San Diego voters in City Council District 5 will soon be going back to the polls to fill the vacancy left by departing Councilmember Marni von Wilpert.
Von Wilpert, a Democrat, won her bid for the 48th Congressional District, according to The Associated Press. The latest vote count shows her in the lead against Republican Jim Desmond by 19 percentage points.
Under the City Charter, San Diego must hold a special election in District 5 within 90 days of von Wilpert's official resignation. It's unclear exactly when that will happen. The state must certify the election results by Dec. 11, while new members of Congress are set to be sworn in Jan. 3.
Council President Joe LaCava said District 5 staff will continue to work during the vacancy to respond to constituents.
"Whether they're complaining about something or they're trying to get information or they don't know who to call, that should still be in play during that interim period," LaCava said. "But we do not have a voting councilmember for that district (during the vacancy.)"
The last time the city had a vacancy on the City Council was in December 2023, when Monica Montgomery Steppe resigned after winning a special election for county supervisor. The special election to fill that vacancy was consolidated with the primary election on March 5, 2024.
This time, however, there is no regularly scheduled county or statewide election with which the District 5 special election could be consolidated. LaCava spokesperson Chris Chan said the county Registrar of Voters has estimated a stand-alone District 5 special election will cost the city $2.5 million.
If no candidate wins a majority, the city must hold a runoff election within 90 days of the first vote.
After von Wilpert's resignation, candidates interested in running for the vacant council seat will have two weeks to file nomination papers with the City Clerk's Office.
"The Office of the City Clerk is fully prepared to administer a fair, transparent, and orderly process in accordance with the City Charter and election laws, while keeping residents informed throughout the process," San Diego City Clerk Diana Fuentes said in a press release.
