Women’s March San Luis Obispo organizers are deeply alarmed by recent drastic changes to our electoral system. Today we urge each person in our County to show up and speak up for safe, fair and fully enfranchised elections.
Four years ago during the first Women’s March in San Luis Obispo, thousands took to the streets unified in defending a more just and equitable democracy. Since the beginning, this movement has been about creating lasting change. We knew then what we know now – that every single voice makes a difference.
Now, as we watch local elections be purposefully eroded, it’s up to each of us to show up and speak up in numbers too large to ignore.
In November 2020, the SLO County Board of Supervisors voted to raise their own campaign limits to almost four times the limit set by the California State Legislature, thereby opening local elections to higher limits than even our state representatives.
Next, when presented with the choice to expand voting access, the same Board of Supervisors went the opposite direction, selecting the most restrictive voting model possible for San Luis Obispo County.
Most recently, in tandem with a fringe trend to sow distrust in American democracy, the validity of the San Luis Obispo County 2020 elections results were baselessly challenged. As part of the disinformation campaign, our County Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong was attacked with hateful, racist, anti-Asian rhetoric. Some went as far as to claim Mr. Gong, a third generation American, might be a Chinese Communist. Subsequently, Mr. Gong stepped down and will leave our County.
With the Clerk-Recorder seat vacant, it’s up to the Board of Supervisors to appoint a new official who will plan, implement and supervise our upcoming San Luis Obispo County elections. It’s critically important to make our voices heard in this process. We must make it known that we expect an impartial and apolitical Clerk-Recorder to be appointed.
Ahead of us are urgent issues, such as redistricting, a recall, and a general election, that includes choosing a new Clerk-Recorder. Each will be incredibly complex and extremely challenging. Together they will have a lasting impact on democracy.
We marched, we organized, we ran, we voted. Now is the time for each and every one of us to defend the cornerstone of our democracy and demand fair elections conducted in a transparent, professional and non-partisan manner.
We ask the SLO County Board of Supervisors to unanimously appoint a non-partisan interim Clerk-Recorder who will continue to instill confidence in San Luis Obispo County’s democratic process. Join this call by reaching out to your City, County, and State representatives. Make sure your voice is heard. A powered up democracy requires our involvement.
Respectfully,
Women’s March San Luis Obispo Organizers
Dawn Addis, Andrea Chmelik, Terry Parry, Pat Harris, Jen Ford, Rita Casaverde, Gail Bunting
CALL TO ACTION:
✓ I will contact my City Council and ask them to send a letter to the SLO County Board of Supervisors supporting unanimous appointment of a non-partisan interim Clerk-Recorder. I will ask them to adopt a resolution that will explicitly support free, fair and fully enfranchised elections. Find your City Council here.
✓ I will contact my County Supervisor and ask them to unanimously appoint a non-partisan interim Clerk-Recorder who will continue to instill confidence in SLO County’s democratic process. Find your County Supervisor here.
✓ I will contact my State Representatives and ask them protect free and fair elections. Find your State Representatives here.
I strongly support this request from Women’s March SLO. We must have free and fair elections.
We did NOT, repeat NOT work so hard to turn out the vote so that it can be taken away from us by sore losers who just didn’t want Joe Biden to be elected President. We will NOT vote for any elected official or candidate who pledges to eliminate this essential part of our Democracy!!
While I now reside in Santa Barbara County, I attended Cal Poly and called San Luis Obispo my home for many years, after graduation. We must aggressively defend or democratic electoral process against unfounded attacks by partisan groups and individuals who want to undermine the people’s trust for their own political gains.
Would you please post the email addresses of the city, state and county representatives to contact. Thank you.
Hi Ellen,
You can find your city council here – https://bit.ly/2T8LPyq, your county supervisors here – https://bit.ly/3x4qmFx, and your state representatives here – https://bit.ly/3gZf0wU
Thank you.
WMSLO – I have run into a wall searching for Arroyo Grande email addresses for the city council. However, I do plan to contact them via a letter. Also, the county Supervisors have been in recess. The Supervisors, who meet every Tuesday, have a deadline of Fridays to present their agenda items. Will you be monitoring the Supervisors agendas for proposed items regarding filling the Recorder-Clerk position? Are you proposing to share a template for use in emailing or sending letters to our officials? Are you considering a “March” in the future? I am becoming VERY concerned with the latest news about red states passing laws to suppress votes. Call me anxious!
Hi Melinda, you can find their email addresses by going to the city website and clicking on their names – http://www.arroyogrande.org/201/City-Council
You can find the agenda for the July 13th Board of Supervisor meeting here – https://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/iip/sanluisobispo/file/getfile/134539. The item number 43 is “Discussion and direction regarding the appointment of a person to fill the Office of Clerk-Recorder to complete the remainder of the unexpired term of office following the vacancy created by the resignation of Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong.”
We are equally concerned about the vote suppression and always advocate for people to make their voices heard. Thank you for paying attention and for contacting your representatives!
Thank you. I read about the Board of Supervisors vote to go back to the “old way” of voting. This is disheartening. I will be voting for Jimmy Paulding for Board Supervisor.
I totally agree with you ladies! We must defend our democracy. It is shameful that baseless disinformation is being spread across our country and we must each do our part to defend our voting rights. I pledge to contact my city council, Arroyo Grande, County supervisors, and my state legislators. Thank you all for your energy and integrity to protect our votes.