SLO County’s voter participation rate is at 51.87 percent of registered voters as of today

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano has released updated results today following the counting of the most recent set of ballots from the March 5, Presidential Primary Election. To date, 91,697 ballots have been counted. Results can be viewed here on the department’s website at slovote.com/March2024.

The ballots counted today bring San Luis Obispo County’s voter participation rate to 51.87 percent of registered voters. This remains above the statewide average, which stands today at less than 35 percent.

“We are proud to have relatively higher turnout once again here in SLO County, though we’d obviously like to see even more voters casting their ballot overall,” said Cano. 

She anticipates that the November General Election, which will feature more local contests in addition to the Presidential, Senate, and other federal and state races, will bring out significantly more voters than the primary. There are also a number of measures that are making their way to the November ballot.

Participation in the 2020 Presidential Primary was more than 88 percent locally, while the November 2022 midterm election came in at 66.46 percent.

Cano anticipates releasing one more round of results next week, prior to certifying the election. At this point, what remain to be counted are fewer than 1,000 ballots, which are mostly provisional ballots and those still requiring a signature cure. Voters already contacted by the Elections Office regarding the need to cure their signature have until 5pm on Monday to do so.

While California Elections Code requires local elections officials to certify results by 30 days after the election, or April 4 in this case, Cano says that SLO County is on track to certify on Wednesday, March 27.