San Diego to hold $2.5M special election for District 5 city council seat

San Diego will conduct a special election to fill the District 5 city council seat following Marni von Wilpert's victory in the congressional race, FOX 5 San Diego reported. Von Wilpert won the race for California’s 48th congressional district, leading by about 20% with 63% of votes counted as of Thursday night.

The Registrar of Voters estimates the special election will cost approximately $2.5 million, similar to the last special election, according to San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava, who also represents District 1. Only voters in northeast San Diego’s District 5 will participate in the election, expected to take place in March or April.

Funding for the election has yet to be determined, but LaCava emphasized the city’s commitment to transparency and the importance of quickly filling the vacancy. The city has 90 days to schedule the special election after von Wilpert officially resigns, which will occur after the election results are certified by December 3.

During the interim period, a new chief of staff will keep the District 5 office operational, and LaCava’s team will assist in communicating residents’ concerns to city operations, though no voting will occur until the seat is filled. This transition aims to ensure District 5 residents continue to have representation.

The recent election results also saw former Coronado Mayor Richard Bailey concede the District 2 race to Democrat Nicole Crosby, while results for Districts 4 and 8 remain uncertain. Political analyst Art Castanares noted that new council members could bring fresh perspectives to addressing San Diego’s multi-million-dollar structural budget deficit.

LaCava expressed hope that incoming council members will approach the city’s financial challenges without being tied to previous decisions, potentially enabling new strategies to improve San Diego’s fiscal health.