How to vote in Arroyo Grande

Key dates

1. Sept. 30
   Ballots in the mail. San Luis Obispo County began mailing a ballot to every active registered voter on September 30. If yours hasn’t arrived by October 12, call the Elections Office at (805) 781-5228.
2. Oct. 1
   Drop boxes open. Official ballot drop boxes opened October 1. Each box is open during its building’s hours; South County locations below.
3. Oct. 5
   Early voting begins at the County Elections Office, 1055 Monterey St., Suite D120, San Luis Obispo: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesday.
4. Oct. 19
   Registration deadline. Last day to register at registertovote.ca.gov, or by mail postmarked by October 19.
5. Oct. 20 – Nov. 3
   Missed the deadline? You can still vote. Register and vote the same day, in person, at the County Elections Office in San Luis Obispo (or the Atascadero office from October 26). On Election Day you can also vote a provisional ballot at any polling place.
6. Oct. 26
   Atascadero satellite office opens at 6565 Capistrano Ave., Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m., and 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Election Day.
7. Oct. 27
   Last day to have a replacement ballot mailed (the county’s deadline is 7 days before the election). After that, pick one up in person at either Elections Office, or turn in your mail ballot at your polling place and vote there.
8. Oct. 31
   Saturday voting. The San Luis Obispo Elections Office is open 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
9. Nov. 3
   Election Day. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and reach the county by November 10; the county notes postmarks aren’t always applied the day you mail, so mail early. Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. or when their building closes, whichever is earlier.

What’s on the Arroyo Grande ballot

• Mayor of Arroyo Grande — a two-year term. Glenn T. Martin appears on the ballot as Planning Commissioner/Businessman. About Glenn · His priorities
• City Council, District 1 and District 4 — four-year terms. Council Members Kate Secrest (District 1) and Jim Guthrie (District 4) are each the only candidate on the ballot for their seat. Both have endorsed Glenn.
• Measure C-26 — cannabis business tax. A tax of up to 10% of gross receipts on cannabis businesses if the City ever permits them, estimated at about $500,000 a year (the City’s estimate assumes a 6% rate) for public safety, road maintenance and other city services. It does not by itself allow any cannabis business to open; that would take a separate City Council decision. Glenn supports Measure C-26
• Measure D-26 — State Water Project. Repeals and replaces Measure A (1990) and Measure E-16 (2016) so the City can participate in the California State Water Project — buying state water when it needs to — without a separate election each time. Glenn supports Measure D-26

Your ballot also includes statewide and county contests and propositions. The City’s official election page has the full text of both measures, the City Attorney’s impartial analyses and the ballot arguments: arroyogrande.org.

Returning your ballot

Three ways, all free. Mail it in the postage-paid envelope, postmarked by November 3. Drop it in any official San Luis Obispo County drop box while it’s open. Or bring it to any polling place in California by 8 p.m. on Election Day, or to the Elections Office during early voting.

Sign up for Where’s My Ballot? to get a text or email when your ballot is mailed, received and counted, and check your registration any time at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.

Drop boxes in South County

• Arroyo Grande City Hall, 300 E. Branch St. — Mon–Thu 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Fri 8 a.m.–noon. On Election Day (a Tuesday) this box closes at 5 p.m.
• Grover Beach City Hall, 154 S. 8th St. — Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Pismo Beach City Hall, 760 Mattie Rd. — Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Oceano Library, 1511 19th St. — Tue–Thu 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed 1–2 p.m.)
• Nipomo Library, 918 W. Tefft St. — Tue & Wed 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Thu & Sat 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Fri 1–5 p.m.
• County Clerk-Recorder, 1055 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo — open 24 hours, to the left of the double doors, until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Hours from the county’s official drop box list; the county says days and times may change.

Where to vote on Election Day

San Luis Obispo County assigns each voter a polling place; it’s printed at the top of your mail ballot, or use the county’s polling place look-up. Voting somewhere else means a provisional ballot. All are open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on November 3. Arroyo Grande polling places:

• South County Regional Center, 800 W. Branch St. — precincts 320, 401, 405, 406
• Portuguese Hall of Arroyo Grande, 707 Huasna Rd. — precincts 402, 408
• Saint Barnabas’ Episcopal Church, 301 Trinity Ave. — precinct 403
• The Gospel Lighthouse Church, 497 Fair Oaks Ave. — precincts 404, 409
• Arroyo Grande Community Center, 211 Vernon St. — precinct 407

From the county’s list of polling locations (printed September 16). The Elections Offices in San Luis Obispo and Atascadero are also open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Election Day.