San Diego County District 1 Special Election

 

Two Mayors Head to Runoff for High-Stakes 

Chula Vista's John McCann and Imperial Beach's Paloma Aguirre will face off July 1 to fill seat vacated by Nora Vargas

SAN DIEGO — San Diego County's southernmost district will decide its next supervisor in a July 1 runoff election between two prominent South Bay mayors, following a special primary that highlighted the region's most pressing challenges from cross-border sewage to housing affordability.

Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, a Republican, and Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, a Democrat, emerged as the top two vote-getters in the April 8 special primary election for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors District 1 seat. With all ballots counted, McCann captured approximately 42% of the vote while Aguirre secured 32%, eliminating five other candidates including San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno, who finished third with 13%.

The runoff election scheduled for July 1 will determine partisan control of the five-member Board of Supervisors, which has been deadlocked 2-2 between Democrats and Republicans since former Chair Nora Vargas resigned in January. The winner will serve the remainder of the current term through January 2029.

Background: A Surprise Vacancy

The special election was triggered by Vargas's unexpected resignation announcement on December 20, 2024, just six weeks after winning re-election with 62.5% of the vote. Vargas, the board's first Latina chair and first immigrant member, cited "personal safety and security reasons" for her departure, leaving District 1's nearly 650,000 residents without representation.

Vargas's resignation came amid increasingly contentious board meetings and follows a University of San Diego study that found nearly 70% of female elected officials in the region reported threats and harassment. The departure marked the second time in less than two years that the board faced a surprise supervisor resignation, following Nathan Fletcher's 2023 exit amid sexual misconduct allegations.

The Candidates and Key Issues

John McCann, 53, has served as Chula Vista's mayor since 2022 after nearly two decades on the city council and school board. A U.S. Navy Reserve commander who was deployed to Iraq in 2009, McCann has built his campaign around increased law enforcement funding, cutting government spending, and opposing what he terms "burdensome policies" including proposed mileage taxes.

On the region's most pressing environmental issue — cross-border sewage flows from Tijuana that have closed beaches and sickened residents — McCann has called for holding Mexican officials accountable and securing federal infrastructure funding. He joined a March roundtable with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to discuss the crisis.

Paloma Aguirre, who became Imperial Beach's first Latina mayor in 2022, has been the South Bay's leading voice on the sewage crisis. The former environmental nonprofit worker has pushed for Superfund designation from the EPA and increased county funding for public health measures in affected communities.

Born in San Francisco and a competitive bodyboarder, Aguirre has championed stronger tenant protections, homelessness reduction programs, and workforce development initiatives. Her campaign emphasizes fighting for "working families" and opposing what she calls the "Trump Republican agenda."

Both candidates have expressed opposition to a controversial county immigration policy adopted in Vargas's final month — a stance that suggests the measure limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities may face reconsideration regardless of who wins.

Election Logistics and Turnout

The July 1 runoff will be conducted primarily by mail, with the San Diego County Registrar of Voters mailing ballots to all 370,000+ registered voters in District 1 starting the week of June 2. Seven vote centers opened June 21 for early in-person voting, operating daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through June 30, with additional locations opening on election day.

District 1 spans from the Pacific Ocean to the Otay and San Miguel mountains, encompassing the cities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, and National City, along with San Diego neighborhoods including Barrio Logan, San Ysidro, and East Village, plus unincorporated areas such as Bonita and East Otay Mesa.

Voter turnout in the April primary was relatively low at 17.8%, typical for special elections. The last county special election in 2023 saw just 24.5% participation. However, the race has drawn significant attention and outside spending, with business groups and labor unions contributing more than $2 million beyond individual candidate fundraising.

Financial Impact and Timeline

The special election process is expected to cost San Diego County taxpayers approximately $6 million total — $3 million for the primary and another $3 million for the runoff. This adds to the $4.8 million spent on the 2023 special election to replace Fletcher.

Early voting began June 21, with 29 official ballot drop boxes accessible 24 hours daily throughout the district until 8 p.m. on July 1. On election day, 13 vote centers will operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The winner will be sworn in shortly after results are certified, ending District 1's six-month period without board representation and breaking the current partisan deadlock that has stalled various policy initiatives.

Sidebar: High Stakes and High Spending Shape District 1 Race

Partisan Control Hangs in the Balance

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has been transformed from decades of Republican control to a current 2-2 partisan deadlock, making the District 1 race critical for determining county governance for the next four years. Between 1995 and 2013, the same five Republicans held all supervisory seats, but demographic shifts and changing voter preferences allowed Democrats to gain control for the first time in 2020.

Prior to Vargas's resignation, Democrats held a 3-2 majority that enabled them to advance progressive policies on immigration, homelessness, and social services. The vacancy has stalled numerous initiatives, creating what one supervisor described as a "partisan deadlock" that has prevented bold policy moves.

If McCann wins, Republicans would regain control 3-2, potentially reversing recent Democratic initiatives including the controversial immigration sanctuary policy that both candidates have criticized. An Aguirre victory would restore the Democratic majority and likely accelerate progressive agenda items.

