Federal, state & local races

The races below are specific to downtown San Diego (Little Italy, ZIP 92101). Because terms are staggered, many seats are not up in 2026; each is marked with its ballot status.

US House — CA-50

What the office does: Represents the district in the US House of Representatives. All 435 House seats are up every two years, so this seat is on the ballot.

Why it matters in 2026: Control of the House runs through every district, though CA-50 is rated a safe Democratic seat at Cook PVI D+16. California voters approved Prop 50 in November 2025, replacing the Citizens Redistricting Commission maps with legislatively drawn maps; downtown San Diego (92101) now sits in the redrawn CA-50, which includes much of the City of San Diego, all of Coronado, Poway, Santee, parts of Escondido & unincorporated areas including Ramona.

Status: On the ballot. Incumbent Scott Peters (D) has served since January 2013 (CA-52 before 2023, CA-50 after). Top-two primary applies; eight candidates filed.

• Scott Peters (D, incumbent) — In Congress since 2013; former San Diego City Council president and Port Commission chair. A pro-business “New Democrat” coalition member focused on climate, biotech and life sciences & deficit issues, who sits on Energy & Commerce.
• Steve Cohen (R) — The Republican most likely to consolidate the GOP vote in this D+16 seat.
• Timothy Bilash (D), Aishwarya Mitra (D), Tim Arnous (D), Ernesto Perez (D) — Democratic challengers running to Peters’ left; none has shown the fundraising or institutional backing to threaten the incumbent.
• Lucinda KWH Jahn (No party preference) and Joseph Shea (L) — minor candidates.

Race dynamics: The incumbent is heavily favored to advance to November, where the open question is which challenger takes the second slot.

State Assembly — AD-78

What the office does: Represents the district in the California State Assembly. All 80 Assembly seats are up every two years, so this seat is on the ballot. AD-78 covers a coastal stretch from Imperial Beach to Solana Beach, including downtown San Diego, Little Italy (92101), Mission Hills, Hillcrest, Bankers Hill/Park West & beach communities.

Why it matters in 2026: The district is strongly Democratic and rated a safe seat for the incumbent.

Status: On the ballot. Incumbent Chris Ward (D) was elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2022 and 2024. Top-two primary applies; three candidates filed.

• Chris Ward (D, incumbent) — Assembly Budget Committee chair and former San Diego City Council president (D3). Focuses on housing supply, LGBTQ rights & homelessness; well-funded and broadly endorsed.
• Payton Galvez (R) — Constituent-services manager with no campaign website or notable public platform.
• Antonio Salguero (L) — Private-security and training business owner, endorsed by the Libertarian Party of California.

Race dynamics: The incumbent is heavily favored; Galvez and Salguero compete for the second runoff slot in a district Ward is favored to win in November.

State Senate — SD-39 (not on the 2026 ballot)

Incumbent Akilah Weber Pierson (D) assumed office December 2, 2024, after winning the open November 2024 election when Toni Atkins termed out. The next election is in 2028, with the term ending December 7, 2028. SD-39 is centered on downtown San Diego and stretches along the coastline, including Coronado, La Mesa, El Cajon, Lemon Grove & portions of the City of San Diego (including 92101).

County Board of Supervisors — District 4

What the office does: The five-member Board of Supervisors runs a roughly $8B county budget covering public health, behavioral health, jails and probation, elections & the social safety net. District 4 covers central San Diego including downtown (92101), so it is on the ballot.

Why it matters in 2026: This is the seat that, with a 2023 special-election win, gave Democrats a 3-2 board majority; the outcome determines the partisan tilt of county government. The office is officially nonpartisan, though candidates’ party leanings are well known.

Status: On the ballot. Incumbent Monica Montgomery Steppe (D) won a November 2023 special election to fill Nathan Fletcher’s vacancy and is running for a full four-year term; the original Fletcher term expires December 2026. With only two candidates, a candidate who wins a majority on June 2 is elected outright; otherwise both advance to November.

• Monica Montgomery Steppe (D, incumbent) — First Black woman on the Board and a former San Diego City Councilmember (D4) known for police-reform work. Backed by the county Democratic Party and labor; running for her first full four-year term.
• Kristine Alessio (R) — La Mesa City Councilmember and attorney, endorsed by the Republican Party of San Diego County and conservative voter guides; running as the fiscal-conservative alternative.

Race dynamics: Montgomery Steppe is favored in this Democratic-leaning district, and the two-way race could be resolved in June if she clears 50%.

County Treasurer-Tax Collector

What the office does: Banks county funds, manages the multibillion-dollar investment pool & collects property taxes — a low-profile but high-responsibility steward of public money.

Why it matters in 2026: Long-serving Dan McAllister retired, making this a rare open race. The office is officially nonpartisan.

Status: On the ballot — open seat. Top-two advance to November unless someone clears a majority. Four candidates filed (figures as of April 29, 2026).

