget deficit. The new rate would still be below nearby Solvang and Buellton, which are around 16%. The measure passes with a simple majority, and the new rate would take effect in January 2027.
Rationale: Neutral. Measure J is a local revenue decision for Guadalupe voters. The Chamber reviewed it against our Public Policy Framework and found no direct impact on the Valley's broader business climate that would warrant a position.
Statewide
California Propositions
Per Board direction, the Chamber is aligning its statewide ballot measure positions with CalChamber. As of October 2026, the Chamber supports Propositions 1, 2, 37, 41, 42, 43 and 45; opposes Propositions 4, 40 and 44; and has taken no position on Propositions 3, 5, 38 and 39. This table will be updated if any positions change before Election Day.
Note: Neutral means our organization reviewed the measure and chose not to take a side. No Position means the measure falls outside the framework and was not formally reviewed.
| Prop | Summary | Chamber Position |
|---|---|---|
| Prop 1 | Authorizes an $11.25 billion state bond for affordable housing development and veteran home-buying assistance. | Support |
| Prop 2 | Raises the annual deposit cap on the state’s Rainy Day Fund from 10% to 20% of general fund tax revenue. | Support |
| Prop 3 | Makes permanent the temporary (up to 12%) income tax on high earners approved in 2012, continuing funding for K-12 schools and community colleges. | No Position |
| Prop 4 | Removes the state constitutional prohibition on public financing of political campaigns, allowing state/local governments to create public campaign-finance programs. | Oppose |
| Prop 5 | Changes recall election procedures for statewide officers, eliminating the simultaneous successor election. | No Position |
| Prop 37 | Creates a mortgage-assistance loan program for homebuyers earning under 200% of area median income (~$25 billion). | Support |
| Prop 38 | Authorizes an $8.4 billion state bond for immunology/immune-disease medical research, with resulting drugs priced 20% below national average. | No Position |
| Prop 39 | Requires voters to present government-issued photo ID (or partial ID number for mail ballots) to vote. | No Position |
| Prop 40 | One-time 5% wealth tax on an estimated ~200 California billionaires, paid over 5 years, funding low-income healthcare (90%) and education/food assistance (10%). | Oppose |
| Prop 41 | Requires state audits of programs funded by new taxes and applies new tax revenue to the state spending cap. | Support |
| Prop 42 | Prohibits new state taxes on personal property and certain retroactive state taxes. | Support |
| Prop 43 | Raises the voter-approval threshold for citizen-initiated local special taxes from a simple majority to two-thirds. | Support |
| Prop 44 | Requires federally qualified community health clinics to spend at least 90% of revenue directly on patient care for low-income residents. | Oppose |
| Prop 45 | Streamlines CEQA environmental review for housing, transportation, water, health, and clean-energy projects. (“Building a More Affordable California Act”) | Support |
Reference
Chamber Public Policy Platform
Ballot measure positions above are evaluated against the Chamber's Public Policy Framework — read it in full for the priorities and criteria behind every position we take.
Reminder: the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. Ballot measure positions reflect our Public Policy Framework and are meant to inform — not direct — your vote.
Be Prepared
Voter Resources
Everything you need to register, request a ballot, and research candidates.
Reminder for Employers
- Paid time off to vote: California law requires employers to provide paid time off for employees who don’t have enough time outside of working hours to vote. https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/time-vote-notices
Register / check status
Vote-by-mail
sbcvote.com — request or track your ballot
In-person voting locations
Ballot drop box locations
Sample ballot lookup
Key dates
Election Day: November 3, 2026
- Vote by Mail: October 5 through the close of polls on November 3.
- Vote In Person: by 8:00 p.m. on November 3.
Voter Registration: Online or Postmark by October 19, 2026
Candidate forums
October 1 — City Council & 5th District Supervisor candidates. Learn more