More than 45 SLO County races already settled — 3 months before Election Day
Nearly four dozen San Luis Obispo County races have already been decided — about three months before Election Day.
For 47 local races, only one candidate applied to run for an open seat. A candidate immediately wins the office when they are the sole applicant for a position.
“If there are only enough candidates as there are open seats, they will be appointed in-lieu of election, which means their office will not be on the ballot,” San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano wrote in an email to The Tribune.
Meet the candidates who won their elections before ballots were even mailed to voters.
City council races
The race for Atascadero mayor is already decided. Incumbent Heather Moreno was the lone candidate who applied to run for office, so she won another two-year term.
Incumbent Gere Sibbach was the only applicant for Atascadero City Council treasurer. He also secured his position in office.
Kathleen P. Secrest was the only applicant to represent District 1 on the Arroyo Grande City Council, so she won a two-year term.
Incumbent Robert Robert was the sole applicant and winner of the District 1 seat on Grover Beach City Council.
There was one applicant each for two Paso Robles City Council seats. John Hamon Jr. will represent District 1, and Chris Bausch will represent District. 2.
Incumbent Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage was the lone applicant for the position, and won another two-year term.
SLO County Office of Education and school board races
Three seats were up for election on the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education Governing Board, and only one person applied to run for each position.
Incumbent trustee Paul Madonna will represent Area No. 2, while retired educator Juan Olivarria will represent Area No. 4 and incumbent George E. Galvan will represent Area No. 5.
Of two positions up for election on the San Luis Obispo County Community College board of trustees, one office was decided before Election Day.
Incumbent Pat Mullen was the only applicant to run for Trustee Area No. 3, so he will take office for another term.
Two of three seats on the Cayucos Elementary School District board of trustees were decided before Election Day — with Chris Castillo filling the Trustee Area. No. 2 position and Gretchen J. Ross filling the Trustree Area No. 3 seat.
Of four seats up for election on the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District board of trustees, one won’t be on the ballot.
Joel Peterson, a parent and Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance executive director, was the sole applicant to run for Trustee Area No. 2 and will fill the position.
Three four-year terms are open on the Pleasant Valley Joint Union Elementary School District’s board of trustees, but only two people applied for the seats.
Retired school secretary Suze Evenson and incumbent Aaron Borden will both take office.
Of four seats up for election on the board of trustees for the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, one position was decided before Election Day. Incumbent Ellen Sheffer was the sole applicant and therefore the winner of the race for Trustee Area No. 5.
Two four-year terms were up for election on the San Miguel Joint Union School District board, including trustees to represent Areas No. 1 and No. 3. Each race had one applicant who will fill the position.
Incumbent Shawn Angulo will represent Trustee Area No. 1, and incumbent Randy Kwiatkoski will represent Trustee Area No. 3.
Harbor Commissioner and Community Service Districts
Incumbent Drew Brandy won another term as Port San Luis Harbor District commissioner for Division 5, and Incumbent Mary Matakovich won another term to represent Division 3.
Three seats were up for election on the Avila Beach Community Services District in November, but only two people applied to run. Incumbents Pete Kelley and Ara Najarian will both take office.
Two seats were open on the California Valley Community Services District, but only incumbent Piper Wilson applied to run for office. She will fill one of the positions.
Two seats were open on the Independence Ranch Community Services District, and two people applied to run for each four-year term. Charles Miller and retiree Georg Tracy will both fill positions.
Three seats were open on the Los Osos Community Services District, and one person applied to run for each four-year position.
Representing Division 1 will be Chuck Cesena. Matthew D. Fourcroy will represent Division 2 and Christine Womack will represent Division 4.
Three four-year positions were open on the Nipomo Community Services District board, and three people applied to run for those positions.
Taking office are incumbents Ed Eby and Dan Allen Gaddis as well as civil engineer Gary R. Hansen.
One two-year term was also open on the Nipomo CSD board of directors and Dan Woodon was the only applicant. He too will take office.
Two positions were up for election in the Oceano Community Services District, and there was only one applicant to represent Division 2. Allene Villa will fill that position.
Two four-year positions were open on the San Miguel Community Services District board, and two people are running.
Both applicants will take office: Owen Davis and retired business owner Rod Smiley.
Three four-year positions were up for election on the San Simeon Community Services District. Area A will be represented by Michael Donahue, while Jacqueline Diamond will represent Area D and Karina K. Tiwana will represent Area E.
Two four-year terms were up for election on the Templeton Community Services District, but only incumbent Wayne Peterson applied to run for office. He will fill the position.
Healthcare, sanitary and fire protection districts
Three positions were up for election at the Cambria Community Healthcare District, and one person applied to run for each office.
Bruce Mumper will represent the whole district while Laurie Mileur will represent Division 2 and John Milon will represent Division 3.
Three seats were up for election on the Cayucos Sanitary District board, including directors for Divisions 1, 2 and 4. Only one person applied to run for each position.
John H. Curti will represent Division 1, Robert W. Frank will represent Division 2 and Shirley Lyon will represent Division 4.
Two people applied for four-year positions on the Santa Margarita Fire Protection District’s governing board. Filling those positions are Elizabeth Mary Gorrill and Joel A. Switzer.
More than 20 races remain undecided in San Luis Obispo County, including the District 2 Board of Supervisors seat and positions on each city council except the Paso Robles City Council.
Mail-in ballots will be sent to voters between Oct. 10 and Nov. 1, and Election Day is Nov. 8.
For more election information, go to slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Clerk-Recorder/Elections-and-Voting.aspx.
This story was originally published August 19, 2022 at 10:06 AM.
