Tuesday is the last day to vote in California’s March primary, which includes dozens of local races, a statewide battle for U.S. Senate and lackluster Democratic and Republican primaries for president.
In many of the races, voters will be deciding which candidates move on to November runoffs. But in some others, such as those for Chula Vista city attorney and San Diego Council District 4, this ballot could determine the final winners.
The primary will also decide the fate of Proposition 1, a statewide ballot measure that would provide $6 billion to treat and house homeless people, and a city of San Diego measure that would let the city auditor hire personal legal counsel.
The local races include six contested state Assembly seats, one state Senate seat and five seats in Congress. Those are all primaries where two candidates in each race will advance to November runoffs.
In San Diego, voters will cast ballots citywide for mayor and city attorney to determine which candidates advance to November runoffs. There are only two candidates in the city attorney race, diminishing that primary’s importance.
There are also two contested City Council primary races, in Districts 3 and 9, and one City Council special election, in District 4. In each of those races, only voters living within those districts can cast ballots.
People drop ballots in a drive-thru drop box at the Registrar of Voters on Monday in San Diego.
(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The contests in Districts 3 and 9 will determine who advances to November runoffs. But the contest in District 4 — a special election — could be decided in March if any of the three candidates gets more than 50 percent of the vote on this ballot.
City Planning Commissioner Ken Malbrough, a longtime community leader in District 4, said local interest in the March election ticked up after flooding from the Jan. 22 storm damaged many homes in the area.
“It caused people to pay more attention to the D4 race and the mayor’s race,” he said.
In the mayor’s race, incumbent Todd Gloria is facing four challengers — Geneviéve Jones-Wright, Larry Turner, Jane Glasson and Daniel Smiechowski.
The Chula Vista city attorney race will be decided this month because it’s a runoff. The candidates are Marco Verdugo, a private attorney working for the cities of Coronado and Solana Beach, and Bart Miesfeld, a former Chula Vista city attorney.
Voters in Chula Vista are also casting ballots in two City Council races, for Districts 3 and 4. The two candidates who receive the most votes in each of those races will move on to November runoffs.
County voters will also fill four Superior Court judge seats in the primary, with no additional voting in November. Six candidates are vying for those four seats.
But in a year when the presidential match-up already seems a foregone conclusion, the highest-profile race on the ballot is the battle for U.S. Senate, where Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey are among the leading candidates.
California‘s “top two” primary system allows candidates of any party affiliation to advance to November, so the runoff could include two Democrats. Schiff is seen as the front-runner.
The presidential primaries, which are part of nationwide “Super Tuesday,” are relatively inconsequential, because President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump both appear to have their party nominations locked up.
Among congressional races, one highlight could be the battle in the 49th District, in which four Republicans are challenging incumbent Mike Levin, a three-term Democrat, for his seat representing coastal North County and part of southern Orange County.
In state legislative races, among the highest-profile and most competitive are the contests for the 75th and 79th Assembly districts.
The county Registrar of Voters said Monday morning that more than 360,000 mail ballots had been returned so far.
More than 6,000 voters had also cast their ballots at county vote centers through Sunday.
The county’s 217 vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. There are also ballot drop boxes around the county, and Tuesday is the last day that voters can mail ballots in.
For details, visit sdvote.com, call (858) 565-5800 or call toll free (800) 696-0136.
Staff writers Emily Alvarenga and Tammy Murga contributed to this report.
