Woman accused of election fraud sues witnesses in her caseJuly 28, 2026By KAREN VELIEA San Luis Obispo County woman facing nine felony counts for election fraud filed three lawsuits against witnesses and agencies involved in her criminal case and is considering filing another suit. Gaea Powell is facing charges she violated multiple election laws when she ran for mayor of Arroyo Grande in 2020 and 2022. While Powell has admitted she made errors, she claims Arroyo Grande City Clerk Jessica Matson and SLO County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano failed to give her accurate information about the election. A week later, on Jan. 28, Powell filed a suit against the City of Arroyo Grande and city clerk Matson – a witness in Powell’s criminal case. On June 2, Powell filed a lawsuit against Marquis listing numerous complaints, including breach of contract, fraudulent inducement, negligent misrepresentation and defamation.