Turnout was low but opinions ran hot as voters went to the polls Tuesday in a hard-fought race to fill a vacant seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.
Fewer than 20 percent of eligible voters have cast ballots so far in the contest to fill the District 1 Supervisor seat that opened up when former South San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas unexpectedly resigned late last year.
Today is the last day to cast ballots in the race, which will decide partisan control of San Diego County’s most powerful governmental agency. Polls close at 8 p.m.
The two candidates in the race – Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann – offered sharply different visions for San Diego County’s future.
Voters at the polls Tuesday were just as divided.
“Too many things are moving in the wrong direction,” said San Diego resident Pearl Romero when asked what brought her to a voting center at San Diego City College Tuesday afternoon.
“County supervisors are the most influential leaders in San Diego,” Romero said. “Money is being spent on the wrong things.”
Romero, a registered independent who lives in the East Village neighborhood, said she voted for McCann, citing his record on homelessness and his promise not to raise taxes.
“When you talk to Democrats, spending is what they want to do,” she said.
Five minutes later at the same polling place, Mayte Rodriguez, a 29-year-old registered Democrat from San Diego, gave an equally pointed explanation for why she voted for Aguirre.
“She’s endorsed by unions and teachers,” Rodriguez said. “She’s fixing the sewer issue in Imperial Beach. I support unions and teachers. I work as an instructional assistant in special education.”
A poll worker at the City College voting center said he estimated just 40 people would cast ballots at the center Tuesday, based on turnout as of mid-afternoon.
Figures were similar at voting centers in Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and National City. Some voters had already cast ballots by mail. Others, said poll workers, likely are on vacation this week before Friday’s July 4 holiday.
One question raised by the race was whether national or local issues would matter more to voters at a time when San Diego County faces a range of pressing local problems – but also is feeling the effects of a federal immigration crackdown and possible federal budget cuts.
Aguirre’s campaign made a concerted effort to lash McCann to his Republican party affiliation and, by extension, President Donald Trump. That message seemed to resonate with voters casting ballots at the National City Library on Tuesday.
“They could put anyone on the ballot and I’d vote blue,” said Rogelio Robato of National City, explaining his vote for Aguirre at a voting center at the National City Library. “Republicans are messing it all up.”
Minerva Arroyo, who also cast her vote in National City, said looming federal budget cuts motivated her to support Aguirre.
“If [funding for programs benefiting special needs children] goes away, it will be chaos,” said Arroyo, who works as a caregiver. Arroyo said she was heartened by Aguirre’s promise to fight federal cuts, which Arroyo said would also affect her partner, Martin Garcia.
Garcia, 63, said he fears Trump will cut the Social Security benefits he hopes to receive in three years. “We need those benefits ready in full,” he said.
Priorities were different at Chula Vista City Hall, where voters said local issues mattered more in their decision-making.
“We voted for John McCann because he’s a small business owner and he’s done a wonderful job as mayor of our city, especially with the fire department and the police,” said Jennifer Jensen, 55, as she cast a ballot at the City Hall voting center.
Though Aguirre also sought to tie McCann to Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, Jensen’s partner, Jeff Behn, who joined Jensen at the voting center, said immigration issues actually helped cement his vote for McCann.
Behn, who works as a security guard at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, said he understands many migrants are seeking a better life in America or fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries.
But he said the U.S. government had lost control over the border in recent years, and the influx of migrants had strained local resources needed by U.S. citizens.
“I wish we had the resources that could provide for the homeless issue,” Behn said. “People need a place to stay.”
Behn said he felt McCann would keep his focus – and county spending – trained on the needs of local residents.
For Aaron Quintanar, a housing researcher in Imperial Beach, a different local issue brought him to the polls.
“The outstanding issue is the sewage in the Tijuana River,” Quintanar said at a voting center at the headquarters of the South Bay Union School District in Imperial Beach. “I think Paloma has demonstrated leadership on that issue.”
Quintanar said he also felt Aguirre had done a good job leading her city at a time when city finances have been tight. The city recently passed a budget that had to dip into reserves to pay for some one-time expenses.
“Though portions of the city are always strapped for financing, she’s shown good leadership,” Quintanar said of Aguirre. “She’s done a good job as mayor.”
One subject united voters of all persuasions – no doubt disappointing the political consultants who toiled over a barrage of attack ads that filled voters’ mailboxes and social media feeds in the weeks leading up to the election.
“I am angry about all the ads and the calls for the candidates,” said Pearl Romero of San Diego, looking visibly upset as she described what it felt like to be on the receiving end of a relentless onslaught of campaigning. “Let me do my thing. Don’t invade my private space. They called me on Sunday morning!”
Jennifer Jensen of Chula Vista said her mailbox was stuffed day after day with slickly produced ads. “And we just threw them away,” she said.
Far more persuasive, she said, was a personal visit from McCann himself, who knocked on Jensen’s door one day to ask for her vote.
“The mayor came to my house!” she said. “Are you serious? Sometimes the grassroots works for me.”