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2016 San Diego elections

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2016 San Diego City Council election

← 2014 November 8, 2016 (2016-11-08) 2018 →

5 of the 9 seats on the San Diego City Council
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before 5 4
Seats after 5 4
Seat change Steady Steady

Council President before election

Sherri Lightner
Democratic

Elected Council President

Myrtle Cole
Democratic

Municipal elections were held in San Diego in 2016 for mayor, city attorney, city council, and ballot measures. The primary election was held on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, and the general election was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Five of the nine council seats were contested. Two city council incumbents ran for reelection.

Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, although most members do identify a party preference. A two-round system was used for the election, starting with a primary in June followed by a runoff in November between the top-two candidates if no candidate received a majority of the votes in the first round.

Mayor

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Incumbent Kevin Faulconer ran for a second term as mayor against former San Diego City Councilmember Ed Harris and former California State Assemblymember Lori Saldaña.[1] He won election in the primary with over 50% of the vote.

San Diego Mayoral primary election, 2016[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kevin Faulconer 181,147 57.2%
Independent Lori Saldaña 73,932 23.3%
Democratic Ed Harris 61,458 19.4%
Total votes 316,537 100%

City Attorney

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City Council

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Council Districts used for the 2016 election

Seats in districts 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 were up for election. Sherri Lightner (District 1) and Todd Gloria (District 3) were ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. Incumbent Marti Emerald (District 9) chose not to seek reelection.[3]

Republicans hoped to overturn the Democratic Party's 5–4 majority by flipping District 1 from Democratic to Republican.[4]

District 1

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District 1 consists of the communities of Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Del Mar Heights, La Jolla, Pacific Highlands Ranch, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines, and University City. Incumbent Sherri Lightner was ineligible to run due to term limits. Republican Ray Ellis and Democrats Barbara Bry and Joe LaCava were expected to run to replace Lightner.[4] In January 2016, LaCava announced that he had decided not to run.[5] Morning of March 3, 2016 Louis Rodolico entered the race followed that same afternoon by Bruce Lightner, husband to the incumbent Sherri Lightner, and Kyle Heiskala, two days layer a policy advisor on Sherri Lightner's City Council staff, pulled papers to run for the District 1 seat.[6]

Since no candidate received a majority of the votes in the June primary, Bry and Ellis were slated to advance to the November runoff election.[7] However, on August 12, 2016 Ellis announced that he would be withdrawing from the election.[8] Despite effectively conceding the race, Ellis's name still appeared on November ballot.[9] Bry was then elected to the City Council in November.

San Diego City Council District 1 election, 2016[7]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Barbara Bry 18,559 48%
Republican Ray Ellis 12,982 34%
Republican Bruce D. Lightner 3,711 10%
Nonpartisan Kyle Heiskala 2,344 6%
Nonpartisan Louis A. Rodolico 707 2%
Total votes 38,303 100%
General election
Democratic Barbara Bry 38,470 65%
Republican Ray Ellis 20,305 35%
Total votes 58,775 100%

District 3

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District 3 consists of the communities of Balboa Park, Bankers Hill/Park West, Downtown San Diego, Golden Hill, Hillcrest, Little Italy, Mission Hills, Normal Heights, North Park, Old Town, South Park, and University Heights. Incumbent Todd Gloria was ineligible to run due to term limits. Chris Ward was elected in the June primary with a majority of the vote.[10]

San Diego City Council District 3 election, 2016[10]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chris Ward 24,512 59%
Democratic Anthony Bernal 11,492 27%
Nonpartisan Scott Sanborn 5,800 14%
Total votes 41,804 100%

District 5

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District 5 consists of the neighborhoods of Black Mountain Ranch, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Miramar, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Encantada, Rancho Peñasquitos, Sabre Springs, San Pasqual Valley, Scripps Ranch, and Torrey Highlands. Incumbent Mark Kersey was initially expected to run unopposed, but ultimately faced two opponents to his reelection.[4] Kersey was reelected in the June primary with a majority of the vote.[11]

San Diego City Council District 5 election, 2016[11]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Kersey 23,858 71%
Democratic Frank Tsimboukakis 6,784 20%
Democratic Keith Mikas 3,157 9%
Total votes 33,799 100%

District 7

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District 7 consists of the neighborhoods of Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, Grantville, Linda Vista, Mission Valley, San Carlos, Serra Mesa, and Tierrasanta. Incumbent Scott Sherman filed to run for reelection.[4] Sherman was reelected in the June primary with a majority of the vote.[12]

San Diego City Council District 7 election, 2016[12]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Scott Sherman 22,040 60%
Democratic Justin DeCesare 8,225 22%
Democratic Jose Caballero 6,339 17%
Total votes 36,604 100%

