One of SLO County woman’s nine election fraud convictions nullified
October 1, 2026
Gaea Powell
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
One of the nine election fraud counts on which a San Luis Obispo County jury convicted Gaea Powell has been nullified because the verdict was not read in court.
Last month, a jury convicted Powell of nine counts — eight felonies and one misdemeanor — for election fraud committed during the 2022 and 2024 Arroyo Grande mayoral races.
However, the court clerk failed to read the verdict on one of the felony charges — fraudulent voting in the Nov. 5, 2024 election. Neither the judge, nor the jury, caught the error in time.
Under California law, if a verdict is not openly read, acknowledged and recorded before the jury is discharged, it is nullified.
Powell’s sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 19. She will only be sentenced for seven felony convictions and one misdemeanor offense.
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