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Election 2000 logo (sm) Voters Guide Calif. Primary - Mar. 7

 

NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE
Open primary mixes parties
Smaller parties offer more choices
Presidential primary is a mother lode
 The presidential candidates on the issues
 Other candidates in the presidenital race
 A quiet GOP Senate campaign
Other candidates for the Senate seat

U.S. HOUSE
District 10
 District 12
 District 13
 District 14
 District 15
 District 16
 District 17

CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
District 11
 District 13
 District 15

CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
District 23
 District 24
 District 28
 Districts 18, 20, 21, 22, and 27 (uncontested)

PROPOSITIONS
Voters facing 20 ballot measures
 Pro, con, for and against

LOCAL RACES
Santa Clara County
Board of Supervisors
 Superior Court
Los Altos Hills Council
 San Jose Council
 Water District
Open Space Authority
Ballot measures
Alameda County
 Board of Supervisors
 Board of Education
Ballot measures
San Mateo County
 Board of Supervisors
 Half Moon Bay Council
Ballot measures
Santa Cruz County
 Board of Supervisors
 District Attorney
Superior Court
Ballot measures
San Benito County
 Board of Supervisors
 Superior Court
 Board of Education

GRAPHICS
How to use Pollstar ballot machine
Are we there yet? An explanation of the primary process

NEWS
Politics & Government on Mercury Center
Campaign 2000 at RealCities

RESOURCES ONLINE
California Secretary of State voter information
California Voter Foundation's nonpartisan guide
 League of Women Voters' nonpartisan guide
Rough and Tumble, a daily snapshot on California politics
Alameda County
 Monterey County
 San Benito County
 Santa Clara County
 Santa Cruz County

CREDITS

 
     

Posted at 11:13 a.m. PST Wednesday, February 16, 2000

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

What's at stake? The Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office prosecutes suspected criminals throughout the county, overseeing decisions on charging suspects and trial strategy. The Santa Cruz County office is in flux after two decades of leadership under Art Danner, who left a year ago to take a judicial post. Peter Chang, district attorney in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and Danner's chosen successor, Kate Canlis, are vying to replace Ron Ruiz, a former defense lawyer appointed last year by the board of supervisors to replace Danner.

RON RUIZ

 Who is he? Ron Ruiz (www.ruizforda.org), 63, began his career as a prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office and left after two years to start his own criminal defense practice in San Jose. He accepted an appointment by Gov. Jerry Brown to the state Agriculture Labor Relations Board in 1975. Five years later, he returned to his private law practice, which he maintained until his appointment as district attorney in Santa Cruz. During his years in private practice, Ruiz was lead defense attorney on 21 death-penalty cases. In 1984 he was named "Lawyer of the Year'' by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Ruiz earned his law degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1964.

Ruiz said his leadership has brought stability to a district attorney's office that was struggling with poor morale. He says he has the backing of two top prosecutors who were also in contention for the position last year, as well as the District Attorney Inspectors Association, county police chiefs, Deputy Sheriffs Association and Latino Peace Officers Association.

PETER CHANG

Who is he? Peter Chang (www.lawyers.com/peterchanglaw), 62, a Santa Cruz defense lawyer, served as the county's district attorney from 1967 to 1975 and is seeking election to his former post. During his tenure, Chang was known nationally for obtaining the convictions of three serial killers, John Frazier, Herbert Mullin and Edmund Kemper, who between them murdered 26 people. Chang was famously quoted at the height of the killings for saying Santa Cruz County was the "murder capital of the world.'' Chang graduated from Stanford University and earned his law degree there in 1962.

KATE CANLIS

Who is she? Kate Canlis (www.katecanlisforda.com), 54, was chief deputy district attorney in Santa Cruz County from 1997 to 1999. She became acting district attorney in January 1999 after Danner was appointed to a judicial seat. Canlis left the office, where she had worked as a prosecutor since 1990, when the county board of supervisors appointed Ron Ruiz as district attorney. After earning her law degree at the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law in 1973, Canlis joined the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, serving as head of the major crimes unit. She accepted an appointment as municipal court judge in 1981, but returned to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office in 1983, serving as a chief deputy until 1989. She came to Santa Cruz County after a year as executive director of the California District Attorneys Association.
   
       

Published February 20, 2000
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