4 Seats at Stake in a City Election First

Thirteen candidates, led by four San Diego City Council members seeking reelection, face voters today in the city’s first district-only council election since the City Charter was adopted in 1931.

With voters in half of the city going to the polls, the seats at stake in today’s primary are those representing the four odd-numbered council districts. In each of the districts, incumbents--Abbe Wolfsheimer in the 1st District, Gloria McColl in the 3rd, Ed Struiksma in the 5th and Judy McCarty in the 7th--are running for new four-year terms.

Voters uncertain of their polling place or who experience other Election Day problems can contact the county registrar of voters office at 565-5800 for assistance.

Under the district-only system narrowly approved by San Diego voters in November, candidates can win election outright in today’s primary by receiving more than 50% of the vote--a target that is a mathematical certainty in McCarty’s two-candidate race and a strong possibility in the 3rd District contest.

If no candidate draws a majority vote in any of the districts, the top two vote-getters will compete in a November runoff, again confined to the respective district. Formerly, the top two finishers in each district primary automatically faced each other in a citywide general election, regardless of whether the primary victor surpassed 50%.

In the 1st District, which covers the city’s northern tier, Wolfsheimer is opposed by retired Navy Capt. Harry Mathis and former county supervisorial aide Bob Trettin in her bid for a second term.

McColl, who has won two elections since being appointed to the council in 1983, faces real-estate broker John Hartley and businessman Charles Ulmschneider in the Mid-City 3rd District. Barring an unexpectedly strong showing by long shot Ulmschneider, who drew only 3.6% of the vote in last year’s mayoral election, a November runoff appears unlikely in that race.

In the 5th District, Struiksma, the council’s most senior member with eight years at City Hall, drew four challengers--more than any other incumbent--in his bid for a third term in the north-central district. His opponents include former Wolfsheimer aide and land-use consultant Linda Bernhardt, lawyer Mike Eckmann, former City Councilman Floyd Morrow and marketing consultant Bob Switzer.

McCarty, who is seeking a second term, faces retired firefighter Kenneth Key in the 7th District, which includes most of northeastern San Diego.

With the shift to district contests causing candidates to eschew the radio and TV ads necessary in past campaigns to reach a citywide electorate, this year’s races have proceeded in relative obscurity. Although aggressive campaigns have been waged in many neighborhoods, the races have not achieved the citywide visibility of past council elections. And, though the election-system shift was expected to lower campaign costs, the price tag in today’s primary is likely to approach $1 million--comparable to the amounts typically spent in past campaigns.

Arguing that many people are “enthused that their votes mean more” in a district race, City Clerk Charles Abdelnour has forecast an above-average 25% turnout. Most of the candidates and their strategists, however, believe that the turnout could be as low as the mid-teens in some districts, pointing out that there is nothing else on the ballot to draw voters.