Once again, we find ourselves in an election season, and once again, our Electoral Working Group has sprung into action to weigh in. 

We’re tasked collectively to grapple with the political realities of San Diego. We’ve seen a slow shift from a primarily Republican-run city to a primarily centrist Democrat-run city. Many of the races are handpicked (or uncontested) by a Democratic establishment that favors a status quo that has long stopped working for San Diegans. But, we do see some bright spots and opportunities worth highlighting.

The candidates named in the guide are simply recommendations. They are not socialists, but there are planks of their platform we believe will materially benefit the working class—especially in comparison to other candidates in the race. Our chapter does not have any active endorsements.

We’ve chosen to focus on a short list of recommendations for the city of San Diego, where our membership is most concentrated. The set of choices we have is relatively small, both due to a large number of races that do not have a primary this year, because they are either uncontested or only have two candidates. This year’s primary season, California DSA has put out its first statewide voter guide to cover statewide and federal elections—we’ll be referencing that guide for state ballot measures, senators, etc.

This guide was put together by the volunteer labor of our Electoral Working Group. It should by no means be considered comprehensive, and we encourage voters to conduct their own research on races close to home that aren’t included here. If you’d like to be involved in the research and collaboration of San Diego DSA’s electoral guides, or would like to help us build working class power in San Diego, get involved and join DSA!

Ballot Measures

City of San Diego 

Measure A

Supported by various unions, Measure A will permit the Office of the City Auditor to hire legal counsel outside of the City Attorney’s Office. 

Currently, the City Attorney is the only authorized legal counsel available to the Office of the City Auditor. What happens when the City Attorney’s Office is undergoing an audit investigation by the same office that it provides counsel to? It would be prudent for the Office of the City Auditor to consult another lawyer, but currently it is unable to do so.

Additionally, independent audits of the City Attorney’s Office would provide an unbiased reporting of operations by objective experts, which reduces the potential for corruption.

Measure A avoids conflicts of interest between the Office of the City Auditor and the City Attorney’s Office and promotes transparency in the city government. A strong democracy is built with transparency, so we recommend voting yes.

Candidates

City of San Diego

Mayor of San Diego

• Todd Gloria (incumbent)
• Geneviéve Jones-Wright
• Jane Glasson
• Dan Smiechowski
• Larry Turner

We recommend Geneviéve Jones-Wright for the City of San Diego mayoral race. In 2018, DSA supported Geneviéve and her record and committed to progressive politics remains strong. While Todd’s record can be summed up as series of objectionable practices, like increasing punishment of San Diego’s unhoused and boosting the police budget, Geneviéve’s record shows that she prioritizes public good and services, understanding that transportation, education, food, clear water and air, and security are all human rights that should be provided universally and equitably. While she doesn’t identify as a socialist, the majority of her record demonstrates alignment with DSA’s core values. 

City Attorney

• Heather Ferbert
  • Endorsed by:
    • Mara Elliott (outgoing city attorney)
    • San Diego Union-Tribune
• Brian Maienschein
  • Former Republican
  • Endorsed by SD Police Officers Association 🤮

No recommendation

City of San Diego Council District 1

No recommendation (uncontested)

City of San Diego Council District 3

• Ellis T. California Jones III
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party
• Stephen Whitburn
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
  • Endorsed by SD Police Officers Association 🤮
• Coleen Cusack
  • Endorsed by San Diego Union-Tribune 
• Kate Cullen

We recommend Coleen Cusack for the City of San Diego Council for District 3. Cusack has been an outspoken advocate for San Diegans without homes, publicly countering the City and incumbent Stephen Whitburn’s narrative that there has been great progress on the issue and denouncing the criminalization of the homeless. She has also expressed support for shifting funds away from the police department into efforts to reduce the likelihood of crime. We believe Coleen Cusack’s record demonstrates a fair amount of overlap with DSA values and a willingness to criticize establishment positions and is likely to continue doing so.

City of San Diego Council District 4 (short term)

This will fill Monica Montgomery Steppe’s term, ending 2026.

• Tylisa D. Suseberry
• Henry Foster III
  • Served as chief of staff for former District 4 councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
  • Endorsed by San Diego Union-Tribune 
• Chida Warren-Darby
  • Endorsed by Mayor Todd Gloria

We recommend Henry Foster III for City of San Diego Council District 4 filling Monica Montgomery Steppe’s term ending in 2026. He is not as strong of a progressive candidate as Montgomery Steppe, but when compared with the other candidates Foster is the most closely aligned with DSA values. He has criticized the Mayor and other city leaders’ failure to take action on their promises, including racial discrimination by SDPD. We believe Henry Foster III is the most likely to continue Monica’s work in being an advocate for San Diego’s disenfranchised communities.