Financial Arms Race Reaches New Heights

The race has attracted unprecedented outside spending, with independent committees raising over $2.2 million compared to just under $400,000 raised directly by all seven original candidates combined. This represents more than five times the direct candidate fundraising and signals the high stakes both parties place on this seat.

Labor Union Divisions: The race has created unusual fractures within organized labor, with the powerful Laborers' International Union (LiUNA) Local 89 spending $325,000 to support Moreno in the primary while pledging $100,000 against McCann, while the broader San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council backed Aguirre. LiUNA's Local 89 previously spent over $600,000 to elect members to the county Democratic Party's central committee, giving the union significant influence over party endorsements.

Business and Development Interests: Real estate developers and business groups have strategically funded committees supporting both McCann and Moreno while opposing Aguirre, with prominent developer David Malcolm contributing nearly $100,000 and stating he'll "win either way" if McCann and a Democrat other than Aguirre reach the runoff. Malcolm cited opposition to rent control and housing supply restrictions as key motivating factors.

Law Enforcement Spending: The county sheriff's union contributed $49,900 to support McCann, while other law enforcement groups have historically spent heavily in supervisory races.

Legal and Strategic Maneuvering

Aguirre's supporters have used the San Diego County Democratic Party endorsement to circumvent standard donation limits, allowing contributors to funnel at least an additional $120,000 through the party beyond typical campaign finance restrictions.

The spending has created a complex web of overlapping committees and strategic alliances, with some groups simultaneously supporting one candidate while funding opposition research against others. Political analysts note that the electorate in this special election appears slightly more conservative than typical, potentially favoring Republican turnout in the low-participation environment.

This financial intensity reflects the broader national political moment, with both parties viewing local supervisory races as crucial battlegrounds for implementing federal policy responses at the county level, particularly regarding immigration enforcement and social services.

Sources:

  1. San Diego County Democratic Party. "Democratic Candidates Special Elections 2025." San Diego County Democratic Party, https://www.sddemocrats.org/d1.html

  2. "First Supervisorial District Special General Election." Engage San Diego County, https://engage.sandiegocounty.gov/d1-special-election?tool=qanda

  3. Suzuki, Kori. "Special Primary Election 2025: The race for San Diego County District 1 Supervisor." KPBS Public Media, March 10, 2025, https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2025/03/10/special-primary-election-2025-the-race-for-san-diego-county-district-1-supervisor

  4. "Election Information." San Diego County Registrar of Voters, https://www.sdvote.com/content/rov/en/elections/election_information.html

  5. "2025 San Diego County Board of Supervisors special election." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_San_Diego_County_Board_of_Supervisors_special_election

  6. Suzuki, Kori. "Live election results: San Diego County District 1 Supervisor." KPBS Public Media, April 8, 2025, https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2025/04/08/live-election-results-san-diego-county-district-1-supervisor

  7. "S.D. County opening 7 vote centers Saturday ahead of D1 special election." Times of San Diego, June 21, 2025, https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/06/21/s-d-county-opening-7-vote-centers-saturday-ahead-of-d1-special-election/

  8. Suzuki, Kori. "County Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas announces she will not take second term." KPBS Public Media, December 20, 2024, https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2024/12/20/county-supervisor-chair-nora-vargas-announces-she-will-not-take-second-term

  9. Alvarenga, Emily. "In surprise announcement, Nora Vargas will step down as supervisor, just after re-election." San Diego Union-Tribune, December 20, 2024, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/12/20/nora-vargas-resigns-from-san-diego-county-board-of-supervisors/

  10. "Nora Vargas." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Vargas

Sidebar Sources:

  1. "San Diego County Board of Supervisors." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego_County_Board_of_Supervisors

  2. "South County Report: Supervisor Race in Home Stretch." Voice of San Diego, April 2, 2025, https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/04/01/south-county-report-supervisor-race-in-home-stretch/

  3. "Major outside money flowing into San Diego County supervisor race." Axios San Diego, March 24, 2025, https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/03/24/san-diego-county-supervisor-special-election-outside-spending

  4. "Union Endorsement Signals Supervisor Race Could Hinge on Home Prices." Voice of San Diego, January 25, 2025, https://voiceofsandiego.org/2025/01/24/union-endorsement-signals-supervisor-race-could-hinge-on-home-prices/

  5. Castañares, Arturo. "Friends Clash in Special Election for Supervisor Seat in District 1." OB Rag, February 5, 2025, https://obrag.org/2025/02/friends-clash-in-special-election-for-supervisor-seat-in-district-1/

  6. "Labor Council, county workers back Aguirre in supervisor special election." Axios San Diego, January 30, 2025, https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/2025/01/30/san-diego-county-supervisor-special-election-endorse-paloma-aguirre-imperial-beach-labor-council-seiu

  7. Fox, Maura. "Despite bold proposals, county supervisors can't agree on much. The July election could change that." San Diego Union-Tribune, May 4, 2025, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/05/04/despite-bold-proposals-county-supervisors-cant-agree-on-much-the-july-election-could-change-that/

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