Voters in California's 75th State Assembly District have cast their ballots and so far Republican Carl DeMaio is leading his opponent Andrew Hayes, also a Republican.
Why it matters
Assembly District 75 covers most of East San Diego County, including a 50-mile stretch of the southern United States-Mexico border.
It's been a contentious general election race between the two Republicans, with plenty of twists, turns and finger-pointing.
In August, the largest police advocacy group in the state filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission, alleging DeMaio violated campaign finance rules. Infighting over the Republican Party of San Diego County's endorsement has resulted in messy, ongoing fallout.
And recent reporting from KPBS revealed DeMaio may not live in Assembly District 75; however, he figured out a clever way to still run for the seat.
DeMaio, a familiar figure in San Diego, casts himself as a political maverick who isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers. He served on San Diego’s City Council from 2008 to 2012 and has since run unsuccessful campaigns for San Diego mayor and Congress. He is currently chairman of the advocacy group Reform California.
Hayes is currently a member of the Lakeside Union School District Board. He previously served as district director for state Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones.
Assembly members serve a key role in the lawmaking process at the state level by authoring and voting on legislation.
Looking ahead
The winner of the Assembly District 75 race will mark a new era of representation for the region. The seat is currently held by Republican Assemblymember Marie Waldron, who is set to term out.
The two candidates have laid out their policy priorities in recent months as they've worked to court voters.
Hayes says his top issues include: addressing the high cost of living in the region, improving fire insurance options for homeowners and reducing the placement of sexually violent predators in east San Diego County after they’re released from prison.
DeMaio says his top issues include addressing the high cost of living in the region, reducing crime and passing laws that support small businesses.
Both candidates have also said they will take a tougher stance on immigration and want to repeal California's sanctuary state policies.
Counting the ballots
According to the County Registrar of Voters, the first returns available around 8 p.m. on election night only include mail-in ballots and vote center ballots received before Election Day.
After that, results on election night will include only the vote center ballots cast on Nov. 5. The Registrar continues to count remaining ballots and post returns until the election is certified on Dec. 5.
Here's everything you need to know about election security in San Diego County.
