SLO County Board of Supervisors declares election results after resident requests recount
A day after a local voter requested a recount of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors’ District 2 race, the board voted to officially declare the results of November’s mid-term election.
At its meeting Tuesday, the board voted 4-1 to declare the results of the Nov. 8 election.
San Luis Obispo County counsel Rita Neal said the procedure “is really more of a formality” to publicly recognize the ballot results, and that the board is required by state law to declare the election results after the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office certifies them.
“This is really a ministerial procedure on behalf of this board,” Neal said.
County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano certified the election results on Dec. 7 and sent them to the California Secretary of State’s Office, according to Neal.
A voter or the Secretary of State’s Office could have potentially sued the board if the supervisors had refused to declare the results, Neal said.
According to Neal, candidates who won their elections would still be sworn in even if the board voted against declaring the election results.
“Your action won’t effect the swearing in ceremony,” Neal told the supervisors at Tuesday’s meeting.
The supervisors’ vote came on day after San Miguel resident Darcia Stebbens launched a recount effort.
On Monday, Stebbens requested a ballot recount for the District 2 Board of Supervisors race on behalf of the campaign of Dr. Bruce Jones, who ran against incumbent Bruce Gibson for the seat.
According to the certified election results, Gibson defeated Jones by 13 votes.
The Clerk-Recorder’s Office must start the recount process by Monday, Dec. 19, Neal said.
Supervisor Debbie Arnold mentioned the recount Tuesday when she cast the lone dissenting vote against declaring the results of the election.
“For this election, we know there were issues with several versions of the voting materials that were mailed out prior to the actual election, and then many irregularities during the processing of ballots,” Arnold said, although she did not present evidence of those alleged irregularities. “Right now there’s a recount in process, and I’m just going to say I’m not comfortable declaring the results of the election at this time.”
Four San Luis Obispo County voters also expressed concerns with the election process during public comment on Tuesday, discussing their concerns about the possibility of the state sending mail-in ballots to folks who have died or moved, and potential irregularities in the ballot counting process.
Two other speakers expressed their support for and trust in the election process and results.
“We heard from a number of people today that had issues,” Peschong said. “I think those are separate issues and maybe court issues.”
Neal explained that the board’s decision to declare the results does not impair anyone’s ability to challenge the election results in court.
This is not the first time Stebbens has questioned the results of a local election.
She also requested a recount for the District 4 Board of Supervisors race following the June primary election.
Eighteen days and more than $53,000 later, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office found that the original count was 100% accurate.
It was not clear Tuesday how much the recount of November’s District 2 election will cost, or how long it will take.
This story was originally published December 13, 2022 at 11:07 AM.
