Woman charged with voter fraud wants to be SLO County’s top elections official
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Gaea Powell, facing eight felony election charges, launched a 2026 Clerk-Recorder bid.
- She centers campaign on in-person paper voting, ID checks and reduced technology.
- Her campaign site omits election fraud trial details, but she denies the charges.
A two-time former Arroyo Grande mayoral candidate who faces a looming trial for eight felony charges of election and voter fraud now wants to be San Luis Obispo County’s top elections official.
On Saturday, Gaea Powell, who is representing herself in her ongoing election fraud case, launched her campaign website to run for the clerk-recorder seat held by Elaina Cano.
She is running on a platform of “radical” transparency and accountability, restoring election integrity and protecting constitutional rights.
“San Luis Obispo County needs a leader who is bold enough — and unafraid — to alert the public to unjust election laws and empower citizens to elect representatives who truly reflect the people’s will,” Powell told The Tribune in a written statement. “Party lines mean nothing if our elections lack integrity. The current web of nonsensical election dictates has severely damaged public trust and must be confronted head-on.”
The official candidate filing window is from Feb. 9 to March 6. The California Primary Election is on June 2.
Clerk-recorder candidate accused of election fraud
Powell’s campaign website does not address the charges against her or her ongoing criminal case, which she has previously called a “politically motivated” strategy to prevent her from running for office again.
The charges relate to her residency during her campaigns for Arroyo Grande mayor, when she split her time between two residences inside and outside the city limits.
During the 2024 election, she admitted to spending most of her time at her residence outside the city limits, at 567 Heritage Lane — which is the address now listed on her campaign website. Powell was told at the time by city clerk Jessica Matson that there were “no residency restrictions related to time spent at one residence within the city limits versus at another outside city limits.”
“These charges are completely unfounded, and I am vigorously defending myself,” Powell said. “I maintain my innocence as fully complied with the candidacy requirements presented to me by (Matson) and the Fair Political Practices Commission.”
The allegations against her are all the more reason the public should trust her to be SLO County’s next head election official.
“Voters should trust me precisely because I am someone who stands up to government pressure and refuses to bow to lawfare or political intimidation,” she said. “... These experiences have shown the public what happens when someone asks tough questions and demands answers. I will always stand for honesty, accountability and the constitutional rights of every citizen.”
Former mayor candidate running on platform of election integrity and transparency
Powell has made a political name for herself for her local activism opposing access for transgender students under the age of 18 and her allegations that local school libraries contained pornographic material.
In July 2024, she controversially displayed sexually graphic photographs and videos in objection to the county Board of Supervisors’ Pride Month declaration.
She has also been a staunch advocate for eliminating mail-in ballot voting and voting machines, falsely claiming that the machines can be remotely hacked.
She is running on a platform of election integrity and public transparency, calling for in-person, same-day voting on paper ballots with voter identification required at the polls and “less technology that can be compromised,” while still getting same-day results.
“These are not partisan ideas — they are basic pillars of public trust,” she said.
Powell said if the rules remain the same as past elections, she does not plan to form a finance committee or accept campaign donations, so as to avoid “the influence of money in politics” and ensure her “independence remains intact.”
She will provide designs for anyone who wants to support her campaign to purchase signs, cards, banners or posters directly through a printer, she said.
“I have nothing to hide, and I am not part of the political establishment,” she said. “My commitment is to the people of San Luis Obispo County — not to political parties, bureaucracies or special interests.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 1:44 PM.
