Government

In the state legislature Santa Cruz is located in the 11th Senate District, represented by Democrat Joe Simitian, and in the 27th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Bill Monning.

Federally, Santa Cruz is located in California's 17th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D +17 and is represented by Democrat Sam Farr.

Sister cities

Santa Cruz has six sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc., including Alushta, Ukraine, which was established in the waning days of the Soviet Union before the fall of Communism and was controversial at the time, Jinotepe, Nicaragua; Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela; Sestri Levante, Italy; Shingū, Japan, which was established in 1974 when three Santa Cruz college students resided in Shingu for a year (1973–74) doing intensive Aikido training at the historic Kumano Juku Aikido school, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.

A monument next to the downtown Santa Cruz post office has a small circular plaza surrounded by marble posts topped with bronze maps of each of the sister cities.