Warrant issued for SLO County woman accused of election fraud

August 31, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

A judge on Monday issued an arrest warrant for the San Luis Obispo County woman facing nine counts of election fraud after she failed to attend the first day of trial.

SLO County Superior Court Judge Timothy Covello called for the parties, but defendant Gaea Powell was not in the courtroom. Deputy District Attorney Ben Blumenthal told the court that Gaea Powell emailed him shortly after 5 a.m. saying she would not be attending on Monday, though she planned to be at court on Tuesday.

Judge Covello then issued an arrest warrant, which is to be held until Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

Prosecutors charged Gaea Powell in June 2025 with violating multiple election laws when she ran for mayor of Arroyo Grande in 2022 and 2024. She allegedly registered to vote at an address on James Way in Arroyo Grande where she did not live and failed to properly report income and campaign expenditures.

Powell filed her witness list and motions in limine on Friday, which was a week late. The court had planned to rule on what evidence and witnesses Powell could show to the jury on Monday, and to begin jury selection on Tuesday.

Because of Powell’s failure to appear at trial, the judge noted there may be issues with beginning jury selection on Tuesday.

Charged with eight felonies and one misdemeanor, Powell is facing up to eight years and seven months in prison. She is acting as her own attorney.

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