Recount request filed for SLO county Supervisor District 2 race

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – A request for a recount and ballot inspection has been filed for the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors race in District 2 by county resident and election observer Darcia Stebbens.

According to the certified election results released on Dec. 7 by the county's Clerk-Recorder office, incumbent Supervisor Bruce Gibson won reelection over challenger Dr. Bruce Jones by 13 votes.

There is no California law requiring automatic recounts and the cost of a recount is required to be covered by the requester.

The SLO Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday, a day after the official recount request, to certify the November election results.

“Right now there’s a recount in process, and I’m just going to say I’m not comfortable declaring the results of the election at this time,” explained Supervisor Debbie Arnold, the lone dissenting vote from Tuesday's certification.

Stebbens was successful in filing for a recount for SLO County Board of Supervisors primary election results for District 4 in June of this year, but after an 18 day review, the original vote tally was confirmed accurate as initially reported.

The SLO County Clerk-Recorder's office is required by state and county guidelines to begin recounts within seven days of a request, putting the start date on Monday, Dec. 19.