Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. |
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The official newsletter of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County.
Vol 66 | Issue 8 | Date: Oct 3, 2024
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In this issue:
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SLO County Will Have an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 977 creating an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) for San Luis Obispo County. The law will go into effect in January 2025 and the CRC will be in place for the 2030 – 2031 redistricting cycle.
The League of Women Voters has long advocated for independent commissions to replace the drawing of electoral districts by elected officials. Independent commissions have been shown to curb gerrymandering by reducing partisan influence in the drawing of electoral boundaries. They help to ensure fair representation for all Americans.
We are grateful to Senator John Laird for sponsoring SB 977 and to Assemblymember Dawn Addis for supporting the measure. We thank Supervisors Bruce Gibson, Dawn Ortiz-Legg, and Jimmy Paulding for their decision to pursue “special legislation” as the most expeditious way to make the CRC a reality. We are indebted to the SLO County Citizens for Good Government for challenging the flawed redistricting process following the 2020 census and building public awareness of the harm of partisan redistricting. We thank the leadership of the League of Women Voters of California for their encouragement and guidance and the many members of our League who supported us as we joined with SLOCCGG to overturn the Patten Map.
The next steps will be in 2029 – 2030 when the protocols and procedures for implementing the CRC are established and the commissioners chosen. We intend that our League members will be actively involved in monitoring the process and educating the public about the commission.
For more information on SB 977 and what it means for the future of redistricting in SLO County go to the League website here to find background information on redistricting in general and the state of independent redistricting commissions in California and view our recent webinar “The Future of Redistricting in SLO County” here.
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Hear Directly from the Candidates
Attending or watching a candidates forum is one of the best ways to prepare for casting your ballot. Find more information about each forum on the forum event page.
| Date |
Time |
Forum |
Location |
Streaming
Information |
10/07/24
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6:30-8pm |
Atascadero City Council |
Atascadero United Methodist Church
11605 El Camino Real, Atascadero |
Event Page |
| 10/10/24 |
6-7:30pm |
Pismo Beach City Council & Mayor |
Pismo Beach City Council Chambers
760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach |
Event Page |
| 10/14/24 |
7-8:30pm |
Paso Robles Joint Unified School District |
Paso Robles JUSD Board Room
800 Niblick Road, Paso Robles |
Event Page |
| 10/16/24 |
6-6:40pm
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Port San Luis Harbor District |
On Zoom & YouTube Live |
Event Page |
View replays of the Grover Beach Mayor & City Council and the Arroyo Grande Mayor Candidates Forums on our YouTube Channel here.
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Watch Replays of our recent Lunch with the League Webinars
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MAKE YOUR VOTING PLAN FOR NOVEMBER 5 |
Get Registered, Be Informed, and Vote!
The November 5 general election is less than 6 weeks away. The League encourages you to make sure you have your voting plan in place. Every active registered voter in California will receive a vote by mail ballot around October 7, and the state voter guide will appear in your mailbox soon. |
- Not sure if you are registered at your current address? Check your status here and register online to update your information registertovote.ca.gov.
- Track your ballot from mailing to ready for counting at Where's My Ballot.
- Find information on candidates and measures at VOTE411, sos.ca.gov and slovote.com and in the Easy Voter Guide here.
- Learn about the ballot measures: watch the LWV SLOCO Pros & Cons video here.
- Read the state league ballot measure Pros & Cons here.
- Vote with the League: ballot measure recommendations here.
Remember – to be counted a vote by mail ballot must be either:
- Received at any polling place in California or at the local Elections Office before the polls close at 8:00 pm on Election Day.
- Deposited in an official drop box by the hours posted on the drop box.
- If mailed, postmarked by November 5 and received by the County Elections Office within 7 days of the election.
Share these resources with your family and friends.
| High School Voter Registration Competition Kickoff
Voter registration teams were out in force at Cuesta College, San Luis and Morro Bay High Schools, and Grizzly Academy on National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17, to talk to students about the importance of voting and offer the opportunity to register. Fifteen League members registered/pre-registered 240 students that day. The South County registration team visited Nipomo and New Tech High schools later in the week and registered/pre-registered another 92 students. 332 registrations, quite a haul for our first week of visits! More visits are scheduled at Paso Robles and Mission Prep High Schools as we continue to encourage schools to participate in the registration contest.
North County Poll Workers Needed
As reported earlier, we have expanded our Adopt a Poll effort into North County. We will be working with AAUW to host precincts at Grace Central Coast in Atascadero. We need a few more workers to round out our team. If you can work with us in Atascadero on Election Day, please contact Patti Dale at pollworker@lwvslo.org.
