2026 San Diego City Council election

Last updated

2026 San Diego City Council election
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←  2024 November 3, 2026 (2026-11-03)2028 →
4 of the 9 seats on the San Diego City Council
 
Party Democratic
Current seats9
Incumbent Council President

Joe LaCava
Democratic



The 2026 San Diego City Council election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The primary election will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. [1] Four of the nine seats on the San Diego City Council are contested.

Contents

Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, although most members do identify a party preference. A two-round system will be for the election, starting with a primary in June followed by a runoff in November between the top-two candidates in each district.

Background

Seats in San Diego City Council districts 2, 4, 6, and 8 are up for election in 2026. [1] Incumbents Henry Foster III (District 4) and Kent Lee (District 6) are seeking re-election, while Jennifer Campbell (District 2) and Vivian Moreno (District 8) are ineligible for re-election due to term limits. [2]

Top election issues include cost of living, [3] homelessness, [4] and housing affordability, [5] [6] part of a broader housing crisis statewide.

District 2

District 2 consists of the communities of Bay Ho/Bay Park/Morena, Midway/North Bay, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and Point Loma.

Democratic incumbent Jennifer Campbell is ineligible for re-election due to term limits. Eight candidates have filed to run for the seat as of December 9, 2025. [1]

Candidates

Declared

  • Josh Coyne, former aide to councilmember Jennifer Campbell [2]
  • Nicole Crosby, deputy city attorney [2]
  • Mandy Havlik, community activist [2]
  • Sandra Kay [1]
  • Linda A. Lukacs, dentist [2]
  • Nicole A. Quillin [1]
  • Michael Rickey [1]
  • Daniel Smiechowski [7]

Publicly expressed interest

Potential

  • Richard Bailey, former mayor of Coronado, California (2016–2024) [8]

Endorsements

Josh Coyne

State legislators

Local officials

  • Lauren Cazares, La Mesa city councilmember (2024–present) [9]

Labor unions

  • AFSCME Local 127 [10] (dual endorsed with Nicole Crosby)
Nicole Crosby

Labor unions

  • AFSCME Local 127 [10] (dual endorsed with Josh Coyne)

District 4

District 4 consists of the communities of Alta Vista, Broadway Heights, Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Greater Skyline Hills, Jamacha, Lincoln Park, Lomita Village, North Bay Terrace, Oak Park, O'Farrell, Paradise Hills, Redwood Village, Rolando Park, South Bay Terrace, Valencia Park, and Webster.

Democratic incumbent Henry Foster III is seeking re-election to a second term. Three additional candidates have filed to run for the seat as of December 9, 2025. [1]

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Endorsements

Henry Foster III

Statewide officials

State legislators

Local officials

  • Patricia Dillard, vice mayor of La Mesa, California [16]
  • Sean Elo-Rivera, former president of the San Diego city council (2021-2024), San Diego city councilmember from the 9th district (2020–present) [16]
  • Joe LaCava, president of the San Diego city council (2024–present), San Diego city councilmember from the 1st district (2020–present) [16]
  • Kent Lee, president pro tem of the San Diego city council (2024–present), San Diego city councilmember from the 6th district (2022–present) [16]
  • Monica Montgomery Steppe, San Diego County Supervisor from the 4th district (2023–present) [16]
  • Vivian Moreno, San Diego city councilmember from the 8th district (2020–present) [16]

Labor unions

District 6

District 6 consists of the communities of Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Mira Mesa, Mission Valley, North Clairemont, and Rancho Peñasquitos.

Democratic incumbent Kent Lee is seeking re-election to a second term. One additional candidate has filed to run for the seat as of December 9, 2025. [1]

Declared

Endorsements

Kent Lee

Labor unions

District 8

District 8 consists of the southern communities of San Diego and those along the Mexico–United States border, including the communities of Barrio Logan, Egger Highlands, Grant Hill, Logan Heights, Memorial, Nestor, Ocean View Hills, Otay Mesa West, Otay Mesa East, San Ysidro, Sherman Heights, Stockton, and Tijuana River Valley.