District 9

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District 9 consists of the communities of Alvarado Estates, City Heights, College Area, College View Estates, El Cerrito, Kensington, Mountain View, Mount Hope, Rolando, Southcrest, and Talmadge. Incumbent Marti Emerald chose not to seek reelection.[3] Since no candidate received a majority of the votes in the June primary, a runoff election was held in November 2016 between Ricardo Flores and Georgette Gomez. Gomez was then elected to the City Council in November.[13]

San Diego City Council District 9 election, 2016[13]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ricardo Flores 7,348 34%
Democratic Georgette Gomez 6,567 31%
Democratic Sarah Saez 5,023 23%
Democratic Araceli Martinez 2,589 12%
Total votes 21,527 100%
General election
Democratic Georgette Gomez 20,075 55%
Democratic Ricardo Flores 16,583 45%
Total votes 36,658 100%

Council President

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On December 12, 2016, the new council was sworn in. For their first action, the council voted 6–3 to appoint Myrtle Cole as council president. David Alvarez, who was considered the other main candidate for the position, was joined in opposition to Cole's appointment by newly sworn in council members Ward and Gomez. Although both Alvarez and Cole were Democrats, Cole was seen as more moderate or centrist than Alvarez.[14]

Boards of Education

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Three of the five seats on the independent San Diego Unified School District Board of Education were up for the general election. Richard Barrera ran unopposed. All three incumbents won reelection. Only one seat was up on the San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees. Incumbent Mary Graham won reelection.

San Diego Unified School District - District A
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Lee Evans 216,948 68.32%
Democratic Stephen Groce 100,577 31.68%
Total votes 317,525 100%
San Diego Unified School District - District D
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Barrera 282,195 100%
Total votes 282,195 100%
San Diego Unified School District - District E
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Sharon Whitehurst-Payne 172,347 54.78%
Democratic Lashae Collins 142,293 45.22%
Total votes 314,640 100%
San Diego Community College District - District D
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Mary Graham 204,445 64.28%
Democratic Alyce Pipkin-Allen 112,461 35.36%
Total votes 318,030 100%

June measures

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Measure A

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding Redistricting of Council Districts in the City of San Diego

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to update the process related to redistricting of City Council districts, including amendments to expand the citizen Redistricting Commission from seven to nine members, to clarify and expand the timeline for the appointment and qualification of members, to provide for alternate members on the Commission and appointing panel, and to explain the effective date of boundaries."

Measure A
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 198,064 71.93
No 77,306 28.07
Total votes 275,370 100.00

Measure B

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding the Authorization and Issuance of General Obligation Bonds and Revenue Bonds

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to update provisions related to the authorization and issuance of bonds, to reflect changes in state law, and simplify and conform the City's processes with the California Constitution?"

Measure B
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 215,776 79.31
No 56,301 20.69
Total votes 272,077 100.00

Measure C

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding the Levy, Assessment and Collection of Property Taxes and the Repeal of Provisions for Collecting Property Taxes the City Cannot Collect Under State Law.

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to clarify the manner in which the City levies, assesses and collects property taxes in the City, and to repeal provisions regarding property taxes the City is not able to levy as a result of Proposition 13 and related state law?"

Measure C
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 184,271 67.32
No 89,450 32.68
Total votes 273,721 100.00

Measure D

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding Power to Fix Salaries

Ballot Language: "Shall City Charter section 70 be amended to conform to existing provisions related to the Strong Mayor form of government, by updating titles of specified officers and clarifying who has authority to fix their salaries and the City's compensation schedules; to specify the City's legal duty to comply with California's collective bargaining laws in establishing annual compensation schedules; and to update language?"

Measure D
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 211,923 77.17
No 62,683 22.83
Total votes 274,606 100.00

Measure E

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding the Budget and Appropriations Process for the City of San Diego

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to update the process related to budgeting and appropriating funds, to consolidate provisions that appeared throughout the Charter and to clarify the approval process for the City budget?"

Measure E
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 225,949 83.17
No 45,719 16.83
Total votes 271,668 100.00

Measure F

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding Financial Operations of the City of San Diego

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to update the City's financial operations, including amendments regarding the certification of funds, the authorization and payment of claims, the management of funds, the disposition of proceeds of the sale of City-owned real property and the establishment of reserves?"

Measure F
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 218,384 81.13
No 50,807 18.56
Total votes 269,191 100.00

Measure G

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding Audits of Accounts of City Officials and Officers Upon Their Death, Resignation, or Removal from City Office

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to update language and to repeal the requirement that the City Auditor conduct audits and investigations of City officials and officers upon their death, resignation, or removal from City office?"

