District 9 City Council Race

image
Created: 11 Oct, 2016
Updated: 17 Oct, 2022
2 min read

San, Diego, CALIF. - Of the five odd-numbered districts electing city council representatives in 2016, only one election truly remains: District 9.

While the District 1 election is still officially on the ballot, Republican candidate Ray Ellis pulled out of the race months ago, leaving Barbara Bry as the only viable choice in that District.

In the June Primary, Districts 3, 5, and 7 were decided. That’s because the City of San Diego has an election loophole, that states candidates who receive over 50% of the primary vote are automatically elected and won’t face the electorate in the November General Election.  

For District 9, no candidate received a majority vote in the June Primary. That means voters will decide between the top-two voter getters, Ricardo Flores and Georgette Gomez.

The neighborhoods comprising District 9 are diverse, consisting of upscale communities like Kensington and more densely-populated areas like City Heights. D9 also includes the communities of Alvarado Estates, College Area, College View Estates, El Cerrito, Mountain View, Mount Hope, Rolando, Southcrest, and Talmadge.

For the first time, District 9 will elect a Latino representative, reflecting the majority-minority population of Latinos who comprise the area.

Ricardo Flores, 39, has served District 9 since 2005. He is currently Chief of Staff for District 9 Councilwoman Marti Emerald, who endorsed Flores’ candidacy after announcing she would be stepping down due to health concerns. Flores was also a senior aide to Congresswoman Susan Davis. Flores is the son of two public school teachers and lived in District 9's City Heights neighborhood as a child before attending UCLA. He and his wife currently live in Kensington.

Georgette Gomez, 40, is a member of the City Heights Community Planning Group and the Associate Director of the Environmental Health Coalition. She received the official endorsement of the Democratic Party of San Diego County for the November General Election. The daughter of working class immigrants, Gomez grew up in Barrio Logan and graduated from SDSU. She and her partner live in the Azalea Park community of City Heights.

Both Flores and Gomez have campaigned on the issues of neighborhood safety, improving infrastructure and growth, and increasing affordable housing. And, as residents themselves, they each have a personal connection with the District and its residents.

IVP Donate

The results from the June Primary are below.

Screen Shot 2016-10-11 at 10.41.44 AM

Latest articles

Ballot handed to poll worker.
NM Lawmakers: Open Primaries Bill Is About Boosting Voter Participation
KOAT 7 in New Mexico featured an investigative report on the impact of open primaries now that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed SB 16 into law, a bill that opens the state's primaries to more than 330,000 independent voters....
09 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read
Judge about to slower gavel.
Believe It or Not, There Is Still a 2024 Election That Hasn't Been Called
It may be hard to believe, but as of April 2025, there is still one election in the US from the last election cycle that has not been called: the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court election between incumbent Democrat Justice Allison Riggs and Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin....
09 Apr, 2025
-
3 min read
NYC Mayor Eric Adams
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Declares Independent Bid for Re-Election to Skirt Ranked Choice Primary
Facing the risk of defeat in a competitive Democratic primary, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on April 3 that he is withdrawing from the June 24 ranked-choice contest and will instead collect signatures to run as an independent in the November 4 general election....
08 Apr, 2025
-
5 min read