Pros And Cons Video on Website
The Pros and Cons committee headed by Ed Cabrera has been hard at work recording a video explaining the ten state propositions on the November ballot, as well as scheduling presentations to local organizations. View the video on YouTube here.
Check Out VOTE411 For Election Information
 The VOTE 411 database for the November 5th election has been completed. In the coming weeks candidates will update their profiles to let voters know where they stand on the issues. To learn about the candidates and find out the polling places and drop box locations for San Luis Obispo County go to the Voter Information page on our website here. Encourage your friends and families to use this resource to find out more about the November 5 election.
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It was a Busy Week and Lots to Come!
| September 18: The Latino Voter Engagement Project
The Latino Voter Engagement Project is well under way, having hosted community events in Atascadero, San Miguel, Nipomo, Oceano, Cambria, and San Luis Obispo. These student-led events were highlighted in a recent Tribune article here. Cal Poly Professors Victoria Zamora and Marion Hart, along with student leader Alondra Cardoso, attended the recent League Opening Meeting and updated attendees on the project. The League is proud to support these efforts to reach out to the Latino community in our County with tools to encourage civic participation and increase voter literacy.
September 19: The League Empty Chair Policy
On September 19, the League moderated a candidates forum for the City of Arroyo Grande which was to include the contested Mayoral and City Council races. The League was notified that one of the two City Council candidates would not appear at the forum. As a result, the other candidate was not able to participate. While it is understandable that the candidate and the public were disappointed, the League has a longstanding “Empty Chair” policy that states “the League may never hold or cosponsor a forum if only one candidate is able to participate in a forum event. To hold a one-candidate event could easily be construed as partisan, an endorsement of the candidate present or a contribution to or expenditure on behalf of that candidate”. Moderator Ed Cabrera reported that despite their disappointment, the candidates expressed their disagreement with the policy in a civil and respectful manner and the forum continued for the mayoral candidates.
The following day, the Tribune printed an opinion piece about the forum that highlighted the League’s role in making the candidates available to the voters. "That’s where the League of Women Voters comes in. It plays an outsized role in educating voters in an unbiased, bipartisan manner by moderating forums throughout the county. Those events give voters information they won’t find in glossy mailers, well-curated posts on social media or TV soundbites." See the Tribune opinion piece here.
The candidate forum team led by Shelly Higginbotham works hard to ensure the forums are run in a professional and nonpartisan manner in accordance with League principles. It’s great to see the League’s contributions appreciated. If you missed any of the past forums, view them on our YouTube Channel and look for forums coming to your area in the future by checking our website calendar.
September 26: Letter to the Editor
A letter to the editor encouraging voters to study the ballot measures carefully as they prepare to vote was published in the New Times on September 26. Read it here. The League urges voters to read the supporting and opposing statements, find out what the measure would actually do, beware of vague language and misleading information, determine who the sponsors and opponents are, and consider the fiscal impact of the measure.
October 10, 1 pm: Julie Rodewald on KCBX
 Julie Rodewald, LWV SLOCO Voter Service Chair, will be the guest on KCBX Central Coast Voices on October 10 at 1 pm to talk with Fred Munroe about Vote by Mail Voting and the upcoming election. Cal Poly political science professor Michael Latner will be joining in the conversation as well. Central Coast Voices addresses the many ramifications of change and how today's choices will affect tomorrow's community. This program is committed to exploring ideas about how to improve the quality of life in San Luis Obispo County with individuals and groups that are making an effort to make the Central Coast a better place to live for all. The show's topics and guests focus on raising public awareness about local and regional concerns such as health care access, neighborhood design, the state of our education infrastructure, economic impacts, and much more. Your hosts Lata Murti, Mario Epinoza-Kulick, Kris Kington-Barker and Fred Munroe invite you to join the conversation. To participate, call 805-781-3875 during the program.
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MESSAGE FROM THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE
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A Message & Opportunity for SLO County League Members
 In June 2025, LWV SLOCO members will elect a new slate of League leaders to serve on the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee for a 2-year term (July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027). This change of leadership will bring fresh voices and energy to advance our mission to empower voters and defend democracy.
We want to hear from you if any of the following ring true:
- You are passionate about the league’s mission and support the work of our committees on critical issues: voter service, housing & homelessness, natural resources, government policy, and civil discourse.
