Looney Tunes indeed Bonnie! Thank you for your unwavering commitment and investigative journalism. Let’s see, potential massive voter fraud and our elected County Clerk, Joe Holland is AWOL and no where to be found? All while collecting his salary? This is reminiscent of a Banana Republic!
Seems to me that in addition to inquiries being made by the public, that a complaint be filed with the US Department of Justice. Perhaps even filing suit against the County?
Where is our Country District Attorney, John Savrnoch? Oh that’s right, it’s all part of the same incestuous Democratic controlled family.
Welcome to Nuevo Guatemala folks, formerly known as Santa Barbara County.
Thank you, Bonnie. Election fraud is a huge problem. But there's another huge problem and that's the absence of strong Republican candidates to run in 2026. I have started to ask myself: do California Republicans even care any more about winning - the way they used to? The answer I've finally come up is no, they don't really want to win anymore. Nixon wanted to win. Reagan wanted to win. Trump wants to win. We don't have a single Republican in this state who exudes any kind of American charisma - the way Trump does, Vance does, Reagan did. Even Nixon did. What really bothers me is that too many Republicans get too caught up in Christianity. I am not a Christian, but I've voted more often for Christian candidates than any other. But I can't vote for anyone who lectures about how the Christian god is the only god - and until I realize Christ died for my sins I'm lost. I've been lectured here on SB Current by Republicans in exactly that way. That's just political suicide. Reagan was a Christian but he didn't thump the Bible like that. I want to beat the Democrats and save this state. And I want to start seeing Republican candidates who, like Trump, know how to win. If we don¡t have Republicans determined to in, all the election reform will mean nothing. And lest anyone say I have no feeling for how Christians are being treated now, I link to this excellent article on the subject https://thefederalist.com/2025/04/29/christianity-is-the-real-target-of-all-the-hysteria-over-christian-nationalism/
Polly dear heart, have you checked out Steve Hilton? - he's running for Governor. I've followed his career and believe he would make _the_ best Governor ever!
Sensible, honest, experienced & smart as a whip. The only problem is the average stupid voter buys the Commie-Dem's lies and keeps voting in the Democrats.
No Earl, NO foreign 50% dual US Citizen born, raised, acculturated, educated and professionally trained in a foreign country. Please THINK! Do you hate America or are you a dual citizen too: half in, half out? Osborne’s are 100% American with no place to flee. Our sole loyalties are to our country.
Bonnie, you are a treasure. As is the Santa Barbara Current. We need concerned and watchful citizens, journalists and publications that understand that without this kind of quality control, we no longer have a democratic society. We all need to support these efforts one way or another.
All of this is totally outrageous behavior by way too many of our elected officials. We pay for the protection of supposed redundancy for watching over these departments. Where is the accountability? This should be a call to arms for every American that truly believes in election integrity.
At the same time that we are being hit with mail-in ballots, remote and unguarded drop-off boxes, and extended voting (weeks), polling places are shrinking. Yes! The most secure method of voting -- the walk-in precinct -- is on its way out. I have volunteered as a poll worker for ten years. My home was walking distance between 2 polling places: the church on upper Cieneguitas, my assigned precinct; and Hope School, where I volunteered. Several years ago, the County consolidated both and moved into La Colina Jr High -- just next door to my home. Yet, we are now assigned the Wake Center on Turnpike, 2 miles away! I would also add that provisional ballots are on the uptick since the November 2020 election. Prior to that election, provisional voting was rare, a few takers at each precinct. There's a place to check out. Same with the special voting machines intended for disabled voters. Those, too, are in wide use. And not by the disabled. Something smells when government whittles away citizen-manned, in-person one-day voting over what passes for honest elections these days.
Excellent, excellent, excellent article, Bonnie. The issue clearly stated, the research, the first party documentation, and the action plan. Good reporting deserves nothing less. Thank you for the time you personally put into this investigation.
There can be no higher purpose, concern or funding priority for any government agency than ensuring clean, accountable, and honest elections. For all the partisan talk about "threats to democracy" what we are seeing in our local government entities is cutting corners, lack of transparency and virtually a total lack of election integrity because zero tolerance for error is the only standard to apply.
