Some Santa Cruz County voters will find an Assembly race on their Nov. 3 ballot that is decided mostly elsewhere. KSBY, citing Secretary of State registration data, reports that about 17% of District 30 voters live in Santa Cruz County, 29% in Monterey County and more than 50% in San Luis Obispo County. The district has nearly 500,000 residents.

The matchup

Democratic Assemblymember Dawn Addis of Morro Bay ("State Assemblymember/Teacher") is seeking a third term. Republican Shannon Kessler of Arroyo Grande ("Children's Advocate/Businesswoman") is challenging her.

Healthcare

Addis chairs the Assembly Health Budget Subcommittee and says she is working to bring drug prices and health costs down. She cited state money for a study of a possible Central Coast medical school and for loan repayment to attract physicians. Kessler tied healthcare to housing costs. She said local healthcare leaders have told supervisors that getting workers to move to the region is one of their hardest problems.

Immigration

Addis pointed to her bill, part of a state immigration package, that lets people who are falsely arrested or detained by immigration agents sue those officers. Kessler said she comes from a law enforcement family and "will absolutely back the blue." She supports immigration through legal pathways.

Other priorities

Kessler supports expanding oil production in California, easing some rules on agriculture and adding water storage. She is also involved with Save Girls' Sports, which opposes transgender athletes competing in girls' sports. Addis listed education, student data privacy, artificial intelligence and the environmental effects of major projects proposed for the Central Coast.

The numbers

In the June 2 primary, Addis won 54.8%, Kessler 35.9% and Democrat Susannah Brown 9.3%, according to Ballotpedia. In 2024 Addis beat Republican Dalila Epperson, 62.9% to 37.1%.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.

More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.