The Proposed San Diego City Charter Amendment for
CHOICE VOTING: An Overview
A Better, Fairer Way to Elect Leaders
The amendment to the San Diego city charter will implement the CHOICE VOTING system for all San Diego elections. With this system, you, as a voter, will rank candidates in order of preference, starting with your favorite as #1, your second favorite as #2, and so on. If your first choice doesn’t have enough votes to win, your vote is automatically transferred to your second choice. If your second choice doesn’t have enough votes to win, your vote is automatically transferred to your next choice, and so on. This process continues until a candidate wins.
Ranking candidates under CHOICE VOTING means:
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More Voter Choice and Flexibility: You can support your top choice without worrying about “wasting” your vote on a candidate with little chance of winning. If your top choice doesn’t have enough votes to win, your vote still counts for your next-ranked candidate, and so on.
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Better Representation: CHOICE VOTING delivers election results that more accurately reflect the will of the people, ensuring leadership that represents all San Diegans and their interests. This fosters a local government that is more accountable to voters and more effective in serving the community.
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Reduced negative campaigning: Candidates are motivated to win second and third-choice votes, leading to a more positive, issue-focused campaign.
A More Representative City Council
Starting in 2030, San Diego’s City Council will expand from nine to fifteen members. The current nine members will continue to represent specific districts, while six, new at-large members will be elected by voters citywide. All voters, whether voting on a district City Council election or an at large City Council election, will use CHOICE VOTING.
An expanded City Council under CHOICE VOTING means:
- 1Reduced Power of Political Machines and Money in Politics: Candidates running for a seat as an at-large city councilmember can win with a smaller percentage of the vote, reducing the need for expensive campaigns and heavy fundraising. This means they are less reliant on political machines and big donors. As a result, independently-minded candidates, who are more accountable to voters, have a better chance of winning.
- 2Empowered Voters: CHOICE VOTING motivates elected officials to prioritize the voices of everyday voters over those of the wealthy or well-connected. By aligning city council decisions with the desires of the broader San Diego community, this system fosters greater accountability and leads to a more effective and responsive government.
- 3Reduced effect of gerrymandering: Gerrymandering is when district boundaries are drawn in a way that unfairly benefits certain political groups or parties. By electing six at-large City Council members citywide, this amendment reduces the influence of gerrymandering and its negative effects.
Under this charter amendment, San Diego will eliminate primary elections. All officials will be chosen in a single general municipal election.
The elimination of primaries under CHOICE VOTING means:
- 1Saved taxpayer money: Primaries are expensive and no longer needed under CHOICE VOTING.
- 2Simplified voting: One election, one decision—makes the election process easier for everyone.
- 3Increased participation: General elections bring more voters to the polls than primaries, ensuring leadership decisions reflect the will of more San Diegans.
This amendment will modernize San Diego’s election process, creating a system that is fairer, simpler, and more representative. CHOICE VOTING empowers voters, ensures that city leaders more closely reflect the various perspectives of San Diegans, and reduces wasteful spending.
To bring CHOICE VOTING to San Diego, we need to place a charter amendment on the ballot and get it passed. To do this, we must collect enough signatures from voters. Sign up now to provide your contact information so we can notify you when it’s time to sign the petition.