Everything we call "democracy" in our country flows exclusively from honest and accurate elections. There is no higher duty for any elected representative. This is not a task to farm out to lower unelected "administrative" policy decision makers.
At a bare minimum, each of the 42,000 subscribers to Santa Barbara Current needs to immediately send an email link of this article to their elected county board of supervisor representative. Along with the recommendation they keep checking the follow-up comments as a required part of their daily reading list.
Great sleuthing JL. BTW, Notorious bank robber, Willie Sutton who robbed over 100 banks at gunpoint, was once asked; “why do you rob banks,” to which is famously responded “Because that’s where the money is!” Similarly, why do these deadbeats work for government…because that’s where OUR money is!
Thanks LT, but no sleuthing required. Just keep Transparent California as a bookmark for easy retrieval anytime a government employee or elected official makes a public statement. Are we getting our money's worth from their official input? Or is their current compensation skin in the game affecting their policy statements?
I read this $$ article by Ms. Donovan titled "County Elections Violate National Voter Registration Act" and I have a new title "So-Called SB Leaders Missing-in-Action" & I quote from Ms. Donovan >
"Now, Back to “Where the Heck is Joe Holland?”
"No, the County hasn’t proven he is in the office."
"The ongoing mystery surrounding Joe Holland's whereabouts raises significant questions, particularly regarding the County's failure to confirm his presence in the office."
Just about EVERY Leader in our Lil Ole Beach Town is "Missing-In-Action" and has not
served our Community as past FBI Executive Tom Parker said in on 2/22/20 Article
"Perceptions of Political Corruption Too Often the Harbingers of Stark Reality"
Follow the SB Money and it all leads you to serious problems so WHO CONTROLLED
THE SB MONEY and WHO is now "MISSING-IN-ACTION"
Lets go to the OJP of the DOJ on Criminal Money Flows shall we all ....................... >
"The criminal and civil legal instruments focus on money laundering and asset seizure. The proceeds-of-crime approach has greatly expanded over the years. Supporters of these laws argue that they deter crime, prevent criminals from infiltrating and corrupting the legitimate economy, remove the capital essential for committing future crimes"
ANY MAJOR CRIMES REPORTED IN OUR LIL OLE BEACH TOWN?????
Howard Walther, Member of a Military Family
PS1-Any County Employees Prosecuted for Embezzling Large "$$$$$$$$" from SB County?
Is the SB County Grossly Negligent for Hiring these nice employees?
By criminal law if the Treasurer of any Corporation or of any County commits gross negligence with the funds under his authority it can rise to crime, of course depending
This is getting to a critical point. If the County Administrator cannot get the answer and the BOS cannot get the answer, it would appear the only answer is to file both a FBI and District Attorney complaint.
Not something most want to do. Lies by omission, allowing violation of law is an enforcement problem.
It then starts to be folded into the problem of the voter role. fyi at the last election my friend Deceased Father was mailed out of state a ballot. This after SB County Elections had been notified as to his passing.
A crosswalk on Las Positas at Stanley is needed, especially if our government officials do their duty and provide the infrastructure necessary to safely accommodate emergency traffic needs from the more than 700 dwelling units proposed for La Cumbre Plaza.
Of course Voter Fraud is but another issue our local government ignores.
It is not overly cynical to suggest that the Democrats who run this country are not truly interested in accurate voter rolls, or doing anything to make their strong hold on power here even a slight bit more tenuous.
Where is Joe Holland makes me think of Where’s Waldo ?
This is precisely the information I believe the SB Current performs a vital function in exposing. When you drill down to the foundation of democracy, if the voting process is undermined there is no public trust. Our over-paid and subsidized elected officials are corrupted by influences we are barely aware of. And if we cannot effectively influence their actions through voting the entire American experience of representative government is undermined.
CarsAreBasic: We need a legal answer— The CEO’s oversight and authority over elected officials, such as Joe Holland (who heads the County Elections Department as the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor), the Sheriff, or the District Attorney, are limited or is none due to their status as independently elected officials.
How can the County CEO Mona have any oversight of voter elected official like Joe Holland, who heads a County Department?
Likewise, the BOS can raise concerns, bring investigation, or file charges via a lawsuit on behalf of county voters.
Uhhhhh the person making the management decision is no longer around?
