Down-ballot — a Democratic voter's guide

This is the partisan companion to the neutral down-ballot guide. The neutral pages describe who is running and what each office does. This page does what those pages deliberately won”t: it offers an opinionated read for a registered Democrat in San Diego (ZIP 92101) — frameworks, not endorsements, but frameworks written from a point of view. These are the quick-takes the neutral site omitted.

The framing throughout: every office is top-two (top two advance to November regardless of party) unless noted. Nonpartisan offices (Superintendent, Supervisor, Treasurer-Tax Collector, judges) are won outright if a candidate clears 50% in June. Most statewide races below are effectively decided; the genuinely consequential local choices are flagged with a star.

Statewide offices

• Attorney General — easy Democratic vote. Rob Bonta (D, incumbent) is the heavy favorite. Decided. Low-stakes vote for Bonta.
• Secretary of State — easy Democratic vote. Shirley Weber (D, incumbent), a San Diego hometown figure, is favored. Decided.
• Controller — easy Democratic vote. Malia Cohen (D, incumbent) is favored. Decided.
• Lieutenant Governor (open). A crowded Democratic field (Ma, Tubbs, Fryday, Kellman) splits the vote, which could let Republican Gloria Romero grab a November slot. Framework for a San Diego Democrat: Ma = establishment / labor experience; Tubbs = the most progressive economic agenda. Either advances the Democratic ledger — the choice is establishment-fiscal versus progressive-reform.
• Treasurer (open). A six-way race that likely produces a two-Democrat November runoff. Framework: Kounalakis brings the most directly relevant board and finance experience and is the clear frontrunner; Caballero is the legislative-policy alternative.
• ⭐ Insurance Commissioner (open) — the most substantively important open seat, given the home-insurance crisis. Three or four credible Democrats (Allen, Kim, Bradford, Wolff) split the vote, so Republican Stacy Korsgaden could grab a slot — pick one Democrat deliberately. The real choice is philosophy: Allen = transparency / consumer-advocate model; Kim = a bigger public backstop; Bradford = experienced legislator. Worth reading closely.
• ⭐ Superintendent of Public Instruction (nonpartisan, open). The danger for progressives: several CTA-aligned Democrats (Barrera, Muratsuchi, Rendon, Newman) split the vote while conservative Sonja Shaw consolidates the right into a runoff slot. For a San Diego voter who wants a pro-public-education superintendent: Barrera is the local, union-backed choice; Muratsuchi and Rendon are the experienced-legislator alternatives. Pick one deliberately.
• ⭐ Board of Equalization, District 4 (open). Three Democrats split the vote, so a single Republican (Bilodeau) could advance. A low-stakes office, but worth a deliberate pick: the choice is Petterson (the local insider who actually knows the office — the standout credential) versus Umberg (clout and name ID).

On the legislative rows: US House CA-50 (Scott Peters, D incumbent, a D+16 seat) and State Assembly AD-78 (Chris Ward, D incumbent) are not competitive — both advance easily. State Senate SD-39 is not on your ballot (next in 2028).

Local races

• ⭐ San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 4 (nonpartisan) — the most consequential local choice; it decides the county board”s partisan tilt. Monica Montgomery Steppe (D, incumbent) holds the 3-2 Democratic majority; Kristine Alessio (R) is the fiscal-conservative challenger. It is a two-way race, so it could end in June if someone clears 50%. Framework for a Democrat: keep the Democratic county majority → Montgomery Steppe.
• County Treasurer–Tax Collector (nonpartisan, open). Framework: Democratic-aligned → Larry Cohen (interim, top fundraiser, Gloria/Dem-backed); a pure professional-qualification filter → Shirley Nakawatase (the only career CPA in the field).
• DA, Sheriff, Assessor — not on your ballot (DA and Sheriff next in 2028; Assessor uncontested and off-ballot). Mayor, City Council D3, City Attorney — none on your ballot (incumbents” terms run to 2028).

On the judicial rows (San Diego Superior Court, nonpartisan), use the San Diego County Bar Association ratings:

• Offices 11, 18, 34: uncontested — no choice to make.
• ⭐ Office 31 (contested). Jodi Cleesattle (Supervising Deputy AG — SDCBA Exceptionally Well Qualified) versus Adam Noakes (Administrative Law Judge — Well Qualified). Both are favorable; Cleesattle holds the higher Bar rating.
• ⭐ Office 32 (contested, open, likely heading to November). If you weight the Bar rating, Tia Ramirez (civil litigator — Qualified) is the only affirmatively-rated candidate; Nicole D”Ambrogi is rated Lacking Qualifications and David Gallo (city prosecutor) was Unable to Evaluate, though Gallo”s prosecutorial record may appeal independent of the Bar.

Measure A

City Measure A — Non-Primary (Vacant) Homes Tax. A new annual tax — about $8K in 2027, rising to $10K-plus in 2028 — on residential homes that are not a primary residence and sit vacant more than 182 days a year, plus a corporate surcharge. It hits roughly 5,100 homes (under 1% of the city”s stock). Your own primary residence, or any occupied or leased home, is exempt — so there is no direct cost to a year-round 92101 resident. It is a simple-majority general tax, meaning the revenue is unrestricted.

The honest framing — this is a genuine policy call, not a partisan reflex:

• YES if you want to pressure deliberately-empty units onto the market and raise an estimated $9–24M a year for city services from a small, wealthy slice of owners.
• NO if you object that the revenue isn”t earmarked for housing (it goes to the general fund), or worry about the litigation risk — a near-identical San Francisco vacancy tax was struck down in court.

One thing to keep in mind as you weigh it: a judge forced the “Non-Primary” rename (the “Empty Homes” label was ruled misleading) and flagged that the City overstated the housing and infrastructure connection. Realtor groups outspent supporters roughly 6-to-1, so discount the campaign mail on both sides and decide on the policy itself. Either way, it won”t cost you a dime personally.

Bottom line

Most statewide rows are easy Democratic votes or already decided. Spend your attention where it matters — the starred races:

• Insurance Commissioner — a real philosophical choice on the insurance crisis.
• Superintendent and Board of Equalization D4 — Democratic vote-splitting could let the conservative or Republican advance, so pick one Democrat deliberately.
• Supervisor D4 — it decides the county majority.
• The two contested judicial seats (Offices 31 and 32) — use the SDCBA ratings.

And Measure A is a genuine policy call that won”t cost you a dime personally — decide it on the merits.