scoops

We dream of scantrons

If you think voting day is Tue, Nov. 3, it’s time to speed up yer schedule! Smart voters are voting like, ahem, NOW. Be part of the kewl krowd and don’t be left wondering if your ballot was counted. Lucky us…we live in Cali, so if you are a registered voter, you got a mail-in-ballot this year due to the pandemic. And here’s the SCOOP on where to do the deed:

• SNAIL MAIL: Once you’ve filled in your mail-in ballot, you can drop it in the USPS mail without any postage, as long as you do it by October 20. 
• DROP BOXES: Don’t get fooled by fake ballot drop boxes. Before you drop it in any ole slot [ok, things are getting durrty], check this list of official SLO County ballot drop off locales. 
• IN-PERSON VOTING: If you want to vote in person, do it early, like now! Yup, you heard us. Take yer enfranchised behind straight to the County Clerk Recorder’s office and vote the ole fashioned way. Procrastinators, gather ‘round … if you can’t get yer shit together early, polling places are open for FOUR days starting on Halloween [is that a bad omen?] and leading up to the piece de resistance on Nov 3. But you’re not gonna wait that long, riiiight?

All politics is local

SLOcals, still deciding on your council candidates? For Mayor, SLO Scoop wholeheartedly endorses incumbent Mayor Heidi Harmon for reelection. Check out our candidate interviews with Heidi, Andy, Jan, James & Kelly [the others didn’t reply to our inquiries]. Pedalers and pedestrians – curious how the candidates feel about better bike lanes, transit and more? Bike SLO Co. interviewed the candidates on all things alternate transportation. And for candidate info /responses from candidates in nearly all local races, visit the Tribune’s Voter Guide. Now, let’s go vote!

Round and round we go

With hella folx running for SLO City Council, you may feel a smidge overwhelmed re: who deserves yer vote. Never fear! SLO Scoop sent out a questionnaire to each and every candidate, asking the questions we think are top of mind for U40s. 

If you’re basing your vote for SLO mayor solely on responsiveness to constituents, then Heidi Harmon is yer gal! [Heidi, will you accept this rose?] As the only SLO mayoral candidate who responded, you can check out her thorough answers to our tough questions and learn why she really wants Wonder Woman’s magic lasso. As for council member candidates, we received thoughtful responses from half of ‘em [mostly those who’ve already been in a public service role, btw]. Jan Marx receives a gold star for getting her responses back SAME DAY, while letting us in on her secret weapon. Discover why Andy Pease could moonlight as a jigsaw puzzle designer. Learn TMI about James Papp’s late night text exchanges [bowchicabowwow]. Two thumbs up to Kelly Evans for hittin’ the nail on the head for the best breakfast burrito in town (don’t @ us!) 

As for the others who didn’t respond to us, we made sure to grill, errr, chat them up at last night’s titillating U40 candidate forum. Missed it? Your next chance to meet the candidates is at the League of Women Voters event on October 11th.

The polls are coming!

There ARE other things to vote for beyond POTUS on 11/3, and these issues need your attention. Do your eyes glaze over reading convoluted prop lingo? Fear not, we’ve got fancy explainers ready to show ya who’s got cash in the fight and what a yes/no vote will mean for all of Cali’s ballot props (more than 12 of em – gulp). Trust us, it’s sexy to know what the hell you’re voting for. Join us Scoopers and SLO U40 on 10/12 @6pm for Prepare for the Polls. Then fill out those ballots!

Measure G, that is

Heard recent talk of G-20? While this ain’t Greta’s G-20, this Measure G asks SLO city voters if they’re willing to accept a 1% net sales tax increase, literally a penny on the dolla [wait, there’s still pennies?] to support SLO’s economic recovery. COVID has decimated tourism, sales tax and city coffers, which helps fund essential services like fire, police, roads [ya know, BFD things] that help make SLO the amazing community it is. Measure G could raise about $20 million/year and studies show visitors pay a cool 70% of the tax. So, be a G, and know the facts, G.

The OTHER things besides the election

We were all ‘yay!’ as more sectors of the economy opened up when SLO Co triumphantly sashayed into the red tier. Meanwhile, event professionals have launched a new coalition to help [safely] bring back the fun [and fund-producing] events we live for. But now we’re like, ‘hmmm…’ as we *might* toggle back to purple. Is this what we get when, two weeks into Cal Poly’s quarter, 100+ students have tested COVID positive and a herd of unmasked students engaged in, uh, questionable behavior? Didn’t AOC say we’re not going back to brunch, people?!