Volunteers open Bernie Sanders campaign office in Santa Cruz

UPDATE 5/11/2016 10:20 PM:The June primary is just weeks away and in Santa Cruz, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ supporters are pushing for a win.

“We really need an office. A central organizing point is so crucial to have an effective campaign,” said Shawn Orgel-Olson with Santa Cruz for Bernie.

On Wednesday, volunteers opened a new campaign headquarters on Soquel Avenue. It’s not an official Sanders presidential campaign office. It’s run by volunteers with the exception of one Sanders staff member who will help plan events and activities in Santa Cruz County.

“We will go and do whatever we can. We will canvas, we’ll phone bank, we’ll do volunteer recruitment and voter registration,” said Orgel-Olson.

Sanders has lots of support in Santa Cruz but those behind the Hillary Clinton haven’t given up either.

“Tonight (Wednesday) we are phone banking. We are contacting people in the county to come out and volunteer, help us get Hillary voted in,” said Sid Hutchins, a Clinton supporter.

Clinton supporters don’t have an office in Santa Cruz. They use the Democratic Party headquarters, which is open to all Democratic candidates.

“We are making ourselves visible at both the farmers market and on Pacific Avenue by tabling, offering buttons and bumper stickers and we will have T-shirts ready in a few days,” said Carol English, a Clinton supporter.

Clinton is well in the lead in the delegate count but California could still have an impact and Sanders supporters in Santa Cruz said they’ll be busy making sure it does.

“He definitely still has a chance, absolutely, if he can have a big win in California that would be really hard to deny in the convention,” said Orgel-Olson.

PREVIOUS STORY: Bernie Sanders campaign volunteers are opening an office in Santa Cruz Wednesday night.

The office is located at 325 Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz. With the exception of one paid employee, everyone is a volunteer because the Sanders campaign didn’t budget for this particular office.

There will be a grand opening event at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Campaign staff and local Bernie supporters will be there.

There are two Hillary Clinton campaign offices in California – Los Angeles and Oakland. A third is in the works, expected to open in Sacramento next week.

As for Monterey County, all democratic candidates share the same campaign office space in Seaside at Monterey County Democrats.