Guess who is then responsible? The County Administrator and her Staff. If she cannot do the job then her pay raise should be rescinded. This is an issue of honesty and integrity in government at a county wide area.
Follow up on Las Positas Cross Walk. It was designed by anti car minority in Samarkand, backed and pushed by the now disgraced Dayton.
The reasoning was to be able to walk to Gelson's and the Post Office. Guess what, there has been a safe and easily accessible walking path from Samarkand to these locations for over 60 years. I walked it daily for 5 years to get to my summer job.
Las Positas is the cross freeway route from Hendry's Beach to State Street. Intentionally narrowing it, and obstructing traffic puts the entire San Roque area at risk and restricts freeway to State Street retail businesses. There are few if any transportation routes that provide safety and commercial open traffic routes to State Street from Mission St. to 5 Points.
The issue of Milpas and housing is being used as a straw dog for Narrowing of Milpas St. Bike use between State and Salsipuedes is on side streets NOT Milpas making any excuse for bike routes a joke. Bike use in the face of Electric-Motorcycles has crushed all but recreational bicycle use.
Gregg Hart has proven to be very less then truthful, does not care about conflicts of interest (sbcag / board supervisors). Reaching out to him is like trying to catch the fog. Did Hart work to clear the voter rolls when challenged as a 2nd Dist. Supervisor? Nople.
Not engaged? Too busy? Repeatedly vote for failure?
CarsAreBasic: We need an answer— Are you certain County CEO Mona has any oversight of voter elected official like Joe Holland, who heads a County Department?
Does the county CEO have any authority over elected officials like Elections, Sheriff or D.A., if and when MIA?
Not stating she has the oversight. She has the people to ask where are you? She can then state to the BOS no answer. e.g. Brown is accountable to the BOS, and his reports directly effect funding. There are other avenues like the Grand Jury, DA, etc.
If the people are the ultimate deciders, and ignore ethics violations, and more: then the majority party holds the ultimate responsibility for failure. Leave them in office? Well you get it.
The ultimate is the BOS. Does she have the right to allocate personnel to run a office. Yes. Does she have the right to cancel a decision about Joe? No. Does the BOS have the right to tell Joe get to your office or you'll be recalled. Yes.
You want the authority? File a State Attorney General complaint and then throw in the potential of FBI investigation.
Thanks Bonnie for an informative article. My initial reaction was to notice that the enforcement identified in 2019 for the National Voter Registration Act skipped the Biden years but may be enforced in the first Trump year: coincidence?
Secondly, a few thoughts set to the music of Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone:
By 2025, an estimated 500,000 16-17 year olds had been pre-registered to vote in CA public schools, plus an estimated 100,000 more by a simple click when obtaining their CA Driver’s Licenses.
In 2016, CA passed a law allowing eligible 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, with their registration becoming active upon turning 18. This was enacted through Assembly Bill 1817, which amended the California Elections Code. After age 18, ballots are mailed to them at listed address but by age 18, some have left the county for jobs or college.
Democrat organizations — and controlled ones like The League of Women Voters — register students in class and/or on campus, while Republicans and other political groups choose to not participate in this massive registration and ‘influencing’ opportunity.
Looney Tunes indeed Bonnie! Thank you for your unwavering commitment and investigative journalism. Let’s see, potential massive voter fraud and our elected County Clerk, Joe Holland is AWOL and no where to be found? All while collecting his salary? This is reminiscent of a Banana Republic!
Seems to me that in addition to inquiries being made by the public, that a complaint be filed with the US Department of Justice. Perhaps even filing suit against the County?
Where is our Country District Attorney, John Savrnoch? Oh that’s right, it’s all part of the same incestuous Democratic controlled family.
Welcome to Nuevo Guatemala folks, formerly known as Santa Barbara County.
