Still deciding your vote in SLO County? Here’s our comprehensive election guide
Voting in San Luis Obispo County’s November General Election will conclude Tuesday evening at 8 p.m., and as of Monday about 30% of registered voters here had turned in their ballots.
Reporters at The Tribune have been putting together voting guides for various races, reporting on various measures and adding context for months to ensure SLO County voters informed and empowered to cast their ballot.
The Tribune’s Editorial Board has also endorsed candidates, written editorials and collected viewpoints to add additional perspectives to the election.
Here’s a comprehensive list of all of our election coverage to help inform your vote. For a complete list of the Editorial Board’s endorsements, click here.
Board of Supervisors race
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors race in District 2, which covers parts of the North Coast and North County, has been the county’s most contested this election — with incumbent Bruce Gibson facing off retired orthopedic surgeon Bruce Jones in what has been dubbed a “battle of the Bruces.”
The two men were sent to a runoff election in the midterms after getting the top two spots in the primary in July.
- Where do SLO County District 2 candidates stand on water, housing and homelessness?
- Attack ads target Bruce Gibson — and some are funded by DA Dan Dow. Here’s a fact check
- Bruce Jones slammed Republican opponent during the primary. Now he has his endorsement
- Who’s funding the SLO County Board of Supervisors race? Here’s a donation breakdown
- Tribune Editorial: The SLO County GOP calls him ‘Debbie Arnold without the skirt.’ That’s not who we need
- Tribune Editorial: Is DA Dan Dow a prosecutor or a politician? It’s getting tougher to tell
- Viewpoint: Dan Dow responds to Tribune editorial: Here’s why I support Bruce Jones for supervisor
- Viewpoint: Bruce Gibson’s rebuttal: DA has ‘piled on more disinformation and lies’
North Coast races
Incumbent John Headding is facing small business owner Carla Wixom in the race for Morro Bay mayor. Meanwhile, five candidates are competing for two City Council seats, including business owner Cyndee Edwards, attorney Dave Duringer, server Sarah Smith Robinson, marketer Casey Cordes and homemaker Zara Landrum.
- Here’s where Morro Bay council candidates stand on 7 key issues — from water to wind energy
- Where do Morro Bay mayor, City Council candidates stand on water, wind energy and housing?
- Tribune editorial: Who are the best candidates to lead Morro Bay?
Measure B-22 creates a new tax for Morro Bay that aims to fund maintenance of the city’s docks, seawalls and other harbor infrastructure.
Jim Bahringer, Michael Thomas and Debra Scott are running for two open seats on the Cambria Community Services District board of directors.
Five candidates are running for three open seats on the Cayucos Elementary School District board this November, but only one is contested. Single candidates are running for two of the seats: Chris Castillo in Area 2 and Gretchen Ross in Area 3. Meanwhile, three candidates are running to represent Area 1: Incumbent Steve Geil is facing off against Kerry Friend and Chloe Phillips.
North County races
Atascadero mayor Heather Moreno is running for reelection unopposed, while City Council incumbents Susan Funk and Heather Newsom are running for their seats against Bret Heinemann, a local writer. The Tribune’s Editorial Board endorsed Funk and Newsom, as Heinemann does not have government experience
In Paso Robles, incumbent Mayor Steve Martin is challenged by Michael Rivera. Two seats on the City Council, occupied by John Hamon and Chris Bausch, are uncontested.
Measure F-22 would increase the city’s transient occupancy tax, a general tax levied on rent charged by operators of hotels, short-term rentals or similar lodging for people staying in Paso Robles for less than 30 days, from 10% to 11%.
School boards in Atascadero, Paso Robles and Templeton all have seats to fill.
Nine candidates are vying for four open seats on Atascadero Unified School District’s board: Chris Collins, Tracy Ellis-Weit, Tami Gunther, Dan Hathaway, Rebekah Koznek, Denise McGrew Kane, Vy Pierce, George Shoemaker and Scott Staton.
- How do Atascadero Unified School District candidates compare on the issues?
- 9 Atascadero school board candidates answer questions at forum. How do they compare?
Ten candidates are running for four open seats to the Paso Robles school board. Joel Peterson, is running unopposed to represent Trustee Area 2, while the fields for Area 1, Area 4 and an at-large, two-year seat at the board all have multiple candidates.
For Area 1, incumbent Chris Arend is facing off against Peter Byrne and Jim Cogan; in Area 4, Catherine Reimer and Sondra Williams are challenging appointed incumbent Frank Triggs. For the at-large seat, all three candidates are newcomers: Adelita Hiteshew, Jim Irving and Laurene D. McCoy.
- How do candidates for Paso Robles Joint Unified School District compare?