- You value being informed on public policy issues and are concerned about the misinformation and disinformation in our community.
- You have life experiences or skills that would help diversify our league and better reflect the broader community we serve.
- You have recent experience in accounting, book-keeping, or related financial experience, or have previously served as a treasurer.
If you would like to know more, please contact us for details about serving on the next Board of Directors or Nominating Committee. Working on either team offers a deep dive into the mission and priorities of the League, and you’ll make lots of new friends along the way. We hope to hear from you!
For more information, please send an email to: nominating@lwvslo.org. |
Help the County Determine Funding Priorities
The Social Services Division of SLO County is seeking input from you about funding priorities over the next five years. The funding is based on federal Housing & Urban Development (HUD) grants that will arrive on an annual basis. Social Services will use responses to a survey to do a Community Development Needs Assessment to help allocate the funds. You can find the survey online here. You must complete the survey by October 6.
Find more information about the program in a KSBY article here.
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Shelly Higginbotham Community Room
 The League of Women Voters is pleased to announce that League member and long-time housing advocate Shelly Higginbotham has been honored by People’s Self-Help Housing (PSSH). In recognition of her years of dedication to the Pismo Beach community, PSSH is dedicating the Community Room at Pismo Terrace in her honor.
Shelly, a former Mayor of Pismo Beach, is Board Chair of PSSH and on the Board of The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo County. As a League member, Shelly is active in Voter Service, serving as Chair of the Candidates Forums Subcommittee.
To learn more about this honor and Pismo Terrace, which provides permanent supportive housing for individuals and families, read an article in The Tribune here.
| | ~~~ You're Invited! ~~~
Virtual Cocktail Hour
October 30 at 5 pm
Both League members and non-members are invited to join us on Zoom for a casual hour of cocktails (or mocktails) and conversation. This is a great way to meet other League members, express your thoughts, and ask questions. RSVP to receive reminders or just drop in using the link on the event page here.
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The LWV SLOCO Opening Meeting held September 14 at El Chorro Regional Park gave our members the chance to share updates about committee activities, hear about upcoming voter service opportunities, and expand our connections with other community organizations.
Tribal Chairwoman Mona Tucker and Tribal Member Kelsey Shaffer of the YTT Northern Chumash beautifully introduced themselves and the tiłhini indigenous language. Diversity Coalition SLO Board Members Joy Pedersen and Jean D'Costa also attended and shared updates. During discussions with all four of these guests, Ed Cabrera and Kim Gravell discussed opportunities to further connect and collaborate with YTT Northern Chumash Tribal Council, the Diversity Coalition SLO and Cal Poly.
Cal Poly professors Dr. Victoria Zamora and Dr. Marion Hart and student Vianey Cardosa spoke about the Latino Voter Engagement Project. They encouraged attendees to bring their friends and neighbors to upcoming presentations targeted to Spanish-speaking residents that will be held throughout the county. The League received a $3,000 County funds grant to partner with Cal Poly to implement this project in collaboration with the County Elections Office. Read a recent Tribune article about the project here.
Members toured the SLO Botanical Garden and learned about Mediterranean climate zones and plants, as well as the history of the gardens, from Founder Eve Vigil. The docent tours of the gardens gave us lots of ideas for our own outdoor spaces. The tour was followed by a delicious barbecue that featured tri tip sandwiches prepared by members of the Osos Baywood Kiwanis and SLO Kiwanis clubs. The sunshine and camaraderie invigorated us for a busy election season.
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How to Effectively Communicate Your Ideas and Be Heard in PublicMeetings
Monday, October 21, 2024
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Morro Bay Community Center
This forum is free and open to the public.
Register here to receive event reminders.
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Presented by the Civil Discourse Committee of the League of Women Voters San Luis Obispo County.
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2024 U.S. Election Forum Series
Power, Politics and Our Democracy
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UC Santa Cruz is excited to share their U.S. Elections Forum Series to provide a platform for deep conversations about our quickly changing and polarized democracy, and consider how to participate in and help shape our futures. How do power, politics, and the media landscape interact, disrupt, and reinforce one another? Join the conversation with scholars and national thought leaders to learn more about how to think critically about our political processes and the nature of our democracy. There are six events in the series, all of them are offered online via Zoom, and three events have an in-person option. More information listed here. Events are free and open to the public.
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League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County
The League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County is a nonpartisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to people 16 years and older, of all gender identities. With over 100 years of experience, the League is one of America’s oldest and most trusted civic nonprofit organizations.
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