Where can Cal Poly students vote in 2024 election? SLO County to set up new polling places

When the primary election rolls around next year, Cal Poly students will have the option to cast their ballot on campus for a change.

Election Day is March 5, 2024, and the ballot will include races for San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors, representatives in the California State Legislature and president of the United States.

Adding a polling place to Cal Poly could increase voter participation among students, according to San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano.

“Students are more likely to vote if they don’t face challenges related to travel time or unfamiliar voting locations,” Cano wrote in an email to the Tribune on Wednesday.

SLO County to set up new polling locations at Cal Poly

During the 2022 election, the county couldn’t afford to set up a polling place on Cal Poly’s campus, according to Cano.

This meant students had to vote at off-campus polling places, “which created a lot of confusion,” she said.

Often, students would walk to the nearest polling place even if it was not their designated voting location. This meant they had to leave to find their actual polling place or vote a provisional ballot, Cano said.

In March, however, the county will set up two precincts in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center on Cal Poly’s campus, according to Cano.

The San Luis Obispo County Election’s Office worked with the university and management of the Performing Arts Center to arrange for the new polling locations.

Cano said that adding a polling location to Cal Poly could attract more students to the polls, but student voter turnout also depends on outreach efforts and “the overall political engagement culture on campus,” she said.

“As the future leaders and contributors to society, engaging students in the political process fosters a sense of civic responsibility and encourages active participation in shaping the future,” Cano said. “Higher student voter turnout also contributes to a more diverse and inclusive political landscape, ensuring that policies reflect the needs and aspirations of the entire population, including the younger generation.”