How do SLO County cities match California electoral preferences?

April 12, 2017

According to data released by the California Secretary of State, the cities of Morro Bay and Pismo Beach are strong indicators of the political tide in California. [Sac Bee]

Last November, the selections made by both Morro Bay and Pismo Beach voters matched the preferences of California as a whole in 18 of 19 statewide contests. The 19 statewide contests consisted of president, United States Senate and 17 ballot measures.

Trailing Morro Bay and Pismo Beach, Grover Beach matched with California in 17 of 19 contests. Arroyo Grande was 16-for-19.

Three cities of San Luis Obispo, Atascadero and Paso Robles were 14-for-19.

Statewide, Ventura, Pleasanton, Monrovia, Martinez and La Mesa were the only cities to match California voters’ preferences in all 19 contests.

Among major California cities, Los Angeles was 14-for-19, San Francisco was 16-for-19 and San Diego was 17-for-19. In Santa Barbara County, Santa Maria was 14-for-19 and the city of Santa Barbara was 16-for-19.

The secretary of state’s data also reveals the cumulative percentage point difference between individual cities’ vote totals and California’s vote totals. In SLO County, Morro Bay had the smallest disparity, while Paso Robles had the largest. Morro Bay’s cumulative vote difference from California was 69.3 percent, while Paso Robles’ was 146.9 percent.

Statewide, Ventura (26.5 percent) had the smallest cumulative difference from California vote totals, and Berkeley (448.4) had the largest difference.