The San Luis Obispo County woman accused in an election fraud case delivered her own closing arguments Friday, telling jurors they could not find her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt because prosecutors could not prove she intended to break the law.
Gaea Powell is accused of lying about where she lived when she previously ran for mayor of Arroyo Grande.
She ran in both 2022 and 2024. In 2026, she ran unsuccessfully for SLO Co. Clerk-Recorder.
Representing herself, Powell argued that the jury could not convict her because there is no way to prove "intent," a key issue in the case.
Powell also told jurors that when she decided to run for mayor, she went to a city official to ask what she needed to know before entering the race. According to Powell, the person she spoke with did not provide her with the rules regarding residency requirements or the election code.
Prosecutors disputed that argument in their rebuttal, saying Powell's claim that she made a "good faith mistake in the law" applies only if certain legal burdens are met and that those conditions do not apply in this case.
After hearing closing arguments, jurors began deliberations.
Those are scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. Monday.
