Harmon on pace to win third term as mayor of San Luis Obispo
| Precincts Reporting: | 100% |
| Heidi Harmon (I) | 11,619 | 53% |
| Donald Hedrick | 339 | 2% |
| Sandra Marshall | 2,573 | 12% |
| Cherisse Sweeney | 7,317| 33% |
San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon seems poised to win her third term in office. With 100% of precincts reporting, Harmon has a sizeable lead over her nearest challenger, Cherisse Sweeney.
With a larger than normal amount of mail-in ballots this year, the election has not yet been officially called, but Harmon is looking at a likely win.
In this year's election, she faces three challengers hoping to fill her seat. We highlighted the race last month.
Harmon has been the mayor of San Luis Obispo for the last four years and says the city has helped get over a quarter million dollars to local small businesses affected by the pandemic, and it is fast tracking the permitting process to quickly get retail tenants into vacant buildings.
"Housing will still be a priority," Harmon said. "Sustainable transportation, climate action, and certainly fiscal responsibility and downtown vitality. We will move forward with all these goals while we prioritize recovery from the health and economic impacts of COVID."
The incumbent was challenged by three candidates, including downtown business owner, Cherisse Sweeney.
"I have a deep love for our community and I'm very connected to the issues that we're faced with today," Sweeney said in an interview with the NewsChannel.
Sweeney's said her top priority is public health and safety. She's concerned with downtown vacancies and homelessness.
"The recovery, our economic vitality, a lot of that's going to be really hard to follow if we can't become safe and healthy in our community," Sweeney said.
Sandra Marshall, another mayoral candidate and long-time SLO resident, has been a publisher and Director of the Earth Day Alliance.
Marshall says she is worried the city will lose its charm, history and open space. "As far as issues, number one is to not allow 75-foot buildings downtown," Marshall said.
"There are many things to protect here," Marshall said. "That's what many of us have fought for for a long time, and that's why I want to run for mayor."
Donald Hedrick is running for mayor a sixth time. He is a welder and sculptor.
Hedrick says he wants SLO to remain a quaint historic city. "I have a love of this town," Hedrick said.
The Mayor of San Luis Obispo is elected to a two year term.
You can learn more about the candidates by visiting our 2020 Voter Guide.
