By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2020 (San Diego) – If you still have a mail-in ballot but want to change your vote (for instance, if you marked a candidate who later dropped out of the presidential primary, or simply changed your mind on a measure or candidate), there are two ways to change your choice, according to San Diego County Registrar of Voters Michael  Vu.

“If they still have their ballot, they can cross out their initial choice and vote another candidate,” Vu advises voters in an e-mail response to ECM. “If they cross out and select another…and we can determine their intent, we will count the [choice] that they did not cross out. “

There is a second option. Vu says a voter can also “surrender their ballot and receive a replacement ballot. It is important that they go to their assigned precinct in order to receive a replacement ballot that matches the one they have in hand.”

March 1, 2020 (San Diego) – Georgette Gomez, San Diego City Council president, is the California Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate in the 53^rd Congressional District, where Congresswoman Susan Davis is retiring.

Daughter of immigrant parents, if elected, she will be the first LGTBQ Latina in Congress, where she wants to focus on needs of working families and communities. On the City Council, she’s worked to expand affordable housing and protection for renters, as well as implementing the city’s climate action plan.  She holds an environmental degree from San Diego State University and as former associate director of the Environmental Health Coalition, led a campaign to protect children from toxic chemicals in neighborhoods.

The 53^rd Congressional district includes the heart of the city of San Diego as well as La Mesa, Lemon Grove, part of El Cajon, Jamul, Chula Vista, and more.

Hear our interview, originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM Radio, by clicking the audio link, or scroll down for highlights.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Tom Steyer, cc by SA

March 1, 2020 (San Diego) – Tom Steyer announced yesterday that he is dropping out of the Democratic presidential primary, though his name will still appear on California ballots.

The billionaire businessman stated after a third place finish in South Carolina, “I can’t see a path where I can win the presidency.”

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2020 (San Diego)—Sara Jacobs is the front runner in a field of 13 candidates running in the 53^rd Congressional district, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune poll. She’s a Democrat hoping to fill the vacancy when Congresswoman Susan Davis retires.

She says she’s dedicated her career to building a better, safer world and fighting for the most vulnerable people by making institutions and policies fairer. She’s served at the U.S. State Department, at UNICEF, and the United Nations. She holds a Master of International Affairs degree in international security policy and conflict resolution from Columbia University. She’s Founder and Chair of San Diego for Every Child: The Coalition to End Child Poverty.

Granddaughter of Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs, she wants to harness technology to solve big problems and served as founding CEO of Project Connect, a nonprofit that helped map every school in the world with a goal of connecting all to the Internet, a  project now a flagship part of UNICEFs work around the world.  

Hear our full interview by clicking the audio link, or scroll down for highlights.

February 27, 2020 (San Diego)-- The ballot for the March 3 primary in San Diego County is short but consequential, including candidates for President, Congress and Mayor of San Diego, as well as controversial ballot measures. It’s complicated by the chance you won’t get the Presidential ballot you need if you procrastinate.

Here is what you need to know to understand the candidates and prepare for the primary election in San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) –In the 71^st Assembly District, two slates of candidates are vying for seats on the San Diego County Democratic Central Committee.

One is running on a platform of progressive issues and change, the other on a record of accomplishments and a goal of turning more of East County “blue” by appealing to moderate voters while respecting party principles, noting that politics in East County are not the same as in the more liberal city of San Diego.  

Democrats can vote for up to six candidates, choosing all from one slate, or a combination from both.

By Miriam Raftery

Update: Brian Sesko, the fourth candidate in this race, has now completed an interview with ECM after the deadline for this article (Due to an email issue he said he did not receive the original invitation.)  You can hear his radio interview and read hiighlights at https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/hear-our-interview-brian-sesko-lakesi....

February 20, 2020 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Magazine sat down for in-depth interviews with three of the four candidates running for County Supervisor in District 2 to replace Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who is retiring due to term limits.  Full audio recordings are now posted below, along with highlights of candidates' thoughtful responses.

The candidates showed sharp differences on issues including protecting open spaces, housing, energy development, sand mining, homelessness, public safety, fire protection, and more.

• Former State Senator Joel Anderson says fixing roads and providing attainable housing for the next generation are his top priorities. He touts his legislative experience working across the aisle on many bills and says he’ll lobby Sacramento for more funds for the region.
• Poway Mayor Steve Vaus, who is also president of SANDAG, wants to focus on public safety, infrastructure, building housing and preserving open spaces. He urges voters to look at his record in Poway, which ranks high in public safety, open spaces, and meeting housing needs.
• Kenya Taylor, an expert in health and human services who has worked on programs across the backcountry, wants to put public safety and health concerns first, plus create economic opportunities and rebuild the middle class. She opposes sprawl development and voices concerns over projects such as sand mines and wind farms close to homes.

(A fourth candidate, Brian Sesko, a homebuilder and chair of Lakeside's Community Planning Group, did not respond to our interview request, but did participate in an earlier candidate forum which ECM covered; you can read about that forum and view video by clicking this link.)

Scroll down for highlights, in alphabetical order by candidates under each topic, by clicking "read more"  or click the audio links to our full 45-50 minute interviews originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM.

By Common Dreams staff, cc

Photo: Members of National Nurses United (NNU), along with a broader coalition of pro-Medicare for All organizations rallied outside of the national headquarters of PhRMA in support of Medicare for All on April 29, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo: NNU/flickr/cc)

CA race narrows to five contenders polling in double-digits:  Sanders, Biden, Warren, Buttigieg and Bloomberg

By Miriam Raftery

February 19, 2020 (San Diego) – A poll released Tuesday by the Public Policy Institute of California finds Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders solidly in the lead among likely Democratic voters in the March 3 primary, with 32% support.  Four other candidates polled neck and neck: former Vice President Joe Biden at 14%, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren at 13%,  South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 12% each.

Four of the top five candidates have been campaigning hard throughout the long primary race.  But Bloomberg, a billionaire and former investment banker with an MBA from Harvard, entered the race late and has been outspending opponents on ads. He is seen by some moderates as an alternative to Biden, though like Buttigieg his only political experience is local, not national. But troubling news reports emerging have some questioning Bloomberg’s viability against Donald Trump--and some disturbing similarities.

By Sylvia Sullivan

February 16, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- This year marks the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision 47th anniversary. While mourning the deaths of over 61 million babies, it is also time to reflect on the direction of the pro-choice movement. For years those who defended a woman’s right to abort her baby were thought to be merely confused or misinformed.

Although, some disturbing incidents occurred in front of abortion clinics between pro-lifers and those against. Pro-choice young punks kicking a little old lady as she knelt in prayer. Or spewing the vilest language at pro-life teen girls as well as spitting in their faces. Pro-choice activists cheering a plane banner that proclaimed late term abortionist, George Tiller, a “national treasure!" These incidents were believed to be from extreme fringe elements but not representative of most of the pro-choice supporters.

By Mike Allen

February 10, 2020 (Santee) -- Santee Councilman Stephen Houlahan wants a larger say in molding the city’s future and has declared his intention to run for mayor, opposing incumbent Mayor John Minto.

Houlahan says the main issue motivating him to throw his hat into the ring is the disturbing trend by a majority of his Council colleagues to consistently undermine Santee’s General Plan and approve higher density projects.