• Joel Anderson (R) — Current county supervisor (D2) and former state senator and assemblymember; finance degree, small-business owner. Platform: cut “hidden fees,” reduce penalties & expand taxpayer assistance. Endorsed by deputy sheriffs’, firefighters’ and trade unions; highest name recognition, with roughly $37,850 raised.
• Larry Cohen (D) — Interim treasurer-tax collector; former chief of staff to Rep. Juan Vargas, a biotech executive and UCSD graduate. Platform: modernize payment systems. Endorsed by Mayor Todd Gloria, three members of Congress, county supervisors & the Democratic Party; top fundraiser, with roughly $134,926 raised.
• Shirley Nakawatase (R) — CPA who founded HNK CPAs (Imperial Beach/El Cajon) and serves as treasurer of the County Capital Asset Leasing Corp. Platform: streamlined services, prudent fund management & financial literacy. Endorsed by Reform California and the GOP; roughly $54,388 raised.
• Victor Roy (Independent) — Former Oceanside City Treasurer (2018–2024), 27 years at United Airlines, California Treasury certified. Platform: investment strategy and transparency. A 2022 internal investigation sustained three personnel allegations against him; roughly $30,000 raised.

Race dynamics: Cohen (interim incumbent, strong fundraising, Democratic backing) and Anderson (highest name recognition) are the front-runners; Nakawatase is the only career CPA in the field.

Judicial — San Diego County Superior Court

Five Superior Court seats are on the June 2, 2026 ballot. State court judges serve six-year terms; a candidate who wins a majority in June is elected outright, otherwise the top two advance to November. These offices are nonpartisan.

The San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) evaluates each candidate independently — not head-to-head — on a scale of Exceptionally Well Qualified / Well Qualified / Qualified / Lacking Qualifications, plus Unable to Evaluate when a candidate declines to participate or information is insufficient. The ratings are not endorsements.

Office No. 31 (contested)

• Jodi Cleesattle — Supervising Deputy Attorney General for the State of California. SDCBA: Exceptionally Well Qualified (the top rating).
• Adam Noakes — Administrative Law Judge for the State of California. SDCBA: Well Qualified.

Both candidates already adjudicate or litigate for the state; Cleesattle holds the higher Bar rating.

Office No. 32 (contested, open seat)

Open after Judge Daniel Belsky did not seek re-election; with three candidates, this race likely advances to a November runoff.

• Nicole D’Ambrogi — Probate and trust practitioner and law professor. SDCBA: Lacking Qualifications.
• David Gallo — Longtime city prosecutor who leads a gun-violence unit. SDCBA: Unable to Evaluate (insufficient information or non-participation).
• Tia Ramirez — Civil trial lawyer focused on employment and complex business litigation. SDCBA: Qualified.

Ramirez is the only candidate with an affirmative Bar rating; D’Ambrogi was rated “Lacking Qualifications” and Gallo was not evaluable.

Offices No. 11, 18 & 34 (uncontested)

Each has only the sitting judge on the ballot. Write-ins are permitted, but no incumbent faces a challenger.

Other offices — not on the 2026 ballot for 92101

• District Attorney — Summer Stephan (R, runs as nonpartisan) was re-elected unopposed in 2022; under SB 271 (2023), DA terms are now six years, with the current term ending January 8, 2029. Not on the ballot; next election 2028.
• Sheriff — Kelly Martinez (D) was elected in November 2022 and took office in January 2023; under SB 271 her term is six years, ending January 8, 2029. Not on the ballot; next election 2028.
• Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk — Jordan Marks (R), elected in 2022, is the only candidate to file for re-election. Under the Elections Code, uncontested county-office races are not placed on the primary ballot and the sole candidate is declared elected.
• County Board of Education — Only Trustee Areas 3 and 5 are up in 2026; the City of San Diego (including 92101) is primarily in Trustee Area 1 (Gregg Robinson), so this is not on the 92101 ballot.
• San Diego Unified School District Board — Subdistricts B and C are up in 2026 (Hazan, Petterson seats), but downtown San Diego/92101 falls in Subdistrict D (Richard Barrera), whose term runs through December 2028. Not on the 92101 ballot.
• San Diego Community College District Board — Trustee Areas A and C are up in 2026. Area C (Craig Milgrim) includes Mission Hills, Hillcrest, Old Town, Balboa Park & North Park — neighborhoods adjacent to but not clearly including downtown. Downtown 92101 likely falls in Area C, but the official SDCCD boundary map should be consulted; if included, this race appears on the ballot.
• City of San Diego — Mayor — Todd Gloria (D) was re-elected in November 2024 to a second four-year term. Not on the ballot; next election 2028.
• City Council, District 3 (covers Little Italy/92101) — Stephen Whitburn (D) was re-elected November 5, 2024, with the term ending December 11, 2028. City Council uses staggered terms, and only even-numbered districts (D2, D4, D6, D8) are up in 2026. Not on the 92101 ballot.
• City Attorney — Heather Ferbert (D) won an open seat in November 2024, with the term ending December 11, 2028. Not on the ballot; next election 2028.