Today is the big day.
It’s the last day for voters to submit their ballots in the special primary election to replace former San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. If none of the candidates receive more than half of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in November. Here’s a reminder on who is running and what’s at stake.
The candidates, and outside interest groups, have done all they can to get residents to vote, but it’s out of their hands now.
(We might know who took first place tonight, but it could be a few days before we know who came in second. We’ll keep you updated in the Morning Report.)
One last push: Get out the vote and press events are pretty common in the days leading up to Election Day, but these efforts stood out from two camps.
Hoops with NBA Hall of Famer: Bill Walton and candidate Janessa Goldbeck shot hoops with voters who cast their ballots at the North Clairemont Recreation Center on Monday.
- What they are saying: “I’m excited because this is the election’s final stretch and no one knows how to deliver in the finals like Bill Walton,” Janessa Goldbeck said in a press release. Walton said he was voting for Goldbeck because of her commitment to making the county a great place to live.
- Walton isn’t the only one who got some shots in, firefighters with CAL FIRE Local 2881 also played.
Fact check mailers: San Diego Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe’s supporters sent out a mailer highlighting stories by several news outlets that fact checked mailers paid for by the San Diego police union.
- The new mailer: “‘Misleading’ That’s what local newspapers and radio are saying about the attacks against Monica Montgomery Steppe.”
- They highlighted this point from our story: “Monica Montgomery Steppe has continuously voted to approve city budgets that increase the police department spending.” Read our fact check, if you missed it.
- Sign of the times: Three years ago, hundreds of people demanded that the San Diego City Council cut police spending in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police. Montgomery Steppe’s supporters’ decision to highlight that statement, while intended to disprove her attacker’s narrative, also points to how much has changed since 2020.
Two Agencies Rush to Separate Before Water Authority Can Get a Ruling
San Diego’s water bosses are now suing to keep two of their northernmost water buyers from leaving.
The Water Authority board voted last week to take legal action against the Local Agency Formation Commission, the judge and jury that said Rainbow and Fallbrook’s water districts could leave for another county. The Water Authority board agreed to pursue a lawsuit by a vote of 21 to 2.
We got the vote breakdown from that closed meeting here.
A day later, Rainbow and Fallbrook held emergency meetings of their respective boards so they could rush to file paperwork at the county to hold a November ballot on their divorce. That’s the last legal step these two districts must take to finalize their departure.
Rainbow and Fallbrook are also rushing to certify their detachment from the Water Authority before the state Legislature can pass a bill that would slow down the process even more.
In Other News
- La Jolla’s feisty sea lions and seals are fed up with humans third-wheeling their love sessions. Several videos on social media show these animals charging tourists who get too close. Experts say it’s typical for these animals to exhibit aggressive behavior toward humans during mating season. (Union-Tribune)
- State grid operators asked Californians to reduce energy use from the late afternoon to early evening hours through Wednesday during the oncoming heat wave. (Union-Tribune)
- San Diego is apparently 28th “most chill” of 200 big cities surveyed in the U.S. according to one study. (Fox 5 San Diego)
- The feds are investigating a close call between two airplanes at the San Diego International Airport last week. (NBC 7)
- San Diego’s spending $18 million on three new police helicopters. Maintenance costs sharply rose on the force’s existing four helicopters, police say, which necessitates the purchase of three new additional copters. (Union-Tribune)
- Telemundo 20 San Diego announced Adolfo Segura will join as vice president of news beginning Aug. 28. (NBC 7)
The Morning Report was written by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and MacKenzie Elmer.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct that the Water Authority board voted 21 to 2 vote to pursue a lawsuit. A previous version of the Morning Report incorrectly stated that it was far from unanimous.