2020 General Election: San Diego County Voter Guide

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — While many San Diego County voters have already cast their mail-in ballots and returned them, some will venture out to vote centers on Tuesday to either mark their ballots or hand them in for counting.

In cities across the county, voters will decide on local measures and races for city councils, mayors, the Board of Supervisors, State Senate, State Assembly and U.S. Congress. Voters will also weigh in on the County Board of Education, school district boards, college governing boards, community services and water districts, among other races.

San Diego County has 1.95 million registered voters, according to the County Registrar of Voters. More than one-third of the county's registered voters had already voted in the election by Oct. 26, the Registrar of Voters reported.

According to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla's office, statewide, there are 21.2 million registered voters, an increase of 800,000 since the primary in March.

Congress

In the 49th Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Mike Levin is facing Republican Brian Maryott. The district covers the northern coastal areas of San Diego County, including Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad and Encinitas, as well as a small portion of southern Orange County. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is in the district.

In the 50th Congressional District, Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar is facing Republican Darrell Issa. The district includes much of East County San Diego along with a sliver of Temecula in Riverside County.

In the 51st Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Juan Vargas is facing Republican Juan Hidalgo Jr. The district includes all of Imperial County and southern portions of San Diego County that run along the U.S.-Mexico border, including National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and El Centro.

In the 52nd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Scott Peters is facing Republican Jim DeBello. The district includes the coastal and central portions of the city of San Diego and the cities of Coronado and Poway.

In the 53rd Congressional District, Democrats Georgette Gomez is facing Democrat Sara Jacobs. The district stretches from Interstate 5 and Balboa Park on the west, through Mission Valley to East County, and continues south to Chula Vista.

State Senate

In the 39th district, incumbent Democrat Toni Atkins is running against Republican Linda Blankenship. The district includes most of the City of San Diego north of state Route 94, as well as Coronado, Del Mar and Solana Beach and parts of unincorporated Rancho Santa Fe.

State Assembly

In the 71st Assembly District, incumbent Republican Randy Voepel is facing Democrat Liz "Elizabeth" Lavertu.

In the 75th Assembly District, incumbent Republican Marie Waldron is facing Democrat Karen "Kate" Schwartz.

In the 76th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Tasha Boerner Horvath is facing Republican Melanie Burkholder.

In the 77th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Brian Maienschein is facing Republican June Yang Cutter.

In the 78th Assembly District, Democrats Sarah Davis and Chris Ward are competing for Todd Gloria's seat. Gloria is running for mayor of San Diego.

In the 79th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Shirley Weber is facing Republican John Moore.

In the 80th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Lorena Gonzalez is facing Republican John Vogel.

Board of Supervisors

In District 1, Democrats Ben Hueso and Nora Vargas are competing for outgoing Supervisor Greg Cox's seat. The district includes Coronado, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, National City and incorporated and unincorporated communities within San Diego.

In District 2, Republicans Joel Anderson and Steve Vaus are competing for outgoing Supervisor Dianne Jacob's seat. The district includes El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and Santee, as well as a number of communities, including Alpine, Lakeside, Ramona and Spring Valley.

In District 3, incumbent Republican Kristin Gaspar is facing Democrat Terra Lawson-Remer. The district includes Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Escondido, San Pasqual Valley and parts of northern San Diego.

City Councils

Carlsbad

City Council District 2

One seat is open. The candidates are incumbent Keith Blackburn and small business owner Lela Panagides.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Teresa Acosta, a small business owner, and Phil Urbina, a business consultant and referee.

Chula Vista

City Council District 3

One seat is open. The candidates are retired naval officer Henry Martinez II and incumbent Steve Padilla.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Andrea Cardenas, a community outreach director, and incumbent Mike Diaz.

Coronado

Mayor

Incumbent Richard Bailey is running unopposed.

City Council

Two seats are open. The candidates are incumbent Mike Donovan; John Duncan, an attorney and small businessman; Tim Rohan, a businessperson; and Casey Tanaka, a U.S. history teacher and former mayor.

Del Mar

City Council

Three seats are open. The candidates are business owner Phil Blair, incumbent Dave Druker, attorney Bob Gans, health care professional Tracy Martinez, finance professional and conservationist Daniel Quirk, and retired diplomat Glenn Warren.

El Cajon

City Council District 2

One seat is open. The candidates are Humbert Cabrera, planning commissioner and businessman; Letitia Dickerson, community organizer; Stephanie Harper, residential relief staff; Juan Carlos Mercado, author, inventor and volunteer; Michelle Metschel, defense industry administrator; and Martin Van Dinteren, retired city inspector.

City Council District 3

Incumbent Steve Goble is running unopposed.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Estela De Los Rios, executive director; Phil Ortiz, appointed incumbent; Dunia Shaba, professor; and Billy Thigpen, internal auditor and former educator.

Encinitas

City Council District 1

One seat is open. The candidates are incumbent Tony Kranz and retired lifeguard Alex Riley.

City Council District 2

One seat is open. The candidates are Kellie Hinze, an appointed incumbent, and Susan Turney, a business development consultant.

Mayor

Incumbent Catherine Blakespear is facing Julie Thunder, a community advocate and publisher.

Escondido

City Council District 2 - Short Term

One seat is open. The candidates are Tina Inscoe, small business owner; Rick Paul, businessman and planning commissioner; and Vanessa Valenzuela, financial controller.