Thank you, Bonnie. Election fraud is a huge problem. But there's another huge problem and that's the absence of strong Republican candidates to run in 2026. I have started to ask myself: do California Republicans even care any more about winning - the way they used to? The answer I've finally come up is no, they don't really want to win anymore. Nixon wanted to win. Reagan wanted to win. Trump wants to win. We don't have a single Republican in this state who exudes any kind of American charisma - the way Trump does, Vance does, Reagan did. Even Nixon did. What really bothers me is that too many Republicans get too caught up in Christianity. I am not a Christian, but I've voted more often for Christian candidates than any other. But I can't vote for anyone who lectures about how the Christian god is the only god - and until I realize Christ died for my sins I'm lost. I've been lectured here on SB Current by Republicans in exactly that way. That's just political suicide. Reagan was a Christian but he didn't thump the Bible like that. I want to beat the Democrats and save this state. And I want to start seeing Republican candidates who, like Trump, know how to win. If we don¡t have Republicans determined to in, all the election reform will mean nothing. And lest anyone say I have no feeling for how Christians are being treated now, I link to this excellent article on the subject https://thefederalist.com/2025/04/29/christianity-is-the-real-target-of-all-the-hysteria-over-christian-nationalism/
Polly dear heart, have you checked out Steve Hilton? - he's running for Governor. I've followed his career and believe he would make _the_ best Governor ever!
Sensible, honest, experienced & smart as a whip. The only problem is the average stupid voter buys the Commie-Dem's lies and keeps voting in the Democrats.
No Earl, NO foreign 50% dual US Citizen born, raised, acculturated, educated and professionally trained in a foreign country. Please THINK! Do you hate America or are you a dual citizen too: half in, half out? Osborne’s are 100% American with no place to flee. Our sole loyalties are to our country.
Bonnie, you are a treasure. As is the Santa Barbara Current. We need concerned and watchful citizens, journalists and publications that understand that without this kind of quality control, we no longer have a democratic society. We all need to support these efforts one way or another.
All of this is totally outrageous behavior by way too many of our elected officials. We pay for the protection of supposed redundancy for watching over these departments. Where is the accountability? This should be a call to arms for every American that truly believes in election integrity.
Joe Holland is elected. Hold him accountable via recall.
At the same time that we are being hit with mail-in ballots, remote and unguarded drop-off boxes, and extended voting (weeks), polling places are shrinking. Yes! The most secure method of voting -- the walk-in precinct -- is on its way out. I have volunteered as a poll worker for ten years. My home was walking distance between 2 polling places: the church on upper Cieneguitas, my assigned precinct; and Hope School, where I volunteered. Several years ago, the County consolidated both and moved into La Colina Jr High -- just next door to my home. Yet, we are now assigned the Wake Center on Turnpike, 2 miles away! I would also add that provisional ballots are on the uptick since the November 2020 election. Prior to that election, provisional voting was rare, a few takers at each precinct. There's a place to check out. Same with the special voting machines intended for disabled voters. Those, too, are in wide use. And not by the disabled. Something smells when government whittles away citizen-manned, in-person one-day voting over what passes for honest elections these days.
Excellent, excellent, excellent article, Bonnie. The issue clearly stated, the research, the first party documentation, and the action plan. Good reporting deserves nothing less. Thank you for the time you personally put into this investigation.
There can be no higher purpose, concern or funding priority for any government agency than ensuring clean, accountable, and honest elections. For all the partisan talk about "threats to democracy" what we are seeing in our local government entities is cutting corners, lack of transparency and virtually a total lack of election integrity because zero tolerance for error is the only standard to apply.
Everything we call "democracy" in our country flows exclusively from honest and accurate elections. There is no higher duty for any elected representative. This is not a task to farm out to lower unelected "administrative" policy decision makers.
At a bare minimum, each of the 42,000 subscribers to Santa Barbara Current needs to immediately send an email link of this article to their elected county board of supervisor representative. Along with the recommendation they keep checking the follow-up comments as a required part of their daily reading list.
Thank you again, Bonnie. Job very well done.
From Transparent California:
Joseph Holland -- Elected Dept Head-Cra (2023)
Regular pay: $235,515.52
Overtime pay: $0.00
Other pay: $55,173.95
Total pay: $290,689.47
Benefits: $16,747.82
Total pay & benefits: $307,437.29
Recall MIA Joe Holland
Great sleuthing JL. BTW, Notorious bank robber, Willie Sutton who robbed over 100 banks at gunpoint, was once asked; “why do you rob banks,” to which is famously responded “Because that’s where the money is!” Similarly, why do these deadbeats work for government…because that’s where OUR money is!
