Today is the last day to vote in California’s primary election. The election includes candidates for president and congress as well as local races. It also includes a statewide proposition on housing and mental health.
San Luis Obispo County
SLO County voters are choosing a new district five county supervisor and three judges for the SLO Superior Court.
Two Atascadero city council members are running against each other for the District Five seat, Mayor Heather Moreno and Councilmember Susan Funk.
The district includes the communities of Atascadero, California Valley, Creston, Garden Farms, Pozo and Santa Margarita, as well as portions of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, SLO and Templeton.
Moreno has worked for the city since 2008 and was elected as mayor ten years later. Meanwhile, Funk was elected into city council in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
As for the judicial races, three positions are up for election with each candidate running unchallenged for a six year term.
According to SLO County Clerk Recorder Elaina Cano, the county has received about 48,000 vote-by-mail ballots as of Monday.
Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a polling station or to your county elections office, according to the California Secretary of State’s Office. Ballots must also be postmarked on or before election day and received by March 12.
People can find their local polling stations here. Polls close at 8 p.m.
Last Minute changes to polls in SLO County
Last minute changes were made to polling places in San Luis Obispo County due to staffing shortages.
The changes affect polls in Los Osos and Oceano. According to a County press release, a few workers called out of their shifts, which caused some polls to be consolidated with others nearby.
The Los Osos polling place previously located at Monarch Grove Elementary School will no longer be available. Instead, voters can cast their ballots at the polls located at Trinity United Methodist Church.
Another polling place, located at the Oceano Community Center, was moved to the Rancho Del Arroyo MHP Clubhouse.
Cano said in a press release the County had challenges obtaining workers for this year’s primary election.
Santa Barbara County election
In Santa Barbara County, three positions on the board of supervisors are up for re-election.
In District One, Supervisor Das Williams is running against Roy Lee. Williams has been working in local government since 2003 and became the District One supervisor in 2017. Meanwhile, Lee has served on the Carpinteria City Council since 2018.
In District Three, Supervisor Joan Hartman is running against Frank T. Troise and Jenelle Osborne. The district includes the Santa Ynez Valley, the City of Lompoc, the Gaviota Coast and two-thirds of the City of Goleta.
Lastly, in District Four, Supervisor Bob Nelson is running against Krishna Flores. The district includes Orcutt, Los Alamos, Vandenberg Village, Mission Hills and eastern portions of Santa Maria— as well as Garey, Sisquoc and Tepusquet.
Nelson has served as the District 4 supervisor since 2020. Meanwhile, Flores serves as the vice chair of Manzanita Public Charter School.
Proposition One
Voters can expect to see one statewide measure on their ballot this election — Proposition 1.
If passed, it would approve a bond of more than $6 billion to build housing and treatment facilities for individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders.
It would also amend the Mental Health Services Act, passed in 2004. This legislation imposed a 1% tax on individuals earning over $1 million annually to fund mental health services.
The amendment would shift these funds from outpatient treatment and crisis response to supportive services and housing for people with mental illness.
According to the California Secretary of State’s website, opponents of the proposition argue that it's not the right time for California to invest more than $10 billion in mental health services when the state's is facing a budget deficit of more than $70 billion.