- Tribune Editorial: Paso Robles has a chance to heal its divisive school board by electing these 3 candidates
Matt Allison, Janel Armet, Jen Grinager, Jason Tesarz, Fiona Bond and Jay L. Raftery are competing for two open seats on Templeton Unified School District’s board of trustees.
San Luis Obispo races
San Luis Obispo mayor Erica Stewart is running for reelection against Donald Hedrick, Richard Orcutt and Jeffrey Specht while four candidates are running for two open seats on the City Council: Joe Benson, Emily Francis, Michelle Shoresman and James Papp.
- Where do candidates for SLO mayor and City Council stand on the issues?
- Tribune Editorial: Our choices for SLO mayor and City Council
A total of seven candidates are running for four open seats on the San Luis Coastal school board. Two are running unopposed: Rob Banfield to represent Trustee Area 2 and incumbent Ellen Sheffer, who will represent Trustee Area 5. In Area 1, incumbent Marilyn Rodger is facing off against Loren Leidinger, while in Area 4, incumbent Mark Buchman is running against Tony Evans.
Measure C-22 aims to fund $349 million to modernize San Luis Coastal School District’s 12 elementary and middle schools, plus Pacific Beach High School.
South County races
Arroyo Grande’s mayoral seat has three contenders: Incumbent Caren Ray Russom, Dale T. Hanson and Gaea Powell. City Council has two open seats, with three candidates in the race. Kathleen Secrest is running unopposed for the District 1 seat, and James Robert Guthrie and Ben Franco are running for District 4.
- Where candidates for Arroyo Grande mayor and City Council stand on the issues
- Tribune Editorial Board interview with Arroyo Grande candidates
- Tribune Editorial: The best choices for Arroyo Grande mayor and council
Measure D-22 in Arroyo Grande proposes to increase the city’s local transactions and use tax, or, sales tax, by 1% for the city’s general fund, to fund repairs for streets, sidewalks, potholes, drain systems and other infrastructure.
In Grover Beach, two candidates are running for mayor and three candidates for two open seats on the City Council. In the city’s new District 1, Robert Robert is running unopposed for City Council. In District 2, Ron Arnoldsen is facing off against Daniel Rushing for the open seat. Meanwhile, Karen Bright is running against Stacy Korsgaden for mayor.
- How do Grover Beach candidates for mayor, city council compare?
- Tribune Editorial: Grover Beach is on a roll. These candidates will keep it going
Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage is running for reelection unopposed. The five candidates for the two open City Council seats are Erik Howell, Stacy Inman, Kevin Carl Kreowski, Debora Ann Lossing and Mary Ann Reiss.
- Where do Pismo Beach City Council candidates stand on water, tourism and other issues?
- Tribune Editorial: Mary Ann Reiss is a shoo-in for Pismo Beach City Council. Who deserves the other seat?
Ten candidates are running for four open seats to the Lucia Mar Unified School District. In Area 3, incumbent Daevin Thomas is facing off against Andrea Naemi-Vergne and Ashley Smeester, while in Area 5, incumbent Colleen Martin is being challenged by Gary Joralemon. Candidates for the Area 6 seat are Eilene Pham, Roxana Maldonado and Scott Bloom. Candidates in Area 7 are Luke Davis and Donna Kandel.
The South County areas of the San Luis Obispo Community College Board have two open seats, with Pat Mullen running unopposed for the Area 3 trustee seat and incumbent Peter Sysak facing off against Adrienne Garcia-Specht for the Area 4 spot.
- How do candidates for SLO County Community College District board compare?
- Tribune Editorial: Cuesta Trustee Peter Sysak was censured for toxic FB posts. He doesn’t deserve your vote
Other SLO County races
Dawn Addis and Vicki Nohrden were the top vote-getters in the primary race for San Luis Obispo County’s main California State Assembly district, District 30. Addis is a Morro Bay City Council member and Women’s March SLO co-founder while Nohrden is a nonprofit director and educator.
Starting next year, San Luis Obispo County will be represented in Congress by two people instead of one. The northern portion of the county — Atascadero, Cayucos and above — is now part of the 19th District, which stretches to the San Jose suburbs. The southern portion of the county remains part of the 24th District, which extends down to Ventura. In District 19, incumbent Democrat Jimmy Panetta is facing against Republican challenger Jeff Gorman, while in District 24, incumbent Democrat Salud Carbajal is opposed by Republican Dr. Brad Allen.
- Where do SLO County’s candidates for Congress stand on the issues?
- Tribune Editorial: There are 2 congressional races in San Luis Obispo County. Here are our recommendations
For all of our election coverage, visit www.sanluisobispo.com/news/politics-government/election. For a comprehensive list of The Tribune Editorial Board’s endorsements, click here.
This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 6:07 PM.
