Local San Diego News From Around The County

But a second incumbent may not make it to November

There looks to be nothing experimental anymore about San Diego’s “strong mayor” system of government. City voters were overwhelmingly supporting making it permanent Tuesday night after a temporary, five-year run.

In Oceanside, Chuck Lowery led the field of five candidates vying to replace former Councilman Rocky Chavez, but his victory was not certain. Lloyd Prosser was a close second, with the other candidates far behind.

Proposition L, a proposal sponsored by the Solana Beach City Council to establish a business tax, was failing with 56 percent opposed, with just under 17 percent of the vote counted Tuesday night.

Proposition J, a measure which would extend Del Mar’s 11.5 percent hotel tax to vacation rentals of houses and duplexes, was losing by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent with 40 percent of the ballots counted Tuesday night.

On the same night San Diego County voters embraced term limits for county supervisors by a wide margin, both incumbents seeking re-election were nevertheless handed double-digit margins of victory.

Sheriff Bill Gore held a commanding lead over his two well-known rivals late Tuesday in his bid to be elected the region’s top lawman, according to election returns.

California voters Tuesday voted for a dramatic makeover in the way primary elections are conducted by decisively approving Proposition 14.

In Oceanside, Chuck Lowery was leading five candidates in early returns Tuesday night to replace former Councilman Rocky Chavez, who resigned in December to become undersecretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs.

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman won the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina seemed certain to do the same in the Republican contest for the U.S. Senate

Francine Busby took an early commanding lead over Tracy Emblem Tuesday in the 50th Congressional District Democratic primary. With 12 percent of precincts reporting, Busby had 64 percent of votes while Emblem had 36 percent.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said he’s “cautiously optimistic” that the city will continue with its strong mayor form of government after early returns showed Proposition D winning with 60 percent of the vote.

San Diego City Councilman Ben Hueso and Santee City Councilman Brian Jones took early leads Tuesday night in their respective primaries in the 79th and 77th Assembly districts.

Proposition L, a proposal sponsored by the Solana Beach City Council to establish a business tax, was failing with 56 percent opposed, with just under 17 percent of the vote counted Tuesday night.

A crowded field in the District 8 San Diego City Council race was bunched up in early returns, with four of the seven candidates separated by a mere 3 percentage points.

State Assemblyman Joel Anderson held an early strong lead over his Republican competitors in the East County 36th State Senate District primary race, while state Assemblywoman Mary Salas and former state Assemblyman Juan Vargas were locked in virtual dead heat in the South Bay 40th Senate District Democratic primary.

Proposition J, a measure which would extend Del Mar’s 11.5 percent hotel tax to vacation rentals of houses and duplexes, was losing by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent with 40 percent of the ballots counted Tuesday night.

Mayor Cheryl Cox has grabbed 59 percent of the absentee vote in her quest to win reelection

The race for the San Diego City Council seat in District 6 might be headed for a runoff election Nov. 9, based on early returns that showed no candidate close to obtaining more than half the vote.

Tony Young seemed likely to retain his San Diego City Council seat in early returns last night.