Voters in San Diego County tomorrow will decide on a new County Supervisor, city attorney in Chula Vista and whether two water districts should detach from the San Diego County Water Authority.
Here’s a list of locations where you can drop off your ballot and here’s a list of vote centers. The vote centers will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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If you’re in one of these districts, and procrastinated, we’ve pulled together what you need to know.
The Big Race
Voters in the county’s fourth district (City Heights, Spring Valley, Clairemont, Hillcrest and more) will pick between candidates Monica Montgomery Steppe and Amy Reichert. Check if you live in the district here. (Only voters who live in the district can vote.)
Background: This is the seat that former County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher vacated in May. He stepped down from the board after a former employee of the Metropolitan Transit System accused him of sexual assault and harassment. The remaining supes voted to hold a special election to fill his seat, rather than appoint someone.
- The candidates: Montgomery Steppe is a Democrat and San Diego City Councilwoman. Amy Reichert is a Republican and works as a private investigator. Reichert also co-founded ReOpen San Diego, an organization that opposed Covid-19 restrictions.
- The two joined us for a debate at this year’s Politifest. The candidates shared their positions on housing, homelessness and more. Watch the debate here or read a transcript.
- Democrats outnumber Republicans in this district. If Montgomery Steppe wins, her seat on the City Council would be up for grabs. The city of San Diego would need to hold a special election to replace her. The Union-Tribune has more on potential candidates.
City Attorney Race in Chula Vista
There are three candidates in the race to become Chula Vista’s next city attorney. Last year, voters elected Simon Silva to the position, who died two months before the election.
- The candidates are familiar names to Chula Vista residents: Dan Smith Diaz, he is an attorney and lost to Silva last year. Bart Miesfeld is a former Chula Vista city attorney. And Marco Verdugo is a deputy city attorney.
The Union-Tribune published commentaries by each candidate, you can read those here. The Star News also spoke with the candidates about their priorities. Here’s what they had to say.
Water Divorce in North County
Citizens in two farming communities vote Tuesday on whether to leave the San Diego County Water Authority in search of cheaper water elsewhere.
The battle to get to this point has been brutal. Fallbrook Public Utilities District and Rainbow Municipal Water District both want to ditch the Water Authority for Eastern Municipal Water District in Riverside County. They say the high cost of water imposed by the amount of investments the Water Authority has made is driving agriculture out of the region.
The Water Authority has tried to stop their departure on more than one front. It filed a lawsuit against the Local Agency Formation Commission, a quasi-legislative body, that gave the two water districts the greenlight to leave. And the water wholesaler backed a piece of legislation also pushed by the city of San Diego that would require the entire county – not just the residents of the departing districts – to vote on the issue.
That bill passed the legislature but Rainbow and Fallbrook believe it won’t impact their bid to leave.
VOS has stated that there exist no major important candidates for San Diego Mayor. This is reckless journalism and beneath the dignity of every American. As far as I know, there are eight qualified American citizens running as a mayoral candidate. But VOS deems only a select few people in our city as worthy and credible. I’m an old man and thank all of you for making me laugh. Old people need more laughter.