It’s finally here, nerds!
Today is primary Election Day in California. If you haven’t voted yet, here’s a list of polling places and here’s another of places you can drop off your ballot.
(If you still have your ballot, fill it out and drop it off. The lines can be brutal. Take it from this Morning Report writer.)
Here’s a rundown of a few of the elections we’re watching.
Governor: After months of partisan panic, broken dreams and more than a few botched interviews, the race for governor has mostly narrowed down to three major players: former cabinet member Xavier Becerra, environmentalist and billionaire Tom Steyer and political commentator Steve Hilton. New polling suggests the real race is between Steyer and Hilton for second – turning the earlier prospect of a double-Republican runoff on its head.
State Supe: Today (or in a few days, possibly) we find out if Richard Barrera, San Diego Unified’s power behind the throne, has the juice to win a statewide race. Though it’s probably more accurate to say we find out if the California Teachers Association, the largest teachers union in the state, is able to single-handedly propel Barrera across the finish line. Before the union endorsed Barrera in January over higher-profile and better-financed candidates, his campaign looked like a long shot. But now that CTA has dropped $5 million on him, it’s looking a lot more serious. Barrera, a true-blue labor guy, has been the architect of the San Diego Unified’s progressive, worker-friendly reinvention. Folks in the CTA world would love to see a similar wave sweep across the state.
48th Congressional District: The race for the 48th has been full of surprises. Last year, voters passed Gov. Newsom’s redistricting measure, creating five new, Democrat-leaning congressional districts, including the 48th. Several Democrats jumped into the primary, including San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, Ammar Campa-Najjar (who lost the seat to Issa in 2020) and Palm Springs economist Brandon Riker. Seeing the writing on the wall, incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa dropped out and tapped termed-out County Supervisor Jim Desmond to run instead. Desmond, who is endorsed by President Trump, is widely expected to make it through to the general election. But it’s unclear what will go down on the left. Both von Wilpert and Campa-Najjar have big money behind their campaigns.
Council District 2: This is perhaps the biggest toss-up of any local election. Seven candidates are vying to represents the city’s southern coastal district. Those that have a decent shot: Mandy Havlik, Josh Coyne, Nicole Crosby and former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey. Havlik is well-known in District 2. She is endorsed by the Point Loma and OB Democratic Club and opposes much new development. Coyne and Crosby both have significant support among Democratic establishment groups. Bailey, a former Republican, likely has the most name recognition and gained many followers on social media by bashing current city leadership.
Council District 8: This race also feels like a toss-up. Three of the four candidates have been endorsed by high-profile Democrats. Venus Molina was endorsed by Mayor Todd Gloria. Antonio Martinez was endorsed by Supervisor Paloma Aguirre. And Gerardo Ramirez was endorsed by Vivian Moreno, the district’s current councilmember. Ramirez also has the support of the Municipal Employees Association, which represents city workers. The fourth candidate Rafael Perez was endorsed by the California Working Families Party.
Measure A: It’s no longer called the “Empty Homes” tax, but Measure A will ask voters whether they think second homes, or non-primary residences, should be taxed. If the measure passes, then homes that sit empty for more than half the year will be taxed at a base rate of $8,000, starting in 2027. For corporations that own a non-primary residence, there would be a $4,000 surcharge. The tax does not apply to vacation rentals or homes that are rented out full time. It would only apply to homes that sit empty more than half the year.
District 5 County Supervisor: This is the seat Jim Desmond is termed out of. San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones and Vista Mayor John Franklin, both Republicans, and former County Democratic Party Chair Kyle Krahel are the top contenders. A Dem victory in November would give the party its first-ever supermajority on the Board of Supervisors. On the right, the race has escalated a bitter feud between the County Republican Party and Assemblymember Carl DeMaio. DeMaio and his political action group, Reform California, are backing Jones. The local party — despite a majority of Central Committee members favoring Franklin — failed to make an endorsement. It’s all turned into a messy power struggle for the future of Republican politics in the region.
Looking for election night plans? Our very own Bella Ross will be breaking down the first batch of election results live with KPBS reporter Jake Gotta. You can tune in to the stream tonight at 8 p.m. on YouTube, Facebook or KPBS.org.
Voices of the Voters: Our reporters will spend the morning speaking to voters about the issues and races that drove them to the polls. You can read those stories here in the afternoon.
Pick your fighter: Enter our elections contest for a chance to win a lunch with our editors. Click here to read the rules and to enter. (Responses must be submitted by 8 p.m. today.)
We’ll be back tomorrow with the results and analysis you love.
Del Mar Fairgrounds Board Hints At Why It Fired CEO
It’s been a couple of months since the Del Mar Fairgrounds Board of Directors abruptly fired its CEO during a closed session meeting with no explanation.
At a recent workshop, board members hinted at some of the issues that led to the firing.
At a workshop yesterday, board members agreed not to “relive the war stories,” but a few board members hinted at a fraught relationship between Moore and the board that had been going on for a long time. The board members took surveys, for example, and some talked in their surveys about “harassment under the prior administration,” the workshop’s leader, Tom Keyse, said.
Board members also implied there were multiple violations of trust by former CEO Carlene Moore, and that some of her actions as CEO were without the board’s authority. When Keyse suggested that Moore was fired as a consequence for not following board policies, members agreed.
Shortly after Moore was fired, we reported that the Fairgrounds is being sued by a former employee, who named Moore as the primary cause for the complaint (again.) We also reported that Moore has a rocky history with the Napa County Fairgrounds, where she was CEO before coming to Del Mar.
In Other News
- San Diego’s last Reading Cinemas in Grossmont permanently closed on Monday. RIP to those $8 tickets. (Union-Tribune)
- New federal rules with stricter work requirements for people receiving CalFresh, or SNAP, benefits will impact more than 90,000 San Diegans. Service providers are preparing for people experiencing homelessness, veterans and others with unstable work conditions to potentially lose access to their benefits. (KPBS)
- A pipeline that transports wastewater collapsed in Tijuana over the weekend leading to millions of gallons of sewage spilling into the Tijuana River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. (KPBS).
- Want to read more about what’s at stake in the 48th Congressional District race? The Union-Tribune breaks down the numbers and candidates here.
- There’s a new way to travel between Chula Vista and San Diego and it includes a ferry. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Tigist Layne, Will Huntsberry, Jakob McWhinney and Bella Ross. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.
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