Thanks LT, but no sleuthing required. Just keep Transparent California as a bookmark for easy retrieval anytime a government employee or elected official makes a public statement. Are we getting our money's worth from their official input? Or is their current compensation skin in the game affecting their policy statements?
I read this $$ article by Ms. Donovan titled "County Elections Violate National Voter Registration Act" and I have a new title "So-Called SB Leaders Missing-in-Action" & I quote from Ms. Donovan >
"Now, Back to “Where the Heck is Joe Holland?”
"No, the County hasn’t proven he is in the office."
"The ongoing mystery surrounding Joe Holland's whereabouts raises significant questions, particularly regarding the County's failure to confirm his presence in the office."
Just about EVERY Leader in our Lil Ole Beach Town is "Missing-In-Action" and has not
served our Community as past FBI Executive Tom Parker said in on 2/22/20 Article
"Perceptions of Political Corruption Too Often the Harbingers of Stark Reality"
Follow the SB Money and it all leads you to serious problems so WHO CONTROLLED
THE SB MONEY and WHO is now "MISSING-IN-ACTION"
Lets go to the OJP of the DOJ on Criminal Money Flows shall we all ....................... >
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/follow-money-methods-crime-control-policy
"The criminal and civil legal instruments focus on money laundering and asset seizure. The proceeds-of-crime approach has greatly expanded over the years. Supporters of these laws argue that they deter crime, prevent criminals from infiltrating and corrupting the legitimate economy, remove the capital essential for committing future crimes"
ANY MAJOR CRIMES REPORTED IN OUR LIL OLE BEACH TOWN?????
Howard Walther, Member of a Military Family
PS1-Any County Employees Prosecuted for Embezzling Large "$$$$$$$$" from SB County?
Is the SB County Grossly Negligent for Hiring these nice employees?
By law the Treasurer/Tax Collector has to live in Santa Barbara County and more importantly reside (the other side of the coin of live here)
By criminal law if the Treasurer of any Corporation or of any County commits gross negligence with the funds under his authority it can rise to crime, of course depending
on the facts of the case.
This is getting to a critical point. If the County Administrator cannot get the answer and the BOS cannot get the answer, it would appear the only answer is to file both a FBI and District Attorney complaint.
Not something most want to do. Lies by omission, allowing violation of law is an enforcement problem.
It then starts to be folded into the problem of the voter role. fyi at the last election my friend Deceased Father was mailed out of state a ballot. This after SB County Elections had been notified as to his passing.
CarsAreBasic, it has already been done. You are about
4 years playing Catch-Up and only seeing the surface.
To better understand what is going down in SB and in CALI
read this RICO Indictment here>
Frankly I doubt you will spend the time.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/press-release/file/1341106/dl
DOJ News release here>
https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-los-angeles-politician-jose-huizar-sentenced-13-years-federal-prison
A crosswalk on Las Positas at Stanley is needed, especially if our government officials do their duty and provide the infrastructure necessary to safely accommodate emergency traffic needs from the more than 700 dwelling units proposed for La Cumbre Plaza.
Of course Voter Fraud is but another issue our local government ignores.
Peter, more like 1,100 for La Cumbre Plaza when you have Macy's and Sears. Yet now add SBHA multiple properties just built or soon to be built.
It is not overly cynical to suggest that the Democrats who run this country are not truly interested in accurate voter rolls, or doing anything to make their strong hold on power here even a slight bit more tenuous.
Where is Joe Holland makes me think of Where’s Waldo ?
This is precisely the information I believe the SB Current performs a vital function in exposing. When you drill down to the foundation of democracy, if the voting process is undermined there is no public trust. Our over-paid and subsidized elected officials are corrupted by influences we are barely aware of. And if we cannot effectively influence their actions through voting the entire American experience of representative government is undermined.
CarsAreBasic: We need a legal answer— The CEO’s oversight and authority over elected officials, such as Joe Holland (who heads the County Elections Department as the County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor), the Sheriff, or the District Attorney, are limited or is none due to their status as independently elected officials.
How can the County CEO Mona have any oversight of voter elected official like Joe Holland, who heads a County Department?
Likewise, the BOS can raise concerns, bring investigation, or file charges via a lawsuit on behalf of county voters.
Uhhhhh the person making the management decision is no longer around?
