Vet the Vote Recognizes SLO County Elections with Bronze Award

Author: Erin Clausen
Date: 1/29/2026 8:49 AM

Nonprofit Vet the Vote has recognized SLO County Elections for its high percentage of veterans who served as poll workers or elections staff in November 2025.

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Vet the Vote honored SLO County Elections today with its first-ever Bronze Award, highlighting that at least 15 percent of local poll workers and staff for the most recent election were military veterans or military family members. During the November 2025 Statewide Special Election, 118 of those who worked in SLO County qualified for the distinction.

Vet the Vote is a national campaign to register veterans and their families and recruit them to serve at the polls. The organization believes that veterans and military family members make great election workers, given their history of service and sacrifice. Further, they underscore that veterans are respected in American society and come from all walks of life, making them ideal workers in those public-facing roles.

“We’re tremendously grateful that so many local veterans and military family members join us each election to work here in our office and out at the polls,” said Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano. “Supporting elections work is a big act of service, so it makes sense that veterans and those who love them are pitching in here at home.”

A project of We the Veterans and Military Families, Vet the Vote urges vets to vote, volunteer, and support those who do. Project coordinators estimate that as many as 30 percent of election workers nationwide have a military affiliation, and they are working to document and quantify participation with the help of local officials.

The SLO County Elections Office invites any interested veterans to learn more about poll working and voting at SloVote.gov and to reach out with any questions to [email protected].

The Elections Office will be joining SLO County Veterans Services at the Veterans Resources Fair in Oceano this Saturday, January 31 from 10am to 2pm to provide information and resources for anyone interested in voting, poll working, or supporting voter education and engagement.

More information about Vet the Vote can be found at vetthe.vote and details about SLO County’s Veterans Services are available at https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/veterans-services.