Measure G
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 192,814 70.20
No 81,853 29.80
Total votes 274,667 100.00

Measure H

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment: Infrastructure Fund

Ballot Language: "Shall the Charter be amended to require certain unrestricted General Fund revenues to be deposited in an Infrastructure Fund used exclusively to pay for capital improvements including streets, sidewalks, bridges, bike paths, storm water and drainage systems; public buildings including libraries, recreational and community centers; public safety facilities including police, fire and lifeguard stations; and park facilities, but expressly not used for new convention center facilities and new professional sports venues?"

Measure H
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 186,617 65.02
No 100,395 34.98
Total votes 287,012 100.00

Measure I

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Ballot Title: Referendum of Ordinance Regarding Earned Sick Leave and Minimum Wage

Ballot Language: "Shall Ordinance O-20390 be approved, establishing that employers are to compensate employees working in the City of San Diego with earned sick leave of up to forty hours a year and a minimum wage of $10.50 an hour upon the Ordinance's effective date, $11.50 an hour on January 1, 2017, and increasing with the cost of living on January 1, 2019 and annually thereafter?"

Measure I
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 193,300 63.84
No 109,500 36.16
Total votes 302,800 100.00

November measures

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Measure A

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Ballot Title: San Diego County Road Repair, Transit, Traffic Relief, Safety and Water Quality Measure

Ballot Language: "Shall an ordinance be adopted to: repair roads, deteriorating bridges; relieve congestion; provide every community funds for pothole/street repairs; expand public transit, including improved services for seniors, disabled, students, veterans; reduce polluted runoff; preserve open space to protect water quality/reduce wildfires by enacting, with independent oversight/audits, a 40-year, half-cent local sales tax ($308 million annually) that Sacramento cannot take away?"

Measure A
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 720,158 58.37
No 513,646 41.63
Total votes 1,233,804 100.00

Measure B

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Ballot Title: Ordinance Amending the County General Plan, County Zoning Map and County Code, and Adopting the Lilac Hills Ranch Specific Plan

Ballot Language: "Shall this Initiative be adopted for the purpose of amending the County General Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Code of Regulatory Ordinances and approving the Lilac Hills Ranch Specific Plan ("Plan")? The Plan provides for the development of a 608-acre master-planned community including 1,746 dwelling units, three commercial centers, a public park, 10 private parks and 16 miles of trails. The project site is generally located north of Escondido and east of I-15 in the unincorporated area of North San Diego County."

Measure B
Choice Votes %
Referendum failed No 735,894 63.54
Yes 422,322 36.46
Total votes 1,158,216 100.00

Measure C

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Ballot Title: Downtown Stadium Initiative

Ballot Language: "Should the measure be adopted to: increase San Diego's hotel occupancy tax by 6% to build a City-owned downtown professional football stadium and convention center project, and fund tourism marketing; effect the project financing, design, construction, use, management, and maintenance, including a $650,000,000 contribution and 30-year commitment by a professional football entity; end Tourism Marketing District assessments; adopt a development ordinance, and related land use, sign, and zoning laws?"

Measure C
Choice Votes %
Referendum failed No 306,887 56.36
Yes 237,597 43.64
Total votes 544,484 100.00

Measure D

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Ballot Title: Facilities and Tourism Tax Initiative

Ballot Language: "Should the measure be adopted to: among other provisions, increase San Diego's hotel occupancy tax up to 5%; end Tourism Marketing District; allow hoteliers to create assessment districts and use hotel occupancy taxes for downtown convention center and not a stadium; prohibit contiguous expansion of existing convention center; create downtown overlay zone for convention and sports facilities; create environmental processes; and allow Qualcomm stadium property's sale for educational and park uses?"

Measure D
Choice Votes %
Referendum failed No 303,144 58.88
Yes 211,739 41.12
Total votes 514,883 100.00

Measure E

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding Qualifications, Vacancy, and Removal from Office for Mayor, City Attorney, and City Council

Ballot Language: "Shall the Charter be amended to include a new article adding: incapacity, felony conviction, and removal as grounds for vacancies in office; a procedure for calling a special election to remove an officer for cause; a revised procedure for filling vacancies; to require the City Attorney be a licensed attorney; and to define authority during vacancies and enforcement of office forfeiture?"

Measure E
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 419,748 87.06
No 62,400 12.94
Total votes 482,148 100.00

Measure F

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding Required Term of Service for Certain Terminations or Suspensions of Deputy City Attorneys

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to change the term of service required of Deputy City Attorneys, for protection from termination or suspension without good cause, from two years or more of continuous service to one year or more of continuous service, which protection would continue not to apply to layoffs due to lack of work or insufficient appropriations?"

Measure F
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 317,803 68.27
No 147,720 31.73
Total votes 465,523 100.00

Measure G

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding The Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices

Ballot Language: "Shall section 43(d) of the City Charter be amended to rename the Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices as the Community Review Board on Police Practices, to replace references to "City Manager" with "Mayor and City Council," and to require the board to review all deaths occurring while someone is in the custody of the San Diego Police Department and all police officer-related shootings?"

