Local voters will choose City Council members, school board trustees, and weigh in on funding measures

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Next Tuesday, Nov. 5, is America’s Election Day. Registered voters across the nation will have a chance to partake in democracy and cast their vote in person — if they have not already done so by mail.

According to History.com, Americans first began the custom of weekday voting in 1845, when Congress passed a federal law designating the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November as Election Day. Prior to that, states held elections any time they wanted within a 34-day period before the first Wednesday in December. Evidently, this method had some flaws, so the congressmen decided to narrow things down.

So why did they decide on a Tuesday in November for Election Day? In 19th-century America, most voters were farmers who traveled long distances to vote. To accommodate them, lawmakers chose Tuesday for elections, as weekends were reserved for church and Wednesdays were market days. November was selected as the ideal month,since spring and early summer elections interfered with planting, and late summer and early fall conflicted with harvest. November offered a practical window after the harvest but before winter weather set in. 

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This year’s Election Day, San Luis Obispo County voters have several choices to make. 

Atascadero 

In Atascadero, residents will vote for a new mayor. Current City Councilmembers Charles Bourbeau and Mark Dariz both have terms ending this year. Bourbeau announced his campaign for Atascadero mayor in April and no one filed to run against him for the seat.

For the remaining two at-large seats on City Council, there are three candidates vying for a position in local government. Tori Keen, Seth Peek, and Dariz have been qualified for the two at-large seats available for the Atascadero City Council. Peek is a local business owner and long-time resident, and Keen has been on the Atascadero Planning Commission since 2019 and is a family law paralegal. Dariz, an architect, has been holding a seat on the City Council since 2020.

City of Atascadero election details can be found here along with each candidate’s statement: atascadero.org/2024-general-election

On June 25, the Atascadero City Council approved a resolution to place Measure L-24 on the ballot for the Nov. 5 General Election that will extend Measure F-14 — a sales tax adopted in 2014. The measure, titled Atascadero Local Roads and Vital Services Funding Extension Measure, will ask voters to extend the existing half-cent per dollar (0.5 percent) general sales tax that is otherwise set to sunset in 2027.

You can find more information on the resolution here: atascadero.org/news/november-5th-general-election-ballot-measure-l-24

For the Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD), there are three at-large seats available, each running a term of four years. 

Current board members with expiring terms in 2024 are Matt Pennon, Terri Switzer, and Corinne Kuhnle. On the ballotfor AUSD are Pennon, Kuhnle, Veronica “Roni” DeCoster, Joey Arnold, and Jodi Taylor.

The district is also adding Measure B-24 to the November ballot. You can find more information on the measure here: slocounty.ca.gov/departments/clerk-recorder/forms-documents/elections-and-voting/current-elections/2024-11-05-presidential-general/documents/appendix-c-signed

Templeton

In Templeton Unified School District (TUSD), there are three at-large seats open. Current trustees with expiring terms are Ted Dubost, Cheryl Parks, and Nelson Yamagata. Vying for seats in November are Dubost, Parks, Matt Allison, and Jason Tesarz.

Also on the ballot for TUSD is Measure D-24. Measure D is a general obligation (GO). If approved by 55 percent of district votes cast, Measure D-24 will authorize $52.3 million to make renovations and improve schools and classrooms throughout TUSD. In addition, Measure D-24 will allow the district to qualify for state matching funds.

You can find more information on the measure here: templetonusd.org/board-of-trustees/general-obligation-bond-2024

Paso Robles 

In Paso Robles, there are three City Council member seats up for grabs this November: 

  • City Council District 1 for a partial term of two years
  • City Council District 3 for a full term of four years
  • City Council District 4 for a full term of four years

Find the district map here: prcity.com/DocumentCenter/View/34109/District-Map—2022-2032-PDF

Currently vying for the District 1 seat are now four candidates: Kris Beal, Sharon Roden, and Linda George. For District 3, Jeff Carr, Michael Rivera, and Steve Gregory are running for the seat. In District 4, current City Councilmember Fred Strong is running for another term. He is running unopposed.

Also up for election is the City Treasurer which is an at-large seat for a full term of four years. Incumbent Ryan Cornell is the only person so far running for the position.

Additionally, Paso Robles residents will vote on Measure I-24 which includes three resolutions: 

    • Resolution 24-069 — Calling for the Placement of a General Tax Measure on the Ballot for the General Municipal Election (edocs.prcity.com/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=74351&dbid=0&repo=CityOfPasoRobles&cr=1)
    • Resolution 24-070 — Requesting Consolidation of Municipal Election: Ballot Measure (edocs.prcity.com/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=74352&dbid=0&repo=CityOfPasoRobles)
    • Resolution 24-071 — Providing for the Filing of Primary and Rebuttal Arguments and Setting Rules for the Filing of Written Arguments Regarding a City Measure (edocs.prcity.com/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=74353&dbid=0&repo=CityOfPasoRobles)

For more information on how to run for City Council, visit prcity.com/1041/Elections.

The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District (PRJSUD) has four seats up for grabs this November for Trustee Areas 3, 5, 6, and 7.

For Trustee Area 3, Nathan Williams and Hunter M. Breese are vying for the seats. Williams is currently on the board and is serving as board president.

For Trustee Area 5, Laurene D. McCoy, who is already on the board, is running for a second term. She is running against former teacher and trustee Tim Gearhart. In Trustee Area 6, Adelita Hiteshew and Leo Castillo are vying for the seat. For Trustee Area 7, incumbent Kenney Enney and challenger Tracy Dauterman are vying for the seat. 

Polling Information

The SLO County Elections Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 2, to assist voters with obtaining replacement Vote-by-Mail ballots and to answer questions in advance of Election Day. Additionally, anyone who isn’t already registered can register to vote on site and cast their ballot immediately. 

The Elections Office is usually open the Saturday before Election Day so that county residents who are unavailable during the work week can come in and get help with registration or voting. In addition, this year, the Clerk-Recorder staff will be on hand to help with vital records requests — another service that is typically only available during business hours Monday through Friday. 

While the Elections counter will be open in the Government Center lobby on Saturday, there will be work going on in the back of the Elections Center as well. Staff are planning to process and tabulate returned Vote-by-Mail ballots during the hours that the office is open.

The public is welcome to observe the processing and tabulation activities, though room is limited, so observation will be subject to space availability. Anyone who would like to observe must check in at the counter first and receive observer credentials. 

Finally, the Elections Office has also released the official list of precinct numbers and locations for voting on Tuesday, Nov. 5, along with the addresses for each. 

The SLO Elections Office is located in the Katcho Achadjian County Government Center at 1055 Monterey St. in San Luis Obispo. Anyone with questions about voting, observing, or elections processes can call (805) 781-5228 or email elections@co.slo.ca.us. The Elections Office recommends that observers call ahead to confirm what processing and tabulation activities will be happening on any given day.

For a complete list of polling locations in San Luis Obispo County, visit slocounty.ca.gov/departments/clerk-recorder/forms-documents/elections-and-voting/current-elections/2024-11-05-presidential-general/documents/list-of-voting-locations-for-the-november-5,-2024,-general-election