Democratic incumbent Vivian Moreno is ineligible for re-election due to term limits. Seven candidates have filed to run for the seat as of December 9, 2025. [1]

Candidates

Declared

Endorsements

Antonio Martinez

State legislators

Local officials

Organizations

  • San Ysidro Education Association [17]
Venus Molina

State legislators

Local officials

Labor unions

  • AFSCME Local 127 [10] (dual endorsed with Gerardo Ramirez)
Gerardo Ramirez

Labor unions

  • AFSCME Local 127 [10] (dual endorsed with Venus Molina)

Council president

Following the election, the city council will select the president of the city council. The current council president is Joe LaCava, serving since 2025. [20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "2026 Election Information". Office of the City Clerk. San Diego, CA. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Garrick, David (April 6, 2025). "The election is 19 months away, but these two San Diego races are already crowded". San Diego Union-Tribune. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.(subscription required)
  3. ↑ Fleming, Omari (October 7, 2025). "Report shows 31% of San Diego County households are struggling to make ends meet". NBC 7 San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  4. ↑ City News Team (July 17, 2025). "Unsheltered Homelessness Downtown Continues to Decline as City of San Diego Remains Steady in Providing Services and Clearing Unsafe Encampments". Inside San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  5. ↑ Ross, Bella (July 30, 2025). "San Diego 101: Why Is It so Hard to Build Housing?". Voice of San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  6. ↑ Abramsky, Sasha (April 4, 2024). "Soaring Rents in San Diego Pricing Out Working Class". San Diego Magazine. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  7. ↑ Smiechowski, Daniel (January 16, 2025). "Opinion: Why I'm Running for San Diego City Council at 71 Despite Many Failed Attempts". Times of San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ Balc, Tessa (December 5, 2025). "Coronado's former mayor moved to San Diego. He's acting a lot like someone running for something". Times of San Diego. San Diego, CA.
  9. 1 2 3 "Endorsements". Josh Coyne for San Diego City Council. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Endorsements (2026)". AFSCME Local 127. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  11. ↑ Abraham, Martha (July 18, 2025). "'We can't keep living like this.' Martha Abraham Announces Run for District 4 City Council Seat Against Henry Foster". OB Rag. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  12. ↑ Mariana Martínez Barba (October 3, 2025). "Now up for Re-Election, Councilmember Faces Past Firing from City He Now Helps Lead". Voice of San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  13. ↑ Ponce, Chris (September 5, 2025). "Mathew Gordon announces campaign for San Diego City Council District 4". Fox 5/KUSI News. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  14. ↑ Jennewein, Chris (September 5, 2025). "Mathew Gordon to run against Henry Foster III in Council District 4". Times of San Diego. San Diego, CA. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  15. ↑ Matthew Gordon (November 24, 2025). "After many meaningful conversations and honest reflection, I've decided to end my campaign for City Council in 2026. I'm grateful to everyone who believed in the vision and supported the work. It simply wasn't my time and that's okay. I'll still be in the community, present as always, so catch me in the streets living my best life with my best friend, my Wife!". Facebook. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Endorsements". Re-Elect Henry Foster III for City Council District 4. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Endorsements". Elect Antonio Martinez San Diego City Council. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  18. ↑ @venusmolinaforcd8; (September 24, 2025). "Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins Proudly Endorses Venus Molina" . Retrieved October 11, 2025– via Instagram.
  19. ↑ @venusmolinaforcd8; (October 8, 2025). "Councilmember Stephen Whitburn Proudly Endorses Venus Molina" . Retrieved October 11, 2025– via Instagram.
  20. ↑ Garrick, David (December 10, 2024). "Joe LaCava named San Diego City Council president by colleagues". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved October 11, 2025.(subscription required)

Official campaign websites

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