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Municipal elections were held in San Diego in 2024 for mayor, city attorney, and city council. The primary election occurred Tuesday, March 5, 2024, and the general election occurred Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
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5 of the 9 seats on the San Diego City Council | |||||||||||||||||||
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Five of the nine city council seats were up for election, with all five incumbents winning re-election. A special election was also held at the time of the primary to fill the District 4 seat vacated by Monica Montgomery Steppe, who had resigned following her election to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2023.[1][2]
Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, although most members do identify a party preference. A two-round system is used for the elections, starting with primaries in March followed by runoff elections in November between the top-two candidates in each race.
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Incumbent Todd Gloria, a Democrat, and Larry Turner, an independent, defeated three other candidates and advanced from the primary on March 5, 2024. Gloria went on to defeat Turner in the general election.
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Todd Gloria (incumbent) | 132,055 | 50.0 | |
| Independent | Larry Turner | 60,931 | 23.1 | |
| Democratic | Geneviéve Jones-Wright | 42,196 | 16.0 | |
| Republican | Jane Glasson | 18,990 | 7.2 | |
| Democratic | Dan Smiechowski | 9,973 | 3.8 | |
| Total votes | 264,145 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Todd Gloria | 301,923 | 55.4 | |
| Independent | Larry Turner | 243,467 | 44.6 | |
| Total votes | 545,390 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
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Incumbent city attorney Mara Elliott was ineligible for re-election due to term limits. Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert and California state assemblymember Brian Maienschein advanced from the March primary with 53.2% and 46.8% of the vote, respectively. Ferbert went on to defeat Maeinschein in the general election.[4]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Heather Ferbert | 122,894 | 53.2 | |
| Democratic | Brian Maienschein | 108,264 | 46.8 | |
| Total votes | 231,158 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Heather Ferbert | 280,368 | 56.8 | |
| Democratic | Brian Maienschein | 213,211 | 43.2 | |
| Total votes | 493,579 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
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Background
Seats in San Diego City Council districts 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 were up for election. Incumbents Joe LaCava, Stephen Whitburn, Marni von Wilpert, Raul Campillo, and Sean Elo-Rivera ran for re-election. LaCava, von Wilpert and Campillo won re-election unopposed in the March primary,[5] while Whitburn and Elo-Rivera defeated fellow Democratic challengers in the November general election.[6]
Top election issues included homelessness,[5][7][8] infrastructure deficits,[9] and housing affordability,[10] part of a broader housing crisis statewide.
Results
District 1
District 1 consists of the communities of Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, Del Mar Mesa, Pacific Highlands Ranch, La Jolla, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines, University City, and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) campus.
Incumbent Joe LaCava ran unopposed for re-election and won the election outright in the primary on March 5, 2024.[11]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Joe LaCava (incumbent) | 24,283 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 24,283 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 3
District 3 consists of the communities of Balboa Park, Bankers Hill/Park West, Downtown, Golden Hill, Hillcrest, Little Italy, Middleton, Mission Hills, North Park, South Park, and University Heights.[5]
Incumbent Stephen Whitburn and Coleen Cusack, both Democrats, defeated two other candidates and advanced from the primary on March 5, 2024.[12] Whitburn went on to defeat Cusack in the general election.[13][6]
Candidates
Qualified
- Stephen Whitburn, San Diego City Councilmember from District 3 (2020–present)
- Coleen Cusack, public interest attorney and community activist[14]
- Kate Callen, writer and community activist
- Ellis T. California Jones III, home energy inspector and ex-felon[15]
Endorsements
Stephen Whitburn
Organizations
- San Diego County Democratic Party[5][8]
- San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL–CIO[8]
- San Diego City Firefighters Association, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 145[8]
- San Diego Police Officers Association[5][8]
- San Diego County Young Democrats[16]
- San Diego Democrats for Equality[17]
- YIMBY Democrats of San Diego[18]
U.S. Representatives
- Scott Peters, U.S. Representative from California's 50th congressional district, 2008 candidate for San Diego City Attorney, and former San Diego City Councilmember from District 1 (2000-2008)[8]
- Sara Jacobs, U.S Representative from California's 51st congressional district[8]
Local politicians
- Nora Vargas, member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (2021–present)
- Todd Gloria, 37th mayor of San Diego (2020-Present), former State Assemblymember from the 78th District (2016-2020), former San Diego City Councilmember from District 3 (2008-2016)[8]
- Joe LaCava, San Diego City Councilmember from the District 1 (2020-present)
- Jennifer Campbell, San Diego City Councilmember from District 2 (2018-present), former President of the San Diego City Council (2020-2021)
- Marni von Wilpert, San Diego City Councilmember from District 5 (2020–present)
- Raul Campillo, San Diego City Councilmember from District 7 (2020–present)
Coleen Cusack
Organizations
Newspapers
Local politicians
- Geneviéve Jones-Wright, 2018 candidate for San Diego County District Attorney and 2024 candidate for mayor of San Diego[8]
Ellis T. California Jones III
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Stephen Whitburn (incumbent) | 17,033 | 52.4 | |
| Democratic | Coleen Cusack | 6,811 | 20.9 | |
| Democratic | Kate Callen | 5,417 | 16.7 | |
| Republican | Ellis T. California Jones III | 3,254 | 10.0 | |
| Total votes | 32,515 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Stephen Whitburn | 37,374 | 58.1 | |
| Democratic | Coleen Cusack | 26,923 | 41.9 | |
| Total votes | 64,297 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 4 Special
District 4 consists of the communities of Alta Vista, Broadway Heights, Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Greater Skyline Hills, Jamacha, Lincoln Park, Lomita Village, Mountain View, North Bay Terrace, Oak Park, O'Farrell, Paradise Hills, Ridgeview, South Bay Terrace, Valencia Park, and Webster.
