By a vote of 4 to 0, the Board of Supervisors of San Diego County decided to hold a special election between the candidates nominated to fill the District 4 seat vacated by Nathan Fletcher,the former District 4 Supervisor.
They were the voices of the people present in room 310 of the San Diego County Administration, as well as the voices of those calling from outside the enclosure, which ultimately prevailed. They spoke in favor of the special election, as they believed it represented true democracy.
The Electoral Calendar
The second of the three choices that had been offered, the Board of Supervisors shall hold a Special Election on May 23, following the schedule set by the San Diego Registrar of Voters.
Additionally, it was anticipated that the nomination period would end on June 6 and the General Election will take place on August 15th.
The Board's president, Nora Vargas, recalled during a news conference that the nominees must receive more than 50% of the votes cast, and if required, they would compete in the Special General Election on November 7 if they fall short of that threshold.
A Highly Questioned and Eventful Meeting
A board meeting that was deeply questioned and worried by the harsh criticisms that numerous public speakers directed at the four supervisors present in the conference room. President Vargas, Joel Anderson, Terra Lawsom-Remer, and Jim Desmond were present, and some of them exchanged plenty of harsh words, insults, and angry yells.
A woman had to be escorted by two Sheriff's agents even after an intense session that lasted more than four hours because she yelled angrily while recording with a cell phone for several minutes, ignoring the four minutes she was given to deliver her message. This caused a temporary suspension of the meeting, which would resume shortly after.
Democratic Supervisor Terra Lawsom-Remer expressed regret that the election was scheduled for August because, as she put it, it is a very warm month. She then asked Michael Vu, of the San Diego Register of Voters, several questions, to which the electoral official promptly replied with answers.
There was proof of the presence of numerous members of the SEIU Union, Local 221 who supported the notion of a Special Election during the intervention of the speakers (internal and external) at the meeting.
The Estimated Cost of the Election Ranges from 3 to 5 Million.
Additionally, it was estimated that the election would cost between $3.0 and $5 million, expenses that some speakers, including Jim Desmond, the District 5 Supervisor, questioned.
At another press conference, Board of Supervisors President Nora Vargas recalled that District 4 Supervisor Nathan Fletcher had announced his resignation on March 29 and that his last day in office would be May 15.
"It was a unanimous vote, and I think it's important to emphasize that" She said. "The next step will be a resolution that is presented as administrative status for us as representatives in the meeting, on May 23."
