San Diego election early results show Dems leading

Hello there,

It’s the day after Election Day. San Diego County elections officials have tallied about a million votes and have more than a half-million more to count.We’ve got a breakdown for you below on how results are shaping up as of Wednesday morning.

First, take a minute to check out some of our Election Day coverage. Our editorial cartoonist Steve Breen visited several vote centers Tuesday to talk to residents about their top issues and how they’re voting.

He also drew them. Take a look on Instagram.

inewsource reporters also visited vote centers during the day and attended election parties Tuesday night where local candidates and their supporters celebrated early victories and confronted losses.

🗳️ Getting to this post later? Go to inewsource.org to see the latest city, county, state and federal results at our Election Source.

State and national early results

U.S. president

Early results: Donald Trump declared victory in the race for the White House, overcoming current vice president Kamala Harris after a heated, tense and too-close-to-call campaign that capped off when Trump was projected to secure the last electoral votes he needed to win with Pennsylvania. Harris delivered a concession speech at her alma mater, Howard University, this afternoon. 

What we covered: The outcome of the presidential election is expected to have a big impact on thousands of asylum seekers who have been waiting months to enter the U.S. through the Biden administration’s current appointment program. 

State Assembly, 75th District 

Early results: Republican Carl DeMaio appears poised to easily defeat fellow Republican Andrew Hayes, winning 60% of the vote so far. 

What we covered: DeMaio’s campaign leaned into voter anxiety on the border and suggested with little evidence that noncitizens could impact the outcome of the election. 

City of San Diego races show mostly Democrats leading 

San Diego mayor 

Early results: Democratic incumbent Mayor Todd Gloria celebrated a strong lead over his opponent Larry Turner, winning 54.6% of the vote in early returns. 

What we covered: Homelessness was a top issue for San Diego voters. Key areas of concern were how to deal with unhoused residents and provide shelter beds.

San Diego city attorney

Early results: Deputy City Attorney Heather Febert held a strong lead over opponent Brian Maienschein with 56.3% of the vote. 

What we covered: If he won, Maienschein would have pulled down his annual pension allotment from his time as a councilman, plus the almost $240,000 annual salary as the city’s top lawyer. 

San Diego City Council, District 3 

Early results: Democratic incumbent Stephen Whitburn is poised to easily hold onto his seat with 59.8% of the vote against his challenger Colleen Cusack. 

From our partners: Early results show San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson winning reelection

San Diego City Council, District 9 

Early results: Democratic incumbent Sean Elo-Rivera held a strong lead over opponent Terry Hoskins with 58% of the vote in early returns.  

From our partners: Sean Elo-Rivera takes lead Over Terry Hoskins in San Diego District 9 race

County supes poised for reelection

County supervisor, District 1

Early results: Incumbent Nora Vargas held a commanding lead over challenger Alejandro Galicia with 61.6% of the vote.

From our partners: Nora Vargas poised to win second term as San Diego County Supervisor

County supervisor, District 2 

Early results: Republican incumbent Joel Anderson picked up 61.4% of the early vote against his opponent, Democrat Gina Jacobs. 

From our partners: Early results show San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson winning reelection

County supervisor, District 3

Early results: Early returns showed Democratic incumbent Terra Lawson-Remer leading over Republican challenger Kevin Faulconer 56%-44%.

What we covered: A political action committee was set to spend over $800,000 to help elect Faulconer, with its top donors also being developers who need to secure approval from the county to move their projects forward.

Chula Vista schools race

Early results: It’s still a tight race for the Chula Vista Elementary School District’s Seat 4, with Francisco Tamayo leading over incumbent Kate Bishop and three other candidates. For Seat 2, incumbent Lucy Ugarte held a wide lead over Sharmane Estolano.

What we covered: Tamayo’s decision to run against Bishop could result in a special election with taxpayers footing the bill or a board appointment. And this year could bring multiple vacancies — school board member Cesar Fernandez was leading in early returns in his bid to join the City Council.

Opposition to local and state measures slightly leading

Prop 33

Early results: Voters resoundingly rejected Prop 33 with 3 in 5 voting no. 

What we covered: Prop 33 would have given local governments more control over local rent control laws.

Measures E & G 

Early results: Two local sales tax increases, pitched as ways to fund infrastructure projects, are ones to watch as more votes are tallied. Opponents of the city of San Diego’s Measure E, a one-cent citywide sales tax, are leading supporters by less than 2 percentage points. And opponents of Measure G, a half-cent countywide sales tax, are leading by about a 3 percentage-point margin. 

What we covered: Some of Measure G’s top financial supporters were companies that have received massive contract increases in recent years from the agency which would have received most of the measure’s funding.