What you need to know on Election Day in Paso Robles

Election Day arrives Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Paso Robles voters have a full slate to decide: a new mayor, two City Council seats, three school board races, a $205 million school bond, plus congressional, legislative and statewide contests — including the governor's office and 14 state propositions.

Polls across San Luis Obispo County open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The Paso Robles Daily News notes that not every voter will see every local race — which City Council and school board contests appear on your ballot depends on where you live.

What's on the ballot in Paso Robles

The mayor's race is the marquee local contest. Mayor John Hamon is not seeking reelection, and three candidates — Bill Britton, Faith Frankel and Chris Rogalla — are running for the at-large seat. It's the first open mayoral race in the city in years, and the winner will lead a council that has wrestled with growth, water and downtown issues.

For City Council, only voters in Districts 1 and 2 will see a contest. In District 1, incumbent Kris Beal faces Linda C. George. In District 2, incumbent Chris Bausch is challenged by Michael Massey and Robert Simoni. Paso Robles shifted to by-district council elections in recent years, so most residents won't vote for council this cycle.

Three Paso Robles Joint Unified School District trustee seats are also on the ballot, again depending on address: Trustee Area 1 (incumbent Jim Cogan vs. Thomas Apkarian), Trustee Area 2 (Randy Kwiatkowski vs. Brian Maxted) and Trustee Area 4 (Jennifer Hamm vs. John Rowins). A small portion of Paso Robles sits within the Templeton Unified School District, where voters will see a Templeton board race instead.

The biggest dollar question is Measure G-26, a $205 million school facilities bond for the Paso Robles school district. It needs 55% approval to pass. Bond money would go toward modernizing aging school buildings across the district, which serves roughly 7,000 area students — though the specific project list has been the subject of community debate heading into the final stretch.

At the federal and state level, voters in the 19th Congressional District choose between Jimmy Panetta and Peter Coe Verbica, while 30th Assembly District voters pick between Dawn Addis and Shannon Kessler. Statewide offices from governor on down are on every ballot, along with 14 propositions; the state voter information guide includes summaries and arguments for and against each.

Where and how to vote

San Luis Obispo County assigns each voter a specific polling place. If you show up elsewhere, you'll have to vote provisionally — so check before you go. Your assigned location is printed at the top of your vote-by-mail ballot, and locations may have changed since the last election. Look yours up at slovote.gov/November2026.

The county elections offices in San Luis Obispo (1055 Monterey St.) and Atascadero are also open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

If you still have a mail ballot, the county's advice is simple: don't mail it now. Ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days to count, but postal delays put that deadline at risk. Instead:

• Drop your ballot in any of the county's 18 official drop boxes by 8 p.m. Tuesday (the full list is at slovote.gov/November2026).
• Bring your voted ballot to your assigned polling place and place it directly in the precinct ballot box. New this year, the return envelope is not needed.
• Return it in person at either elections office, or at any polling place, vote center or drop box anywhere in California, by 8 p.m.

You can track your ballot's status at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov. If your signature is missing or doesn't match the one on file, the county will contact you with a chance to fix it after Election Day.

Missed the registration deadline? You can still vote

The online registration deadline passed Oct. 19, but California's conditional voter registration system means it's not too late. Eligible residents can register and vote the same day at the county elections office in San Luis Obispo. Unregistered voters can also cast a provisional ballot at any polling place, which will be counted once eligibility is confirmed. If you lost your ballot or need a replacement, both elections offices can issue one in person through Election Day.

One note for first-time voters: some may be asked to show a photo ID or another document with a name and address, such as a utility bill or bank statement.

When to expect results — and what comes next

The first batch of results released Tuesday night will include early-processed ballots. Ballots dropped off on Election Day and mail ballots arriving in the following days are counted afterward, and state law requires counties to finish counting most ballots within 13 days of the election. In tight races — a real possibility in district council and trustee contests decided by a few hundred votes — that means the leader on election night may not hold.

Whoever wins will take office amid a packed local agenda: the mayor and council will shape the city's approach to growth and infrastructure, the new school board could inherit responsibility for spending Measure G-26 funds if it passes, and state races will help determine policy on everything from housing to water for the Central Coast.

For polling places, drop box locations and more, visit slovote.gov/November2026.

Sources: San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder; November 2026 state voter information guide; California Secretary of State; [Paso Robles Daily News](https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/what-you-need-to-know-on-election-day-in-paso-robles/225905/).