Election day is underway for the District 1 County Supervisor. NBC 7’s Joey Safchik explains why this local special election is so important.
Tuesday is the deadline for some San Diego County voters to submit their ballots for their next supervisor.
Seven people, including four elected officials, are vying to replace former San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas in her District 1 seat in Tuesday's primary.
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WATCH HEREThe candidates are Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre; Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez; energy consultant Elizabeth Efird; business owner and former Imperial County Supervisor Louis Fuentes; Chula Vista Mayor John McCann; San Diego City Councilwoman Vivian Moreno; and marketing firm associate Lincoln Pickard.
Vargas announced in late December that she would not serve her second term despite winning re-election in November.
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SIGN UP "Due to personal safety and security reasons, I will not take the oath of office for a second term," she said in a statement at the time. It was unclear what the "personal safety and security reasons" were, but board meetings have become increasingly rowdy in recent years, and Vargas was away from the board several times for unspecified reasons and had dealt with health issues resulting from nodules on her vocal cords.
The elected would fill the vacant seat for the remainder of the current term ending in January 2029.
The technically non-partisan Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Jan. 14 to hold a special election to fill the seat. If no candidate receives a majority on Tuesday, a runoff would take place July 1.
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About 52,000 mail ballots have already been returned out of about 370,000 registered voters in District 1, making for a 14% voter turnout rate not including the final day of voting, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office.
Who is running for District 1 supervisor?
The candidates are:
- Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre
- Chula Vista Deputy Mayor Carolina Chavez
- Energy consultant Elizabeth Efird
- Business owner and former Imperial County Supervisor Louis Fuentes
- Chula Vista Mayor John McCann
- San Diego City Councilwoman Vivian Moreno
- Marketing firm associate Lincoln Pickard
Find interviews with the candidates on Politically Speaking here.
When is election day for the Board of Supervisors special election?
Voting in the special election ends at 8 p.m. on April 8.
Where can I drop off my ballot?
There are 29 official ballot drop boxes throughout District 1. The Registrar of Voters has a map to help find a location near you.
Where can I vote in person?
Voters who wish to complete their ballots in person can visit any Vote Center. Seven locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and 13 will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.
Am I eligible to vote in the District 1 Supervisor's race?
Registered voters who reside in District 1 are eligible to vote in the special election. There are about 373,650 people registered for this special election, according to the Registrar.
With a population of 650,000 residents, District 1 contains three cities: Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and National City. It also holds 15 neighborhoods within the city of San Diego, including East Village, Mountain View and San Ysidro, and six unincorporated communities, including Bonita, East Otay Mesa and portion of Spring Valley.
Find your supervisors district here.
When will the special election be decided?
The San Diego County Registrar of Voters will have one month to certify the election. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters will move on to the special general election on July 1.