Monica Montgomery Steppe, who had represented district 4 since 2018, won election to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in a special election on November 7, 2023.[2] She resigned from her seat on the city council on December 5, 2023. During the vacancy, her Chief of Staff, Henry Foster III, acted as the de facto manager of the District 4 office.
Foster won the special election on March 5, 2024, to serve the remainder of the term until 2026. His election resulted in the restoration of a 9-0 Democratic supermajority on the city council.[20]
Candidates
Qualified
- Henry Foster III, Chief of Staff to former city councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe
- Tylisa Suseberry, executive assistant in the office of State Senator Toni Atkins
- Chida Warren-Darby, Boards and Commissions Director for Mayor Todd Gloria
Endorsements
Henry Foster III
Organizations
Local politicians
- Monica Montgomery Steppe, member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from District 4 (2023-Present), former San Diego City Councilmember from District 4 (2018-2023)[21]
- Sean Elo-Rivera, President of the San Diego City Council (2021-Present), San Diego City Councilmember from District 9 (2020-Present)[21]
Chida Warren-Darby
Organizations
U.S. Representatives
- Juan Vargas, U.S. Representative from California's 52nd congressional district[21]
Local politicians
- Todd Gloria, 37th mayor of San Diego (2020-Present), former State Assemblymember from the 78th District (2016-2020), former San Diego City Councilmember from District 3 (2008-2016)[21]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Henry Foster III | 8,840 | 53.83 | |
| Democratic | Chida Warren-Darby | 4,481 | 27.29 | |
| Democratic | Tylisa D. Suseberry | 3,100 | 18.88 | |
| Total votes | 16,421 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 5
District 5 consists of the communities of Black Mountain Ranch, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Miramar, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Encantada, Rancho Peñasquitos, Sabre Springs, San Pasqual Valley, Scripps Ranch, and Torrey Highlands.
Incumbent Marni von Wilpert ran unopposed for re-election and won the election outright in the primary on March 5, 2024.
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Marni von Wilpert (incumbent) | 28,231 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 28,231 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 7
District 7 consists of the communities of Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, Grantville, Linda Vista, Mission Valley, San Carlos, Serra Mesa, and Tierrasanta.
Incumbent Raul Campillo ran unopposed for re-election and won the election outright in the primary on March 5, 2024.
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Raul Campillo (incumbent) | 23,196 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 23,196 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
District 9
District 9 consists of the communities of Kensington, Normal Heights, and East San Diego, as well as the main campus of San Diego State University.
Incumbent Sean Elo-Rivera and Terry Hoskins, both Democrats, advanced from the primary on March 5, 2024, to the general election. Elo-Rivera went on to defeat Hoskins in the general election.[6]
Candidates
Qualified
- Sean Elo-Rivera, San Diego City Council president (2021–present), San Diego City Councilmember from District 9 (2020–present)
- Terry Hoskins
- Fernando Garcia
Endorsements
Sean Elo-Rivera
Organizations
- California Working Families Party[23]
- San Diego County Democratic Party[5]
- San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL–CIO[5]
- San Diego Democrats for Equality[17]
- YIMBY Democrats of San Diego[18]
U.S. Representatives
- Sara Jacobs, U.S Representative from California's 51st congressional district
Local politicians
- Monica Montgomery Steppe, member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from District 4(2023-Present), former San Diego City Councilmember from District 4 (2018-2023)[5]
- Nora Vargas, member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors from District 1(2021–present)
- Todd Gloria, 37th mayor of San Diego (2020-Present), former State Assemblymember from the 78th District (2016-2020), former San Diego City Councilmember from District 3 (2008-2016)
- Joe LaCava, San Diego City Councilmember from District 1 (2020-present)
- Kent Lee, San Diego City Councilmember from District 6 (2022-present)
Terry Hoskins
Organizations
- San Diego Police Officers Association[5]
Local politicians
- Myrtle Cole, former San Diego City Councilmember from District 4 (2008-2016)[5]
- Marti Emerald, former San Diego City Councilmember from District 7 (2008-2012) and District 9 (2012-2016)[5]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Sean Elo-Rivera (incumbent) | 10,042 | 51.9 | |
| Democratic | Terry Hoskins | 5,816 | 30.1 | |
| Independent | Fernando Garcia | 3,491 | 18.0 | |
| Total votes | 19,349 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Sean Elo-Rivera | 26,765 | 60.9 | |
| Democratic | Terry Hoskins | 17,213 | 39.1 | |
| Total votes | 43,978 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Council president
The city council will select a council president on December 10, 2024, following the swearing in of the elected city council members. The incumbent council president is Sean Elo-Rivera of District 9, who has served since 2021. After the election, Elo-Rivera announced that he would not seek another term as council president.[24][25] He was succeeded by president pro tempore Joe LaCava, who was elected in a 9–0 vote on December 10, 2024.[26]
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