OVERVIEW
Which candidates should I vote for?
Up for Election on November 8, 2022:
Coronado Unified School District Board – Four Seats Up for Election
Three: Four-year seats
One: Two-year seat
Coronado City Council – Two Seats Up for a Four-year Term
Watch the videos from the Candidate Forums
Click on the Links:
September 17, 2022:
https://coronadodemocrats.com/events-calendar-meeting/cusd-board-of-trustees-candidate-forum/
September 19, 2022:
https://coronadodemocrats.com/events-calendar-meeting/coronado-city-council-candidate-forum/
Rate the Candidates
Follow the suggestions offered by the League of Women Voters:
As you watch, be aware of your reactions both to the substance of the candidates’ remarks and the visual images that are conveyed. Are you influenced by the age or sex? Who appeared more relaxed, more sincere, more confident? In judging substance, decide who answers or evades the questions. Do the candidates tell you their stands on the issues? Do the candidates seem well informed? Are their answers realistic or are they just campaign promises?
And do they support our club’s policies and values?
What else can you do?
- Talk to others about “your” candidate.
- Tell candidates, newspapers and party leaders how you feel about the issues or the campaign.
- Volunteer to work on a campaign.
Vote — It’s In Your Best Interests!
Democracy truly works only when people exercise their right to participate in the electoral process.
CANDIDATES AND RACES
- CORONADO CITY COUNCIL
The club hosted a City Council Forum on September 19th. All four candidates participated. This forum can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPmNsGaS49Y
The Public Policy Committee reviewed all of the candidates’ qualifications, including experience, education, and community service. The Committee recommends:
Carrie Downey and Pilialoha Estall as the two best candidates to support public policies promoting protection of the environment, public safety and quality of life in Coronado.
Carrie Downey, long time club member, has demonstrated her commitment during her three previous terms on City Council, most recently from 2014-2018.
As a former JAG officer with the U.S. Navy, with a Master’s degree in Environmental Law and Land Use, Carrie is uniquely qualified to address these issues. She is a lawyer, a local small business owner, specializing in land use, energy, and environmental issues and teaches Energy Law at USD. For more information, visit https://carriedowneyforCoronado.com.
Pilialoha Estall, a fourth-generation resident of Coronado, supports a focus on community services for our youth, adult and aging populations. She is open to new ideas and creative solutions. She has a Master’s degree in Leadership and Educational Sciences and a B.A. in Environmental Studies. Her extensive community involvement, including Coronado Schools Foundation Board member and Volunteer of the Year, demonstrates her commitment and service to Coronado.
For more information, visit https://pilialohaestall.com
- CUSD SCHOOL BOARD
A very important school board election is coming up on November 8th. It is a crowded field, with three candidates running for one seat for a 2-year term and nine candidates running for three seats for full 4-year term. The role of school board Trustee is a non-partisan position. Three of the candidates (Gerri Machin, Scot Youngblood, and Lisa Meglioli) sought and have received the Republican Party’s endorsement. None of the other candidates have sought endorsement. This year the Coronado Democratic Club is not endorsing any candidates, but the Public Policy Committee is making recommendations.
Based on candidates’ comments at CUSD board meetings, letters and statements in the Eagle Journal and the Coronado Times, and responses at the Coronado Democratic Club sponsored Candidate Forum on 9/17/22 https://youtu.be/QPmNsGaS49Y, we recommend the following candidates:
- Renee Cavanaugh for the 2-year term
- Stephanie Anderson, Alexia Palacios-Peters, and Mal Sandie for the 4-year term
We are neutral on incumbent Helen Anderson-Cruz for the 4-year term.
Our recommendations are based on the candidates’ positions on these hot-button issues: mask/vaccine mandates, equity/diversity/inclusion, bullying, LGBTQ, and social emotional learning.
You have one vote for the 2-year position and three votes for the 4-year position. It’s critically important that you use all your votes!
- SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF
The candidates running for Sheriff are:
Kelly Martinez. Endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party, Senator Toni Atkins and 4 out of 5 of the members on the Board of Supervisors. To learn more about her and to see all of her endorsements, please visit:
https://kellymartinezforsheriff.com/
John Hemmerling. Endorsed by the CA Republican Party and Mayor Richard Bailey, among others. Visit Hemmerling’s website to learn more about him and his endorsements at:
https://www.johnhemmerlingforsheriff.com/priorities
Note: Both candidates were invited to our forum on September 10th. John Hemmerling declined the invitation and Kelly Martinez did not respond.
