A special election is now three weeks away to choose a state assembly representative in the 80th district, which covers a part of the South Bay.
The special election on April 5 is to fill Lorena Gonzalez's seat for the remainder of the current term ending in December. Gonzalez resigned from the seat in January to take a leadership position at the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. She represented the district for eight years.
The district covers portions of southern San Diego County and includes parts of the cities of Chula Vista, National City, and San Diego.
The three candidates running for the position are Lincoln Pickard (R), Georgette Gómez (D), and David Alvarez (D).
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There will actually be two different elections going on at the same time with the same three candidates
One is the special election which would fulfill the rest of Gonazalez's term and the other is for a new term where the person would be elected in January 2023.
Pickard has run for the seat unsuccessfully in 2016 and 2018. He says he's against COVID-19 mandates, abortion, and is for drilling for oil in California and expanding gun rights.
"I’m out there expressing my opinion and giving people the opportunity to vote in the opposite direction of what the Democrats are doing we see President Joe Biden," said Pickard. "At the top in my opinion, if you vote for a local democrat you’re supporting Joe Biden at the top."
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Gómez has served on the San Diego City Council from 2016 to 2020.
"My commitment is to continue addressing the quality of our neighborhoods from air quality to affordable housing, to increase how much people make at their jobs," Gómez said. "So all of the issues that working families face."
David Alvarez also served on San Diego's City Council from 2010 to 2018. He says his top priorities if elected, would be education, affordable housing, and addressing homelessness.
"I think all those issues are really of concern to me, as a father, as a member of this community who has been living here his whole life, as someone who has served in public service, and knows that we can make a difference when you get into public office by doing good work," said Alvarez.
The San Diego County Registrar of Voters announced Monday nearly 250,000 ballots are on their way to eligible registered voters for the April 5 special primary election for Assembly District 80.
Even though recent redistricting changed Assembly district borders, the boundaries used when the term began will determine who can vote to fill the seat to complete the term.
This will be the first special election conducted under the Voter's Choice Act. Under the act, every active registered voter will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.
To find out if you live in the 80th district, click here.
