Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. |
|
The official newsletter of the League of Women Voters of San Luis Obispo County.
Vol 69 | Issue 10 | Date: October 27, 2026
|
|
In this issue:
|
|  | |
➤ See What's On Your Ballot
➤ Check Your Voter Registration
➤ Find Your Polling Place
➤ Find Candidate Information
➤ And Much More! |
 | |
Read the Easy Voter Guide, a plain-language guide to why, how, and what to vote, available in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese.
|
|
 | |
Watch our narrated Pros and Cons presentation of the statewide propositions, a nonpartisan look at what each measure would do and the arguments for and against it. |
|
How to vote:
Any registered voter may vote using a vote-by-mail ballot instead of going to the polls on Election Day. After you have voted, insert your ballot in the envelope provided, making sure you complete all required information on the envelope. You may return your voted ballot by:
Drop box
Drop off your completed ballot in the return envelope at a secure official drop box in your county at any time between now and the close of polls on November 3.
In person
Drop your completed ballot in the return envelope off at a secure drop box, polling place, vote center, or county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on November 3. Voting locations offer voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance.
By mail
Return your ballot by mail as soon as you receive it. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received not later than 7 days after Election Day. To ensure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day make sure to mail it at least five days before Election Day, November 3, 2026. If mailing on Election Day, get a hand-stamped postmark from a postal employee inside a US Post Office.
Authorizing someone to return the ballot on your behalf.
Anyone may return your ballot for you, as long as they do not get paid on a per ballot basis.
If you didn't register before October 19, 2026:
- Conditional Voter Registration allows eligible citizens to register and vote on the same day. The 14-day Conditional Registration period runs from October 20 through Election Day and is only available in person at the Clerk-Recorder's office.
- You can vote a provisional ballot at any polling place on Election Day (7:00 am - 8:00 pm), or at the Clerk-Recorder's offices in SLO and Atascadero. Your provisional ballot will be counted once it has determined that you were indeed eligible to vote.
| 
|
| |
|
 |
• Arroyo Grande Mayor
• Grover Beach Mayor & City Council
• Lucia Mar School Board
• Pismo Beach Mayor & City Council
• San Luis Coastal School Board
• San Miguel Community Services District Director
• Templeton School Board
|
WATCH THE
CANDIDATE FORUM
REPLAYS ➤ ➤ ➤ |
|
| |
|
Hear directly from the candidates - watch the video replays on YouTube here. |
 LWV Opposes Unconstitutional Changes to Census Rules
It’s not too early to think about the 2030 census with the Trump administration attempting to change the rules about who gets counted. On September 10th, the Census Bureau announced sweeping changes to how the census is conducted. The proposed rule would:
- Count only US citizens and green card holders.
- NOT count other visa holders or undocumented immigrants.
- Stop collecting race and ethnicity data.
- Ban the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data from any future Census Bureau surveys, including the census.
The rule will have major adverse effects across daily life in our democracy. These changes will severely distort population counts, create inaccurate representations of communities during apportionment and redistricting, and disrupt how state and local governments plan essential public services.
Join LWV in opposing this rule by responding to the Action Alert here.
Speak out with the League
How can YOU amplify the League’s voice and increase our impact for change? Make your support for fairness and democracy known by responding to Action Alerts from LWVUS and LWVC.
Get involved. Sign up for LWV Action Alerts
Sign up for LWVC Communications
Take Action | League of Women Voters | |
LEGISLATIVE VICTORIES FOR CALIFORNIA
|
Governor Newsom Signs into Law Bills Supported by the League of Women Voters of California
The 2025 – 2026 legislative session is over and Governor Newsom has signed into law 43 of 46 bills supported by the League of Women Voters of California, including 11 of LWVC’s 12 priority bills. These include the California Voting Rights Act of 2026, a bill requiring accountability and transparency by operators of private detention centers, a bill establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission for San Bernardino County, and measures protecting voters from intimidation and interference at the polls and California’s election infrastructure from unauthorized law enforcement interference.
See more about these League supported bills here. | |
REPORT ON FEDERAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE
|
 New Report from Democracy Forward Reveals Expansive Abuse of Power and Invasion of Privacy Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections
Democracy Forward, a national legal organization that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, public education, and regulatory engagement, has issued a report revealing new evidence of federal interference in the midterm elections.
Using government records, the report documents how the administration is abusing the power and resources of the federal government to pursue baseless claims of widespread election fraud and assert greater control over elections.
Democracy Forward is a frequent partner of the League of Women Voters in lawsuits against the Trump administration, providing legal representation and advocacy in court and serving as a co-plaintiff.
