If you are like many Santa Barbara County voters, your June 7 ballot is still sitting on your desk. Or perhaps it’s under a pile of bills or lying on the kitchen table. Find it. It is much more valuable than you think.
Why? Because your vote suddenly has more value than ever before. Even though liberals and many Democrats have used the pandemic to debase our election rules and oversight, they are now missing a vital electoral ingredient: enthusiasm. For that, we can all thank President Joe Biden.
With inflation at 40-year highs, foreign policy debacles of Mr. Biden’s own making, rising crime and divisive woke policies, many Democrats and liberals have rightly lost enthusiasm for their party. Democrats are simply not voting in large numbers in this June 7 election. As of today, only 14% of ballots have been returned. This means that an energized group of moderates, conservatives and Republican voters can really sway this low-turnout election.
Secondly, while a number of important elections will go to run-offs in November, one of the most important local races in 40 years will be decided this Tuesday.
An energetic, experienced and courageous teacher, Christy Lozano, is running for county superintendent of schools. Many of you may recognize Christy for her appearance on Fox’s “Laura Ingraham” earlier this year, exposing the gender identity and sexual orientation curriculum for young children hidden from parents and the community in Santa Barbara. Her opponent is an entrenched bureaucrat and an apologist for the failed status quo.
Our county schools are a disgrace. After decades of radical progressives ruining education, our schools look nothing like what many of us experienced, for ourselves or for our families. Less than half of students are proficient in English, and only one-third are proficient in math.
Over $1.1 billion flows through our county schools with very little transparency. If we are to turn this around, we must vote for Christy Lozano and bring transparency, positive educational outcomes and safety back to our schools.
So before you do anything, check the box for Christy Lozano for Santa Barbara County superintendent of schools.
What other names should you consider on the ballot? To help with the rest of the ballot, the SB GOP has put together a voter’s guide. If you don’t see your favorite candidate on the voter’s guide, remember it is just a guide. There are a number of great Republicans and even some good independents running this June, and, unfortunately, many are running against each other. The beautiful thing about being a Republican (and there are many) is that we do not engage in groupthink like liberal Democrats, but as individuals with differing ideas and perspectives. After June 7, the field of Republican and independent candidates will narrow, and we will have a chance to unite again behind the strongest candidate in the November election.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The important point I am trying to make is YOU MUST VOTE. In Christy Lozano’s race for Santa Barbara county superintendent of schools, you won’t get another chance to vote again in November as it will be over on June 7.
Do not let a complicated and confusing ballot with far too many candidates discourage you from voting for this very important local office. If we don’t turn out in big enough numbers this week, we are leaving a huge opportunity on the table. Whether you mail your ballot in, drop it in a drop box, or head to the polls in person this June 7, don’t sit this election out.
The future of our children and our country quite literally depends on you.
Bobbi McGinnis
Chair of SB GOP
Editor’s note: Bobbi McGinnis points out that readers can find the local Republican Party’s voting guide at www.santabarbaragop.org/voting-guide.
