The county Board of Supervisors should approve a special election rather than a political appointment to fill the District 1 seat vacated by Nora Vargas, a candidate said Tuesday.
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre said residents of that South County district should choose the new supervisor.
"The last time a vacancy occurred, the board rightly chose to hold a special election and South County should not be treated any differently," Aguirre said in a news release. "The people, not politicians, must choose their leaders."
Vargas announced on Dec. 20 that she wouldn't serve a second term after winning re-election in November.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
"Due to personal safety and security reasons, I will not take the oath of office for a second term," Vargas said in a statement last month. "It has been my honor to serve in public office during unprecedented times, including the past four years on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors."
Vargas was elected to the board in 2020, replacing former Supervisor Greg Cox. She was the first Hispanic woman to serve on the board.
Local
Almost two years ago, supervisors approved a special election to fill the District 4 seat, after former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher departed in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.
There are multiple options facing the board in terms of replacing Vargas, including holding a special election, appointing someone or doing both.
The county announced Monday afternoon that a special board meeting to address filling the District 1 seat is scheduled for Jan. 14 at noon.
Aguirre, elected as Imperial Beach mayor in 2022, announced her candidacy on Dec. 30. She said other District 1 hopefuls should also urge the board to approve a special election.
"We may be opponents in this campaign, but we should stand together for South County," she said. "Our people deserve a leader chosen by them, for them, especially given the county's history of short-changing our community."
