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Voting in SLO County? Here are the candidates and their ballot positions

March 19, 2022

By KAREN VELIE

The ballot is now set for candidates vying for powerful government positions in San Luis Obispo County, as the deadline for new candidates has passed.

CalCoastNews has compiled a list of those running in the June 7 primary election when voters will help determine the fate of local water rights and basin management, health mandates and the spending of millions in tax payer dollars. While a handful of seats remain uncontested, others are highly coveted.

Expect to see a deluge of negative advertising from the campaigns and special interest groups – with some  having raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Several candidates have faced controversies regarding connections to former supervisor Adam Hill and marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring, a man who pled guilty to bribing Hill.

Following Dayspring’s indictment, most candidates stopped taking money from questionable cannabis businesses. Even so, a crop of political action and recipient committees have filed to collect donations, which they then spend on advertisements promoting their preferred candidates.

A cannabis business tied to corruption can donate money to a committee that then runs an advertisement promoting a pro-cannabis candidate, though the candidate appears unconnected to the controversial business.

“Central Coast Residents for Good Government” is a recipient committee.The group’s principle officer Mollie Culver was the cannabis industry’s chief lobbyist in Santa Barbara County for two years.

Topping many election watchers’ lists is the District 2 supervisor race, with incumbent Bruce Gibson accusing his opponents of MAGA connections. In turn, his critics argue Gibson is tarnished by his previous close connection to Hill, cannabis and corruption.

California randomly draws letters for name placement on the ballot. Being listed first on the list is the most advantageous, while last is second best. Those in the middle are at a disadvantage. CalCoastNews has listed the candidates in the order they will appear on the June ballot.

Below are the SLO County candidates in the June election:

SLO County Supervisor, District 2

Bruce Gibson, county supervisor

Geoff Auslen, small business owner

John Whitworth, small business owner

Bruce Jones, community volunteer

SLO County Supervisor, District 3

Arnold Ruiz, retired

Stacy Korsgaden, small business owner

Dawn Ortiz-Legg, appointed SLO County supervisor

SLO County Supervisor, District 4

Jimmy Paulding, businessman and council member

Lynn Compton, county supervisor

SLO County Clerk Recorder

Elaina Cano, county clerk recorder, appointed

James Baugh, military consultant

Stewart Jenkins, election law lawyer

Superior Court Judge Office 12

Paul Phillips, attorney/rancher

Mike Frye, deputy district attorney

Below is a list of uncontested races:

SLO County Assessor Tom Bordonaro

SLO County Auditor Controller James Hamilton

SLO County Sheriff Coroner Ian Parkinson

SLO County District Attorney Dan Dow

SLO County Superintendent of Schools Jame Brescia

Superior Court Judge Gayle Peron, Office 1

Superior Court Judge Office 10, Erin Childs


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Michael Fyre is a solid choice for Superior Court Judge Office 12. He has been working for/with DA Dan Dow for years now and has done much to clean up government in our County. Having a judge that believes in honest government and protects taxpaper money is important.


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Thank you CCN for the list of candidates and the positions they’re running for. The most important thing for all of us, is to get out and vote. The District 2, and District 4 Supervisor races are the most important facing the county voters.


It’s time to send Gibson down the road. His lack of character, integrity, leadership, deceitful actions, along with his ties and funding from the corrupted pot industry makes him a very dirty and compromised candidate. He and his supporters are worried and scared, and will stop at nothing to keep him as a failing supervisor. District 2 WILL CHANGE!!!


Geoff Auslen is dirty and compromised as well due to his wifes’ ties to the SLO Progressives and their ties as well the the corrupt pot industry. Another mark against is the backing of Tom O’Malley and the false narrative they are both claiming of Auslen being a Conservative. Both of them fail on that. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were actually working with Gibson to split votes. I’ve notice Gibson parking his car with his campaign signs in various areas of Atascadero over the last month, and twice, Tom O’Malley was present. Conspiracy or coincidence? Only they know for now.


It leaves the only two who are not compromised or corrupted to be John Whitworth or Bruce Jones for District 2. I hope there will be a couple of debates with these four which they should all agree to. Please don’t waste a vote on Gibson or Auslen.


Lynn Compton deserves to be re-elected. She is strong and represents her constituents well. Jimmy Paulding falls in with Gibson and Auslen and is also compromised for his part and support of the recent failed lawsuit on redistricting. He would be a weak representative that would only represent 30% of his districts voters. The other 70% wouldn’t have any voice.


Good luck to Stacey Korsgaden. The voters in District 3 are blinded by their own ideology and will continue to get what they deserve with Dawn “Code Pink” Ortiz-Legg. The apple doesn’t fall far from the poisionist Adam Hill corrupt tree. I hope sanity would return to District 3 and Stacy would win the Supervisor position. Not Likely.


Stew Jenkins talks a good game and sounds like he would make some positive changes to local elections. Most importantly, not gouging the taxpayers when cities, school boards, or community districts have hold special elections. Right now it is almost unaffordable for them to do so with the outrageous cost currently charged by the county. We should hold his feet to the fire and make sure he follows through with his promise of fair and quick election returns, along with his promise to shorten the time people have to vote. No need to vote for months or extend it past the actual voting day which opens it up to the fraud that has already occurred for the last couple of election cycles.


For the Superior Court Judge, whoever is the most Conservative and follows the rule of law without political bias should hold that position. As for the rest, unopposed, so not much to say.


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