Elect Paloma Aguirre for Board of Supervisors to put San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Paloma Aguirre’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of San Diego County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Aguirre has the endorsement of many groups, including California Working Families Party, Local 221 SEIU, Sierra Club, and San Diego Democrats for Equality. She has also received endorsements from many elected leaders, including State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins, Rep. Mike Levin, and local officers.
Electoral history: Aguirre has run for office previously, and won her 2018 race for Imperial Beach City Council with 29% of the vote. In 2022, she was elected to serve a term as mayor with over 45% of the vote.
Top issues: Cost of living, homelessness and housing, public safety, and South County’s sewage crisis.
Governance and community leadership experience: Aguirre is currently serving as mayor of Imperial Beach, which she does to bring bold advocacy to issues impacting her local community. During her time in city government, Aguirre has addressed an ongoing sewage crisis in South County affecting the Tijuana River, increased the number of affordable homes, improved infrastructure to protect residential areas from flooding, and increased the availability of free and low-cost family programming. Prior to entering public service, Aguirre worked on environmental protection initiatives with WILDCOAST, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the California Coastal Commission. She also participated in a fellowship with the office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
Other background: Aguirre was born in California, raised in Mexico, and has lived in Imperial Beach since college.
The Race
Primary election results: In November 2024, incumbent Sup. Nora Vargas was reelected for a second term on the Board of Supervisors. In December 2024, she announced that she was resigning from the board amid personal safety and security concerns, and the board has opted to hold a special election to fill her seat. While the Board of Supervisors is nonpartisan, the winner of this election will swing the balance between conservative and liberal members, which currently stands at two and two.
Paloma Aguirre, Carolina Chavez, Elizabeth Efird, Louis Fuentes, John McCann, Vivian Moreno, and Lincoln Pickard will contend in the April 8 special election. If one candidate wins 50%+1 in the special election vote, that candidate will win the seat. If no candidate wins over 50%, the top two vote recipients will advance to a run-off election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paloma Aguirre’s campaign has raised $48,050 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Carolina Chavez
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Chavez’s campaign has raised $24,300 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: John McCann
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: McCann’s campaign has raised $125,500 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Vivian Moreno
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Moreno’s campaign has raised $47,600 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
County: San Diego is California’s second most populous county. District 1 includes 630,000 residents in communities that include Barrio Logan, Chollas View, Golden Hill, Grant Hill, La Playa, Lincoln Park, Memorial, Mount Hope, Nestor, Otay, Palm City, San Ysidro, Sherman Heights, Stockton, portions of San Diego, and unincorporated communities.
Governance structure: San Diego’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 3.3 million people and manages an estimated budget of $8.1 billion annually. According to the County Charter, San Diego County is governed by the Board of Supervisors and several other elected leaders, including the sheriff, district attorney, assessor, and treasurer.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils, and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
Elect Paloma Aguirre for Board of Supervisors to put San Diego County on the right track for progress.
Paloma Aguirre’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that she will be a progressive voice for the constituents of San Diego County and will govern effectively in the best interests of this diverse district.
Progressive endorsements: Aguirre has the endorsement of many groups, including California Working Families Party, Local 221 SEIU, Sierra Club, and San Diego Democrats for Equality. She has also received endorsements from many elected leaders, including State Sen. Catherine Blakespear, Assemblymember LaShae Sharp-Collins, Rep. Mike Levin, and local officers.
Electoral history: Aguirre has run for office previously, and won her 2018 race for Imperial Beach City Council with 29% of the vote. In 2022, she was elected to serve a term as mayor with over 45% of the vote.
Top issues: Cost of living, homelessness and housing, public safety, and South County’s sewage crisis.
Governance and community leadership experience: Aguirre is currently serving as mayor of Imperial Beach, which she does to bring bold advocacy to issues impacting her local community. During her time in city government, Aguirre has addressed an ongoing sewage crisis in South County affecting the Tijuana River, increased the number of affordable homes, improved infrastructure to protect residential areas from flooding, and increased the availability of free and low-cost family programming. Prior to entering public service, Aguirre worked on environmental protection initiatives with WILDCOAST, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the California Coastal Commission. She also participated in a fellowship with the office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
Other background: Aguirre was born in California, raised in Mexico, and has lived in Imperial Beach since college.
The Race
Primary election results: In November 2024, incumbent Sup. Nora Vargas was reelected for a second term on the Board of Supervisors. In December 2024, she announced that she was resigning from the board amid personal safety and security concerns, and the board has opted to hold a special election to fill her seat. While the Board of Supervisors is nonpartisan, the winner of this election will swing the balance between conservative and liberal members, which currently stands at two and two.
Paloma Aguirre, Carolina Chavez, Elizabeth Efird, Louis Fuentes, John McCann, Vivian Moreno, and Lincoln Pickard will contend in the April 8 special election. If one candidate wins 50%+1 in the special election vote, that candidate will win the seat. If no candidate wins over 50%, the top two vote recipients will advance to a run-off election.
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Paloma Aguirre’s campaign has raised $48,050 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Carolina Chavez
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Chavez’s campaign has raised $24,300 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: John McCann
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: McCann’s campaign has raised $125,500 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
Opposing candidate: Vivian Moreno
Opposing candidate’s fundraising and pledges: Moreno’s campaign has raised $47,600 and is not funded by police, real estate, fossil fuel, or corporate PAC interests.
The District
County: San Diego is California’s second most populous county. District 1 includes 630,000 residents in communities that include Barrio Logan, Chollas View, Golden Hill, Grant Hill, La Playa, Lincoln Park, Memorial, Mount Hope, Nestor, Otay, Palm City, San Ysidro, Sherman Heights, Stockton, portions of San Diego, and unincorporated communities.
Governance structure: San Diego’s Board of Supervisors oversees the needs of 3.3 million people and manages an estimated budget of $8.1 billion annually. According to the County Charter, San Diego County is governed by the Board of Supervisors and several other elected leaders, including the sheriff, district attorney, assessor, and treasurer.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person Board of Supervisors. A Board of Supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by Boards of Supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils, and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.