City Council District 3

One seat is open. The candidates are Dara Czerwonka, businesswoman and health care advocate; Joe Garcia, pastor and planning commissioner; Donald "Don" Greene, nonprofit president; and Susan Reveles, businesswoman.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are incumbent Mike Morasco, small business owner April Austin Pugh, and community organizer Andres Yanez.

Imperial Beach

City Council District 2

One seat is open. The candidates are John "Jack" Fisher, a chef, and incumbent Mark West.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez, a workers' rights advocate, and Will Nimmo, a public safety employee.

La Mesa

City Council

Two seats are open. The candidates are incumbent Kristine Alessio; Allan Durden, an agency field adviser; Laura Lothian, a businesswoman; Mark Papenfuss, customer service leadership; incumbent Colin Parent; and Jack Shu, retired park superintendent.

Lemon Grove

City Council

Two seats are open. The candidates are incumbent David Arambula; George Gastil, a community college teacher and agency board chair; Liana LeBaron, planning commissioner; and Teresa Rosiak, health care specialist credentialing.

Mayor

The candidates are Jerry Jones, a councilmember; Kamaal Martin, an educator, businessman and advocate; Racquel Vasquez, incumbent; and Christopher Williams, a businessman.

National City

City Council

Two seats are open. The candidates are Marcus Bush, housing project manager; Jerry Cano, incumbent; Lorna Delos Santos, community outreach coordinator; Daniel Perez, realtor and loan officer; Gonzalo Quinter, appointed incumbent; Jose Rodriguez, community outreach director; and Ditas Delossantos Yamane, realtor and businesswoman.

Oceanside

City Council District 3

One seat is open. The candidates are Bill Batchelor, businessman; Kellie Davis, producer, businesswoman and writer; Ryan Keim, appointed incumbent; Shari Mackin, retired Oceanside teacher; Amber Newman, businessperson and nonprofit board member; and David Ian Zernik, civil engineer.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Michelle Gomez, compliance and ethics professional; Jane Marshall, small business owner; Morgan McCray, tennis player and musician; Peter Weiss, appointed mayor.

Mayor

The candidates are Perry Alvarez, community volunteer; Rocky Chávez, retired Marine; Jack Feller, councilmember; Fernando Garcia, retired Marine; Rob Howard, human rights advisor; Ruben Major, paramedic educator and businessperson; Fabio Marchi, engineer and businessman; Alvin Mcgee, community volunteer; Christopher Rodriguez, councilmember; Esther Sanchez, councilmember; David Joseph Turgeon, lineman and ornamental horticulturalist; and Louis Uridel, gym owner.

Poway

City Council District 2

One seat is open. The candidates are retired teacher Phil Factor and incumbent Barry Leonard.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Frank Fournier, a pharmaceutical alliance manager, Caylin Frank, the incumbent, and Chris Olps, a systems engineer.

San Diego

Mayor

San Diego City Council President Pro Tempore Barbara Bry is facing Assemblyman Todd Gloria.

City Council District 1

One seat is open. The candidates are Joe LaCava, a civil engineer and business owner, and Will Moore, an attorney and small business owner.

City Council District 3

One seat is open. The candidates are Toni Duran, a state senator's district representative, and Stephen Whitburn, a community nonprofit director.

City Council District 5

One seat is open. The candidates are Joe Leventhal, an attorney and business owner, and Marni von Wilpert, deputy city attorney.

City Council District 7

One seat is open. The candidates are Raul Campillo, deputy city attorney, and Noli Zosa, a small business owner.

City Council District 9

One seat is open. The candidates are Kelvin Barrios, a community outreach director, and Sean Elo-Rivera, a youth nonprofit executive director.

San Marcos

City Council District 3

One seat is open. The candidates are public interest attorney Alan Geraci and incumbent Sharon Jenkins.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Neil Kramer, a legislative affairs manager, and Ed Musgrove, a planning commissioner and businessman.

Santee

Mayor

Incumbent John Minto is facing Councilman Stephen Houlahan, who is also a registered nurse.

City Council District 3

Incumbent Laura Koval is running unopposed.

City Council District 4

One seat is open. The candidates are Samm Hurst, a public health scientist, and Dustin Trotter, a small business owner.

Solana Beach

City Council District 1

Incumbent David Zito is running unopposed.

City Council District 3

Incumbent Jewel Edson is running unopposed.

Mayor

Lesa Heebner, a business owner and former councilmember, is running unopposed.

Vista

City Council District 2

One seat is open. The candidates are incumbent Joe Green and Liz Perez, an entrepreneur, environmentalist and educator.

City Council District 3

One seat is open. The candidates are social worker Katie Melendez and Deputy Mayor Amanda Rigby.

View the full candidate list here.

Local Measures

More than two dozen local measures will appear on ballots across the county. Read more here.

Where to Vote

The Registrar of Voters office in Kearny Mesa is open for early voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays for people who want to vote in person. Voters can also cast their ballots at their assigned polling place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Monday. The Registrar of Voters office and vote centers will also be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters also have the option to drop off their ballot at one of 126 drop-off locations around the county — including dozens of county offices, libraries, YMCAs and The Old Globe in Balboa Park.

Find your polling place by using the county's online locator and entering your address. See a list of ballot drop boxes in the county.

Want to double-check that your mail ballot has been received? Track it here.

Stay tuned to Patch on Election Day for results.