See the press release announcing the report here.
For the full report see Exposing and Disrupting Federal Attempts to Interfere in the 2026 Midterm Elections - Democracy Forward. | WEBINAR REPLAY: RECENT SCOTUS DECISIONS |
Election Daze: Making Sense of Recent SCOTUS Decisions
on Elections and Vote-By-Mail Ballots
| | The Supreme Court's 2026 term reshaped American democracy in real time. Recent judicial rulings affecting the November election raised as many issues as they settled. Where do we stand with challenges to mail-in-ballots and the states’ authority to determine how elections are run?
Retired federal judge Alex Karlin reviews recent judicial rulings affecting the November election, including challenges to mail-in-ballots. He breaks down the Court's most consequential rulings of the year and what they mean for all of us.
| | | |
LEAGUE HOLIDAY PARTY DEC 10
| |
Eat, Drink and Be Merry with the League!
| | Join us for our 3rd annual holiday party on December 10, 4:30-7:00 pm
➤ Mix and mingle with other League members, their guests, and SLO County elected officials to celebrate the holiday season.
➤ Enjoy the inviting atmosphere and festive decor of the Farmhouse Wine Lounge in SLO.
➤ Relish savory and sweet nibbles and sip premier wines selected from Farmhouse's international offerings while celebrating the League’s greatest asset— YOU, our members!
Farmhouse Corner Market & Wine Lounge
1025 Farmhouse Ln, San Luis Obispo
Cost: $35 per person. Register here.
| | |
This event is limited to League members and guests. Advance registration is required. | LWV SLOCO AT PAINT THE PLAZA |
LWV SLOCO participated on September 19 in the inaugural “Paint the Plaza” chalk festival in downtown SLO. This festival, hosted in Mission Plaza, was a community-centered art event, reminiscent of festivals past. Our “artist in residence” Joanne Schultz created a League message which was seen by passers-by as they walked through Mission Plaza. | ANNUAL FINANCIAL REVIEW REPORT |
The Financial Review Committee submitted the bylaws-mandated review of League finances for FY 2025-2026 to the LWV SLOCO Board of Directors at the October 15, 2026 Board meeting. The committee members Glenn Silloway, Cecelia Lobdill, Courtney Shepler, and Straith Smith-Zanartu (Chair), with League Treasurer Wendy Brown, serving as consultant, determined that the financial statements are in order and no material modifications need to be made. The Board accepted the report as presented. |
El Niño Flood Warning by Paul Burke and Jane Wagner-Tyack
 El Niño will cause floods, mudflows, and mudslides. Dams can break. Flood insurance and/or “Difference in Conditions” policies are needed to cover landslides, mudflows, quakes, and floods. If the premium looks high, the risk is high. Get it now. It takes at least 30 days to start. No insurance covers mudslides. Inland, the main risk is rain. The Great Flood of 1861–1862 made the Central Valley a 300-mile inland sea. Floods this big are expected every 140-200 years. Coastal risks include storm surges, waves and sea level rise. Read the article at: floods.ourwater.us
Paul Burke is the LWV Ventura County Coordinator for VOTE411 in California and executive committee member and chair of the Environmental and Climate Justice Committee (and Political Action Committee) for the NAACP Ventura County branch.
Jane Wagner-Tyack is the Program Co-Director and Legislative Consultant, Water at the League of Women Voters of California. | Community events are listed for your information. Their inclusion does not imply League endorsement.
| 
A House United, A Documentary Community Screening Event
Thursday November 5, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Join the Braver Angels Alliance of the Central Coast for a screening of A House United, a new documentary about the people working to bring a divided country back together. "This is not a story about polarization, it's the story of the efforts made by those doing something about it." Stay after the film for a conversation hosted by your local alliance. Proceeds support Braver Angels and the bridge-building organizations behind the film.
SLO City-County Library Community Room, 995 Palm Street, SLO
Tickets are $12. | Buy tickets here | See the trailer here
| Webinar: A Colossal El Niño Meets a Warmer World: What does it mean for us?
Tuesday October 27 at 12:00 PM
 The Pacific Ocean is heating up for what could become the strongest El Niño on record. Join us for an easy-to-understand look at what El Niño is, how scientists track it, and what it could mean for us. We’ll explore how El Niño can bring droughts and floods around the world — and what we might see here in California, including warmer ocean water, bigger waves, heavier rain, and a greater risk of dangerous mud and debris flows along the Central Coast. Register here.
Speakers:
Dr. Séverine Fournier, scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
John Lindsey, local meteorologist | 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. | |