Guess who is then responsible? The County Administrator and her Staff. If she cannot do the job then her pay raise should be rescinded. This is an issue of honesty and integrity in government at a county wide area.
Follow up on Las Positas Cross Walk. It was designed by anti car minority in Samarkand, backed and pushed by the now disgraced Dayton.
The reasoning was to be able to walk to Gelson's and the Post Office. Guess what, there has been a safe and easily accessible walking path from Samarkand to these locations for over 60 years. I walked it daily for 5 years to get to my summer job.
Las Positas is the cross freeway route from Hendry's Beach to State Street. Intentionally narrowing it, and obstructing traffic puts the entire San Roque area at risk and restricts freeway to State Street retail businesses. There are few if any transportation routes that provide safety and commercial open traffic routes to State Street from Mission St. to 5 Points.
The issue of Milpas and housing is being used as a straw dog for Narrowing of Milpas St. Bike use between State and Salsipuedes is on side streets NOT Milpas making any excuse for bike routes a joke. Bike use in the face of Electric-Motorcycles has crushed all but recreational bicycle use.
Gregg Hart has proven to be very less then truthful, does not care about conflicts of interest (sbcag / board supervisors). Reaching out to him is like trying to catch the fog. Did Hart work to clear the voter rolls when challenged as a 2nd Dist. Supervisor? Nople.
Not engaged? Too busy? Repeatedly vote for failure?
Fade to the red bullseye and Porky...........
CarsAreBasic: We need an answer— Are you certain County CEO Mona has any oversight of voter elected official like Joe Holland, who heads a County Department?
Does the county CEO have any authority over elected officials like Elections, Sheriff or D.A., if and when MIA?
Not stating she has the oversight. She has the people to ask where are you? She can then state to the BOS no answer. e.g. Brown is accountable to the BOS, and his reports directly effect funding. There are other avenues like the Grand Jury, DA, etc.
If the people are the ultimate deciders, and ignore ethics violations, and more: then the majority party holds the ultimate responsibility for failure. Leave them in office? Well you get it.
The ultimate is the BOS. Does she have the right to allocate personnel to run a office. Yes. Does she have the right to cancel a decision about Joe? No. Does the BOS have the right to tell Joe get to your office or you'll be recalled. Yes.
You want the authority? File a State Attorney General complaint and then throw in the potential of FBI investigation.
Thanks Bonnie for an informative article. My initial reaction was to notice that the enforcement identified in 2019 for the National Voter Registration Act skipped the Biden years but may be enforced in the first Trump year: coincidence?
Secondly, a few thoughts set to the music of Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone:
Where, oh where, has my little Joe Holland gone?
Oh where, oh where can he be?
I think he went down to the building site
I last saw him by the bulldozer
Perhaps the man over there will know
He may have seen him go by
Who knows where he might have decided to go
But we've got to give it a try
Identify to actively support a 2026 Electable Candidate with INTEGRITY to become Elections Assessor.
Since 2002, Holland has been Elections Chief.
11/8/2022 Holland re-elected. https://santamariatimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/certified-results-of-nov-8-election-delivered-to-santa-barbara-county-board-of-supervisors/article_57c6ba5d-b361-57a6-b3c7-71040f9cdecd.html
2022 Holland had 81% of the votes as of Wednesday morning.
Joe Holland runs for re-election while running an election in Santa Barbara County https://keyt.com/news/local-politics/2022/06/07/joe-holland-runs-for-re-election-while-running-an-election-in-santa-barbara-county/
In 2018, Joe Holland 87.7% of vote
https://www.noozhawk.com/holland_cruising_toward_re-election_limon_outpacing_challengers/
By 2025, an estimated 500,000 16-17 year olds had been pre-registered to vote in CA public schools, plus an estimated 100,000 more by a simple click when obtaining their CA Driver’s Licenses.
In 2016, CA passed a law allowing eligible 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, with their registration becoming active upon turning 18. This was enacted through Assembly Bill 1817, which amended the California Elections Code. After age 18, ballots are mailed to them at listed address but by age 18, some have left the county for jobs or college.
Democrat organizations — and controlled ones like The League of Women Voters — register students in class and/or on campus, while Republicans and other political groups choose to not participate in this massive registration and ‘influencing’ opportunity.