Candidates prepare to become Pismo Beach’s first new mayor in 10 years

For the first time in a decade, Pismo Beach will head into November without an incumbent on the mayoral ballot — and a field of three candidates is already taking shape to fill the void. The race matters well beyond city limits: water policy, tourism management, and fiscal decisions made in Pismo Beach ripple through the Five Cities corridor and, by extension, across San Luis Obispo County, including communities like Atascadero that share regional infrastructure boards and county-level budget conversations with the coast.

A Decade of Waage, Now Open Seat

Mayor Ed Waage is stepping down after a remarkable run in office. CalCoastNews reported in April that Waage will not seek reelection "after 18 years of service to the city" — eight years as a councilman and ten as mayor. In a statement reported by New Times SLO, Waage said he had "achieved all his objectives" and cited new public safety facilities, a rebuilt downtown pier and pier plaza, improved parks, and upgraded roads among his legacy projects. "This is a time in my life where I would like to have more time for myself and my family," Waage told New Times.

The Pismo Beach City Council page confirms Waage's two-year mayoral term ends in December 2026, setting up the November 3, 2026 general election as the decisive contest. Under the city's council-manager structure, the mayor serves a two-year term and must be a registered city voter.

Meet the Three Candidates

Scott Newton was the first out of the gate. The sitting council member — who joined the council in 2020 and also serves on the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority and SLO County Air Pollution Control District, according to New Times SLO — announced his mayoral bid roughly three months before his opponents entered the race. Newton frames his candidacy around generational stewardship: he is raising his family in Pismo Beach and says he weighs "the impact on current taxpayers and future generations" when voting on infrastructure and water policy. He also advocates for a streamlined permitting process, telling New Times, "If a homeowner needs to repair a storm-damaged roof or a local business wants to update their storefront, they shouldn't face months of red tape and thousands in city fees."

Cynthia Replogle, a local attorney and former Oceano Community Services District (OCSD) board member, formally declared her candidacy on May 29, according to New Times SLO. Replogle resigned from the OCSD in 2022 after officials refused to file a restraining order on her behalf against a resident she alleged had harassed and stalked her — a episode documented at the time by New Times SLO and The Cuestonian. She subsequently moved to Pismo Beach. Replogle said she entered the race to guarantee voters a real choice: "I don't think it's ever good to have an uncontested race that somebody just kind of defaults into office without ever needing to fully explain their positions."

Shelby Bowen, an Air Force veteran and personal trainer, submitted her candidate intention papers on June 12, New Times SLO reported, listing a Republican party preference — though the race itself is officially nonpartisan. Newton and Replogle did not specify party affiliations on their filings. Bowen had not commented to press by the time the New Times story published.

Water Security Is the Race's Defining Issue

No issue looms larger than water — and specifically, the fate of Central Coast Blue, the regional recycled-water project that has become Pismo Beach's most consequential and contentious infrastructure commitment.

The project, designed to create a drought-resilient local water supply by purifying wastewater and injecting it into the groundwater basin, once involved three partner cities. Arroyo Grande's City Council voted to withdraw from the Central Coast Blue Joint Powers Agreement on May 14, 2024, citing rapidly escalating costs, after the project lost roughly $10 million in state funding due to statewide budget deficits. Grover Beach followed shortly after. As New Times SLO has reported, Pismo Beach is now "the last agency standing" on the project and has been forced to rethink its scope, actively seeking new partners. The project's price tag ballooned from roughly $93 million in 2022 to between $134 million and $159 million by 2024.

The two leading candidates in the mayoral race hold notably different positions on what comes next. Newton has defended staying the course, arguing the project is the city's "mandatory insurance policy against running dry" in light of legal threats to Lake Lopez water supplies and the near-depletion of the reservoir during the 2022 drought. He told New Times the project has qualified for over $38 million in grants, with the remaining balance financed at approximately 2 percent interest, and that "Central Coast Blue will be wholly owned by the city of Pismo."

Replogle, by contrast, says she wants to pursue alternatives to Central Coast Blue entirely, and has made exploring those options a central plank of her campaign.

Platforms at a Glance

Beyond water, the candidates are staking out distinct territory on livability and governance:

• Replogle wants to create a resident advisory panel to give Pismo Beach locals a formal voice on tourism management and quality-of-life concerns — pointing to the city's popular classic car show as an example of events that can inadvertently block parking for resident-serving businesses. Her platform also includes a focus on "golden years support" for residents over 65, proactive grant-seeking for road and sidewalk repairs, completing the city's safety element, and addressing climate-change risks such as wildfires and sea-level rise.

• Newton emphasizes open government — offering his personal cellphone number as a direct line — and permitting reform. He says the city has already "shaved months off new home permits" and pledges to audit the municipal code to "eliminate every single city permit that isn't strictly required by safety or state law."

• Bowen's policy positions were not yet available as of press time.

What Comes Next

The candidate filing period remains underway. The Pismo Beach City Clerk's Office is accepting nomination papers weekdays at 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, with appointments strongly recommended — contact City Clerk Erica Inderlied at (805) 773-7003 or [email protected], according to the city's candidate information page.

The general election is set for November 3, 2026. Whoever wins will inherit not only Waage's seat but the unresolved questions he leaves behind — above all, how a now-solo Pismo Beach navigates a $159 million water project that its partners have abandoned, in a county where every city from Atascadero to Arroyo Grande watches regional water decisions closely. For 805-area residents, this race is worth watching long before Election Day.