Pismo BeachNot a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Pismo Beach Mayor & City Council Election 2026

3 of 5 council seats are on the ballot, with 7 candidates running. Updated Oct 20, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check

Not sure who to vote for? Answer 5 questions and see which candidates agree with you, and why.

Find your match: 5-question quizSee who is on your ballot

No sign-in. Your answers stay on your device. We never endorse anyone.

Nov 3Election Day

How to vote · 11 days left

Find where to voteCheck your registration
Election Day (Nov 3): the election office's notice

These links go to official state and county election sites. Hours and rules differ by state; your election office has the final word.

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

All Pismo Beach voters choose one of three candidates for mayor and up to two of four candidates for City Council.

Election Day · Nov 3

Take your ballot with you

Candidates, positions and key dates in one email, sent now.

Your cheat-sheet comes right away. You'll also get a reminder before Election Day, the results, then what your council decides next. Unsubscribe anytime. No ads, never sold.

Also on your Nov 3 ballot

We research city races only. For these races, go to the state's official guide or a nonpartisan one.

Official voter lookupState voter guideVote411 (League of Women Voters)

Districts come from 2020 Census blocks and the district maps for this election. Your address decides your districts.

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

What the next council decides

01Bluff erosion and seawalls3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn May 2026 the council adopted a General Plan/Local Coastal Program Coastal Land Use Plan Update, which requires certification by the California Coastal Commission.

What's on the tableHow hard the city pushes the Coastal Commission to allow seawalls and other bluff protection for existing homes, businesses and infrastructure.

02Downtown parking3 sourced facts

Where it standsIn June 2026 the council directed staff to replace Price Street parking meters with pay stations and to return with a resolution extending free timed parking there from two to three hours on Mondays through Thursdays.

What's on the tableHow the city manages paid parking downtown and develops new parking lots.

03Central Coast Blue water project2 sourced facts

Where it standsThe city is moving ahead with Central Coast Blue, a recycled water project, and in February 2026 approved owner's advisor and management support contracts for it.

What's on the tableWhether to keep funding and building Central Coast Blue as planned.

04State housing laws2 sourced facts

Where it standsState density bonus laws limit how much the city can control some housing projects, and a new Regional Housing Needs Assessment cycle is coming.

What's on the tableHow the city writes its own development rules and responds to state housing mandates.

05Mayor's term length2 sourced facts

Where it standsMeasure E-26 on the November 2026 ballot asks whether the mayor's term should be extended from two to four years starting in 2028.

What's on the tableWhether mayors elected from 2028 on serve four years, which voters decide through Measure E-26.

3 notes on these statements

The League of Women Voters held forums for Pismo Beach mayor and City Council candidates; the City Council forum was on Oct. 7, 2026. San Luis Obispo Tribune · Oct 11, 2026

Manuel Olivas did not reply to multiple requests for comment from The Tribune for its voter guide. San Luis Obispo Tribune · Oct 11, 2026

Scott A. Newton is endorsed by Mayor Ed Waage and Council Members MaryAnn Reiss and Marcia Guthrie. Newton for Pismo Beach Mayor

No sign-in · answers stay on your phone

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should Pismo Beach push the Coastal Commission to allow seawalls where homes and roads already exist?

  2. 2. Should the city offer more free parking downtown?

  3. 3. Should the city keep building the Central Coast Blue recycled water project as planned?

  4. 4. How should the city respond to state housing density laws?

  5. 5. Should the mayor of Pismo Beach serve a four-year term instead of two years?

Seat the councilSeat the Council →Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.On the recordHow the council voted6 council decisions, each member's vote side by side, with a link to the minutes.

Key dates

The seat math

1 stay (not up this year): Marcia Guthrie3 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

  • The City Council is a five-member body made up of four City Council Members, who serve 4-year terms, and a Mayor, who serves a 2-year term. City of Pismo Beach
  • All five members of the Council are elected by the registered voters of the city to represent the city as a whole. City of Pismo Beach
  • The November 3, 2026 election fills two City Council Member seats (4-year terms ending Nov. 2030) and the office of Mayor (2-year term ending Nov. 2028). City of Pismo Beach
  • Mayor Ed Waage is not running for re-election after a decade as mayor. KSBY · Oct 9, 2026
  • Because Scott Newton already serves on the City Council, his seat would be filled by appointment or by special election if he wins the mayoral race. San Luis Obispo Tribune · Oct 11, 2026
  • Measure E-26 asks voters whether mayors should serve four-year terms starting in the 2028 election. San Luis Obispo Tribune · Jun 23, 2026

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.