Measure G
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 404,803 83.09
No 82,372 16.91
Total votes 485,747 100.00

Measure H

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendments Regarding Purchasing and Contracting Processes for the City of San Diego

Ballot Language: "Shall the City Charter be amended to: require contracts for public works, goods, services, and consultants to be awarded through a competitive process in accordance with rules adopted by ordinance, remove the position of Purchasing Agent, eliminate the requirement to publish certain notices in printed newspapers, and update other provisions consistent with state law?"

Measure H
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 360,127 77.09
No 107,047 22.91
Total votes 467,174 100.00

Measure I

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding Balboa Park and San Diego High School

Ballot Language: "Shall City Charter section 55 be amended to authorize the City Council to lease the dedicated park property in Balboa Park currently occupied by San Diego High School, to the San Diego Unified School District for educational, cultural, recreational, and civic programs and activities, provided that the property is used for a public high school?"

Measure I
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 383,025 77.92
No 108,565 22.08
Total votes 491,590 100.00

Measure J

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding Use of Lease Revenue from Mission Bay Park

Ballot Language: "Shall Charter section 55.2 be amended to: increase, from 25% to 35%, the allocation of annual Mission Bay Park lease revenues exceeding $20 million, for capital improvements in San Diego Regional Parks; allow Council to add City-owned parkland to Mission Bay Park's boundaries; combine and coordinate construction of Mission Bay Park improvements identified in this section; and extend operation of this section until 2069?"

Measure J
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 336,810 71.10
No 136,933 28.90
Total votes 473,743 100.00

Measure K

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Requiring Run-Off Election for the Offices of Mayor, City Attorney, and Councilmember

Ballot Language: "Shall the Charter be amended to eliminate the provision that elects a candidate for Mayor, City Attorney, or Councilmember to office if the candidate receives a majority vote in the June primary election, and instead require a run-off election at the November general election between the two candidates who received the most votes in the primary election?"

Measure K
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 280,075 59.03
No 194,412 40.97
Total votes 474,487 100.00

Measure L

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Ballot Title: Charter Amendment Regarding the Timing of Elections for Citizens' Initiative Measures and Referendum Measures

Ballot Language: "Shall the Charter be amended to require qualified citizens' initiative and referendum measures to be submitted to voters on the next November general election ballot and not at a June primary election, unless the Council chooses to submit the measure to voters prior to that election?"

Measure L
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 305,638 65.79
No 158,911 34.21
Total votes 464,549 100.00

Measure M

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Ballot Title: Affordable Housing: Increasing the Limit on the Number of Units the City and Certain Public Agencies are Allowed to Help Develop

Ballot Language: "Shall the voters increase by 38,680 the maximum number of housing units the City and certain other public agencies are allowed to help develop, construct, or acquire for people with low incomes, without this ballot measure approving specific housing units, providing funds for development, removing requirements that otherwise apply, or taking any other action?"

Measure M
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 328,588 66.41
No 166,171 33.59
Total votes 493,311 100.00

Measure N

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Ballot Title: Non-Medical Cannabis Business Tax

Ballot Language: "If California voters approve Proposition 64 legalizing marijuana in the state, shall the City adopt an ordinance imposing a gross receipts tax, for general revenue purposes, on non-medical cannabis (also known as marijuana) businesses operating in the City, initially set at 5% and increasing to 8% on July 1, 2019, having a maximum rate of 15%, generating an undetermined amount of revenue and continuing indefinitely?"

Measure N
Choice Votes %
Referendum passed Yes 351,088 68.68
No 160,109 31.32
Total votes 511,197 100.00

References

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  1. ^ Bowen, Andrew. "Three's Company In San Diego Mayoral Race". KPBS Public Media.
  2. ^ "Election History - Mayor of San Diego" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Bowler, Matthew (April 22, 2015). "Emerald Wants Her Chief Of Staff To Take Over San Diego Council Seat". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Garrick, David. "Key race could swing SD council majority". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  5. ^ Srikrishnan, Maya (January 8, 2016). "Joe LaCava Bows Out of City Council Race". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  6. ^ Bowen, Andrew. "Lightner Staffer Moves To Enter District 1 City Council Race". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Election History - Council District 1" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  8. ^ Jenkins, Logan (August 12, 2016). "Ellis concedes council race to Bry". The San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved August 12, 2016.
  9. ^ Bowen, Andrew; Ruth, Brooke (August 12, 2016). "Ray Ellis Drops Out Of District 1 San Diego City Council Race". KPBS. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Election History - Council District 3" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  11. ^ a b "Election History - Council District 5" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Election History - Council District 7" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  13. ^ a b "Election History - Council District 9" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  14. ^ Garrick, David. "Cole selected San Diego City Council president". sandiegouniontribune.com. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
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