SLO County woman headed to trial in election fraud case

April 6, 2026

Gaea Powell

By KAREN VELIE

A San Luis Obispo County woman was ordered Thursday to stand trial for allegedly violating multiple election laws when she twice ran for mayor of Arroyo Grande. Following her preliminary hearing in which she represented herself, Gaea Powell said she plans to ask for a public defender.

In addition, Powell is considering seeking a bench trial, rather than a jury trial.

Prosecutors charged Powell with voter registration fraud, filing a false declaration of candidacy, fraudulent voting, failure to file campaign finance reports, and for perjury by declaration regarding her 2022 and 2024 campaigns. She pleaded not guilty in July, 2025.

The prosecution contends Powell registered to vote at an address on James Way in Arroyo Grande, where she did not live in violation of election laws. Powell argued she had two residences, which gave her the right to chose which one was her primary address.

Her landlord at a property on Heritage Lane where Powell and her husband have lived in an accessory dwelling unit for seven years, Carolyn Moffatt, said she warned Powell that she was required to live in the City of Arroyo Grande in order to run for the mayor seat. Powell responded saying an attorney had advised her that she was allowed to register at her office on James Way, Moffatt testified.

Powell argued that she had not spoken with her landlord about the election and that Moffatt was having memory issues.

Moffatt testified that she later ran into the chair of the San Luis Obispo Democratic Party, Tom Fulks, and asked him if the law had changed.

Fulks told her the law had not changed, and then reported Powell’s alleged transgressions to the SLO County Clerk-Recorders Office.

Powell, who has repeatedly argued the allegations against her were politically motivated, asked Moffatt when was the last time she spoke to Fulks before running into him. Moffatt testified it had been “30 years.”

Her landlord at the James Way address, Dr. David Marquis, testified that Powell wanted to open a campaign office at his property on James Way in Arroyo Grande. However, he said she never brought any furniture over, only one box, and that she never lived there.

Powell told CalCoastNews that Marquis and her had a falling out and that he was not truthful.

Prosecutors also accused Powell of failing to properly report her income on her Form 700 Statement of Economic Interest and failing to report she spent more than $2,000 on her campaign.

As for the Form 700, Powell said it is focused on conflicts of interest, and that she did not have any so she wrote zeros. Marquis, however, testified that he had paid Powell during that time, showing she did have income.

Candidates for public office are required to submit a Statement of Economic Interest. The Form 700 provides transparency and ensures accountability by providing the public information about a candidate’s personal finances.

Near the end of the hearing, Powell argued that she is a good person and that the charges against her are politically motivated and unfounded.

Following the hearing, Powell said she was disappointing she was not able to call DA Investigator Nick Coughlin, the lead investigator in her case. Because Powell expected prosecutors to call the investigator, she did not add him to her witness list.

“The most significant issue was the prosecution’s refusal to provide a witness list in advance,” Powell said in an email following the hearing. “While I understand they are not legally required to do so, the lack of transparency is concerning—particularly given that I had previously been told to expect testimony from Matson, Moffatt, Marquis, and Investigator Coughlin.

“Coughlin was not called.

“This was not a minor omission,” Powell added. “He is the central figure in the case—the investigator who conducted the interviews, prepared the reports, and authored the warrant affidavits. By not calling him, the prosecution effectively avoided scrutiny of the foundation of their case at the preliminary stage.”

Because we believe the public needs the facts, the truth, CalCoastNews has not put up a paywall because it limits readership. However, we are seeking qualification as a paper of record, which will allow us to publish public notices, this requires 5,000 paid subscribers.

Your subscription will help us to continue investigating and reporting the news.

Support CalCoastNews, subscribe today, click here.