What does a county supervisor do?
County supervisors are the elected officials that oversee the county government, which is responsible for administering state- and federally-funded social welfare programs such as CalFresh (commonly known as food stamps), Medi-Cal and the foster care system. The county has limited control over how these programs are run.
The supervisors have much more direct control over the county's unincorporated areas — mostly rural communities that are outside of San Diego County's 18 cities and therefore don't elect their own mayors or city councils. In these areas, the county government does everything a city government would otherwise do: trash collection, infrastructure planning, zoning and permitting, emergency services and more.
One role of county supervisors that has grown in importance and visibility in recent years is public health. The county monitors and responds to outbreaks of infectious diseases such as hepatitis, mpox, HIV and other STDs, influenza and COVID-19. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, decisions around business restrictions, masks and vaccine mandates put the county supervisors in the spotlight.
Some branches of the county government have their own elected officials, such as the San Diego County District Attorney's Office and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The DA and sheriff have autonomy over their own departments, but county supervisors approve their budgets and can pass laws that impact how they operate.
How much does a supervisor get paid?
The supervisor for County District 3 is paid $219,546 annually.
District 2: Key Issues and candidates
San Diego County’s 2nd Supervisorial District includes more than 50 communities in north and east San Diego County. The district is home to cities like El Cajon, Poway and Santee, plus the mountain communities of Julian and Alpine and the border communities of Jacumba and Tecate. It also encompasses several tribal governments, such as Barona, Sycuan and Viejas.
What issues is District 2 facing?
On their campaign websites, the candidates for District 2 identified public and fire safety, homelessness, and behavioral health services as the primary issues facing the district.
Immigration: After a surge of immigration in 2023, Border Patrol held migrants in makeshift camps in Jacumba Hot Springs. That same year, the county approved funding to open a migrant welcome center to help connect migrants to services after they were dropped off by border agents at transit stations across the county. The funding dried up and the center has since closed.
Housing/Environment: In September, County Supervisors adopted a climate action plan that commits the county government to pursuing a “fire safe and VMT efficient alternative” (VMT stands for vehicle miles traveled). This alternative would “direct development away from high and very high wildfire zones, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower air pollution, decrease traffic and preserve wildlands and endangered species,” according to Lisa Ross, board chair of the Sierra Club San Diego Chapter. Adopting the Climate Action Plan does not change any of the zoning or land use regulations in the county's unincorporated areas, but does open the door for such plans in future actions.
Who are the candidates?
Joel Anderson
- Incumbent
- Registered Republican
- Former State Assemblymember and State Senator
Closer Look
Joel Anderson did not respond to KPBS’ questions. On his campaign website he claims successes in increasing public and fire safety, securing homeless and drug treatment services for East County.
Anderson voted to allocate money to the county’s migrant welcome center. He also voted against adopting a climate action plan in September.
He has been the County Supervisor for District 2 since 2021. He was a state senator from 2010 to 2018 and before that an assemblymember from 2007 to 2009.
Key endorsements
- The Republican Party of San Diego County
- California Rifle & Pistol Association
- San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council
Gina Jacobs
- Registered Democrat
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager at Port of San Diego
- Former veteran employment program manager
Closer Look
On her campaign website, Jacobs said she intends to “expand mental health and drug addiction services to provide better solutions to those most impacted and create sustainable solutions for long term success.”
Jacobs is in favor of a fee exemption for developers seeking to build in high VMT areas (Vehicles Miles Traveled, or VMT, measures how much people have to drive to get to work), she told KPBS in a questionnaire sent to both candidates. Environmentalists worry this exemption impacts the county's climate action goals.
“It is essential to preserve and protect the rural character of the back country and we also know that our primary objective for housing is building around transit. In order to accomplish this, there should be limits on sprawl in the backcountry,” Jacobs said. “I share the concerns of the environmental community that the fee exemptions may put our climate plan out of target, but we need to strike a judicious balance between open space, climate and desperate need for increased housing.”
Jacobs is also in favor of using local tax dollars to care for migrants.
“The greater issue at hand is broader immigration reform at the federal level. So, until the Federal government can do its part and get a working bi-partisan immigration policy on the books, we will continue to confront this problem as a county and community,” she said.
You can see more of Jacobs' responses by taking KPBS’ interactive quiz.
Key endorsements
- The San Diego County Democratic Party
- Former Rep. Susan Davis
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund
District 3: Key issues and candidates
San Diego County District 3 stretches along the coast from Carlsbad to Coronado. Its inland areas include portions of Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Penasquitos, Carmel Valley, Mira Mesa and University City.
It is currently represented by Terra Lawson-Remer, who is running for another term.
Her opponent is former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
*KPBS reached out to the Faulconer campaign for an interview numerous times, but never got a response.
What issues is District 3 facing?
Faulconer’s campaign website lists some of the top issues in the district as:
- Homelessness and a lack of affordable housing
- Crumbling streets
- Public Safety
- Fiscal Responsibility
In an interview with KPBS and on her campaign website, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer listed some of her top issues:
- Protecting beaches, coastlines, open spaces and fighting for clean water, including cleaning up the sewage issue at the southern border.
- Homelessness and a lack of affordable housing
- Fighting gun violence, in part by holding gun manufacturers responsible
- Reproductive Freedom
Who are the candidates for District 3?
Kevin Faulconer
- Registered Republican
- Served on the San Diego City Council from 2006 to 2014
- Former city of San Diego mayor, serving from 2014 to 2020
Closer look
After his departure as San Diego Mayor, Faulconer ran unsuccessfully for Governor of California in 2021.Although he is fiscally conservative, he has supported more liberal social positions, including same-sex marriage and a path to legal citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
In 2016, he entered into a lease-to-own agreement for the 101 Ash Street property. It was later found to be uninhabitable due to asbestos.
Key endorsements
- Lincoln Club Business League
- San Diego County Deputy District Attorneys Association
- Associated General Contractors of San Diego
- San Diego chapter of the California Restaurant Association
Terra Lawson-Remer
- Registered Democrat
- Supervisor for District 3 since 2020
Closer look
Lawson-Remer’s election in 2020 shifted the majority on the Board of Supervisors to Democrats for the first time in decades. Before being elected to the Board of Supervisors, Terra Lawson-Remer worked for Amnesty International. After, she went on to become a senior advisor in the U.S. Treasury Department during the Obama administration. She is a San Diego native who grew up in the Mission Hills neighborhood.
Key endorsements
- San Diego County Democratic Party
- San Diego Imperial Counties Labor Council
- Sierra Club
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest
Explore your virtual ballot
We teamed up with Ballot Ready to offer in-depth information about what's on your ballot with this interactive guide!
- Use your address to get a personalized ballot
- Get info on candidates, measures, and who supports them
- Keep track of your choices and use them to vote