- San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk
This County office has a budget of 78 million dollars per year and a staff of 415. It keeps all county records, including real property deeds, liens, marriage licenses and other documents required to be filed.
The candidates, Barbara Bry and Jordan Marks, both appeared at our club forum on September 10th. This event was live-streamed and can be viewed at:
Barbara Bry is endorsed by the County Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood Action Fund and others. She is the former Chair of the San Diego City Council Budget Committee, former member of the San Diego City Council and has served on the boards of many County organizations such as the Children’s Museum. More information is available at barbarabry.com.
Jordan Marks is endorsed by the State Republican Party, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and many San Diego realtor and contractor organizations. He is the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate for the Office of Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr., current San Diego County Assessor / Recorder / County Clerk. In his position, he assists taxpayers with navigating issues. More information is available at vote4marks.com.
The Public Policy Committee makes no recommendations in this race but urges voters to review the candidates’ qualifications for this office and to review the video of the September 10th club program.
- San Diego County Treasurer
There are no term limits for this office which is responsible for tax collection in San Diego County. Both candidates were invited to speak at the club meeting on September 10th. The incumbent, Dan McAllister, did not respond to our invitation; Greg Hodosevich accepted and spoke. The event was live streamed and can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/J08CRkNizDQ
Greg Hodosevich is endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party. Concerned about the homeless, he wants to identify the root causes of the rising cost of living in this county and to urge mitigation responses. He is also interested in clean water and desalinization. He wants large corporations in San Diego County to pay their fair share of taxes. He has decades of financial and technological experience and supports equity and transparency. To learn more, go to: https://www.treasurer2022.com/
Dan McAllister, the incumbent, is listed on the website of the San Diego Republican Party. Sandiegorepublicans.org. He has served in this office since 2002 and is a strong advocate for diversity. He is active in community organizations and serves as Chair of the San Diego Unified School District Special Audit and Finance Committee. To learn more about him, visit www.sdttc.com/content/ttc/en/about-us/DanMcAllister.html
- Candidates for Judicial Office
Prior to the primary election in June, the San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA)
published its Judicial Election Evaluation Committee’s evaluations of all candidates for judicial office within San Diego County. They are as follows:
San Diego County Superior Court Judge – Office No. 35
Rebecca Kanter — Well Qualified
Mike Murphy — Qualified
San Diego County Superior Court Judge – Office No. 36
Pete Murray — Well Qualified
Com. Peter Singer — Qualified
The SDCBA defines the levels of qualification as follows:
“Exceptionally Qualified”: Presently possessing exceptional professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and/or temperament to perform the judicial function.
“Well Qualified”: Presently possessing a high level of professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and/or temperament indicating high-level ability to perform the judicial function.
“Qualified”: Presently possessing professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and/or temperament indicating ability to perform the judicial function.
“Lacking Qualifications”: Presently not possessing professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and/or temperament indicating ability to perform the judicial function.
“Unable to Evaluate”: If the Committee does not receive sufficient information from persons who know a candidate to fairly and adequately evaluate a candidate’s ability to perform the judicial function, the candidate may be deemed Unable to Evaluate.
You will find more information on the process by which judicial candidates are evaluated here: https://www.sdcba.org/?pg=JudicialEvaluations.
There are several California Supreme Court Justices on the November ballot for a retention vote. Justices do not run against opposing candidates. If a justice receives more “yes” votes, the justice may remain in his or her position. If a justice receives more “no” votes, the justice will complete the current term and then a new justice will be appointed by the Governor.
These are the justices up for a retention vote:
- Justice Martin J. Jenkins
- Justice Joshua Groban
- Justice Goodwin Liu
- Justice Patricia Guerrero — On the ballot to be elected Chief Justice
The Commission voted unanimously to confirm the Governor’s nomination of Justice Guerrero for Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court. It deemed her “exceptionally well qualified.” To assume office, she must be elected by voters in the November 8 general election. If elected, she will be the first Latina to serve as Chief Justice. (She also lives in Coronado!)
Read more on Justice Patricia Guerrero: https://newsroom.courts.ca.gov/news/commission-confirms-justice-patricia-guerreros-nomination-chief-justice-california and https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-26/guerrero-deemed-exceptionally-well-qualified-as-panel-weighs-chief-justice-nomination
Find more information on all the justices here: https://supreme.courts.ca.gov/about-court/justices-court
