"NO" = Not a Party Contest
If no candidate wins a majority of the vote in August, the election will go to a runoff Nov. 7. The winner will serve the remainder of the current term, through January 2027.
The San Diego County Registrar of Voters this week will begin sending out mail ballots in the special election for the next supervisor in the county's District 4.
Voters have until Aug. 15 to drop their ballots in the mail or, starting Tuesday, at one of the county's 29 ballot drop boxes. Voters can also cast ballots in person at several vote centers starting Aug. 5.
Two Democrats and two Republicans are competing in the race, though no candidate's party affiliation will appear on the ballot because local offices in California are officially nonpartisan. Amongst registered voters, Democrats far outnumber Republicans in the district.
The winner of the election will serve out the remainder of former supervisor Nathan Fletcher's term, which ends in 2027. Fletcher resigned in May after admitting to an "inappropriate" relationship with a San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) employee at the time he was the chair of the organization. The employee is suing him for alleged sexual assault and harassment.
What does a county supervisor do?
Much of the county supervisors' job is to administer state and federal programs, such as food stamps and Medi-Cal, without much say over how those dollars are spent. But the supervisors do have their own policy making powers — particularly in the county's unincorporated areas, which don't have their own mayors or city councils.
District 4 covers much of central and southeastern San Diego, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley. The special election was triggered by the May 15 resignation of former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Who are the candidates?
Monica Montgomery Steppe
San Diego City Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe, a Democrat, is the only candidate who currently holds office and has a voting record. She enjoys deep grassroots support, having won reelection last year with 69% of the vote. She has earned endorsements from a host of elected officials, labor unions and the San Diego County Democratic Party.
But Montgomery Steppe's push for greater police accountability and transparency has made her the target of fierce attack ads funded by the San Diego Police Officers Association. The union's political action committee had spent more than $34,500 on research and attack ads opposing Montgomery Steppe as of July 4.
Janessa Goldbeck
The other Democrat in the race is Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine veteran and CEO of the nonprofit Vet Voice Foundation. She has also received several high profile endorsements from organizations and elected officials. As of July 1, she had the most money in her campaign account thanks to a $50,000 loan she gave herself just before the filing deadline.
Goldbeck and Montgomery Steppe largely agree on major policy matters, though Goldbeck has spoken out more in favor of building higher density housing in the county's unincorporated areas. That position earned her the endorsement of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County, which has been lobbying supervisors to scale back a system of fees that developers have to pay to build in the county's most car-dependent communities.
Amy Reichert
The two Republicans on the ballot are Amy Reichert and Paul McQuigg. Reichert, who is endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party, ran unsuccessfully for the District 4 seat last year. She got her start in politics campaigning against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.
Paul McQuigg
McQuigg, a Marine veteran, is a political novice with a limited campaign presence.
Important
🗳️ Vote-by-mail ballots begin to be sent to all active California registered voters starting July 16. The Special Primary Election is Aug. 15 but many vote centers are open prior to election day. Vote center and drop-off locations close at 8 p.m. on election day.