City of San Diego Council District 5

No recommendation (uncontested)

City of San Diego Council District 7

No recommendation (uncontested)

City of San Diego Council District 9

• Fernando Garcia
• Sean Elo-Rivera (incumbent)
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• Terry Hoskins
  • Endorsed by SD Police Officers Association 🤮

We recommend Sean Elo-Rivera for City of San Diego Council District 9. He is generally one of the more progressive candidates on the current city council, voting against Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) traffic light surveillance cameras and strongly supporting the Tenant Protection Ordinance to help prevent evictions. There are some positions we disagree with, such as the approval of a gas and electric franchise agreement with SDG&E; however, we believe that Sean Elo-Rivera will be the best of the available candidates and most able to nudged towards DSA values. We recommend keeping Sean in office to keep cohering a left bloc on city council, and continuing to push Sean Elo Rivera to take bolder stances on progressive issues.

San Diego County

Judicial (nonpartisan)

We have no recommendations for judges; however, there are a few judges we do NOT recommend.

Judge of the Superior Court – Office No. 19

uncontested

Judge of the Superior Court – Office No. 38

uncontested

Judge of the Superior Court – Office No. 41

• Brian Erickson NO!
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party and SD District Attorney Summer Stephan
• Jodi Cleesattle
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party

Judge of the Superior Court – Office No. 43

• Valerie Summers NO!
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party and SD District Attorney Summer Stephan
• Koryn Sheppard
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party

School Districts

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board Member Trustee Area 4

• Elena Adams
  • Endorsed by San Diego Democrats for Equality & SD Democratic Party
  • Endorsed by American Federation of Teachers
• Lee Quinn
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party

We recommend Elena Adams.

San Diego Community College District Member, Board of Trustees District D

• Andrew Gomez II
  • Endorsed by Carl DeMaio
• Mariah Jameson
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
  • Endorsed by American Federation of Teachers

We recommend Mariah Jameson.

San Diego Unified School District Member, Board of Education District A

• Crystal Trull
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party
• Sabrina Bazzo
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
  • Endorsed by American Federation of Teachers, San Diego Labor Council, San Diego Education Association, and San Diego Labor Democratic Club

We recommend Sabrina Bazzo.

San Diego Unified School District Member, Board of Education District D

No recommendation (uncontested)

San Diego Unified School District Member, Board of Education District E

No recommendation (uncontested)

Escondido Union High School District Governing Board Member Trustee Area No. 5 (short term)

• Brian LaMere
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• David Vincent
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party

No recommendation

Statewide

State Assembly

State Assembly District 74

• Chris Duncan
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• Laurie Davies
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party and SD District Attorney Summer Stephan

No recommendation

State Assembly District 75

• Andrew Hayes
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party and SD District Attorney Summer Stephan
• Kevin Juza
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• Jack Fernandes
• Joy Frew
• Carl DeMaio
• Christie Dougherty

We recommend Joy Frew. District 75 is solidly red; no Democrat has a shot of winning here, but three are trying their luck anyways. Christy Dougherty touts a police union endorsement as the first thing on her website, making her an automatic no-go; Kevin Juza is endorsed by the state party and seems to be a standard Democrat; while Joy Frew is the most progressive candidate in the race and earns our recommendation.

State Assembly District 76

• Kristie Bruce-Lane
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party
• Darshana Patel
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• Joseph C. Rocha
  • Endorsed by:
    • Significant number of unions
    • YIMBY Action, Housing Action Coalition
    • LGBTQ+ Victory Fund

No recommendation

State Assembly District 77

• Tasha Boerner Horvath
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• Henny Kupferstein 
• James Browne (Republican)

No recommendation. As a result of redistricting, the previous 76th district is now the 77th and has lost its strong Democratic Party base.

Democratic-endorsed incumbent Tasha Boerner Horvath has a definite edge over the other two candidates. Although she is the recipient of union endorsement, she is also endorsed and heavily funded by all the local and state centrist neoliberals and organizations (e.g., Scott Peters, Todd Gloria, Gavin Newsom, California Correctional Peace Officers Association, and San Diego Police Officers Association). None of the candidates have much alignment with DSA’s values.

State Assembly District 78

No recommendation (uncontested)

State Assembly District 79

• Racquel Vasquez
  • Mayor of Lemon Grove
• LaShae Sharp-Collins
  • Endorsed by:
    • SD Democratic Party
    • A handful of unions
• Colin Parent
  • Current La Mesa city councilmember
  • Endorsed by:
    • SD Police Officers Association 🤮
    • A handful of unions
    • Housing Action Coalition and YIMBYs

No recommendation

State Assembly District 80

• David A. Alvarez
  • Endorsed by SD Democratic Party
• Michael W. Williams
  • Endorsed by SD Republican Party

No recommendation

State Senate

State Senate District 39

• Akilah Weber
  • Endorsed by many local Democratic clubs, current Democratic politicians
• Bob Divine
  • Republican

No recommendation

Federal

U.S. Senate

Please see the California DSA voter guide for recommendations.

U.S. House of Representatives

Please see the California DSA voter guide for recommendations.