Primaries are over, but the city of Chula Vista is still working on filling the District 4 council seat left open by the sudden resignation of former council member Andrea Cardenas, who resigned the day before pleading guilty to criminal charges of fraud by the San Diego District Attorney’s Office in November 2023. Cardenas was declared vacant at the Feb. 26 City Council meeting.
With the interim-appointment process, deadlines for candidates wishing to fill the seat was March 15, and if selected, will serve until the upcoming November election results are ratified. Eight candidates threw in their hats for the temporary position. The deadline for appointment is April 11. At the March 19 City Council meeting, the city clerk announced the next steps in the appointment process.
The following people have submitted accepted applications to fill the District 4 seat: general director of La Esperanza schools and the Americas Foundation president Christine Brady, Realtor Sharmane Estolano, nonprofit communications specialist Megan Moore, community engagement director Rachel Morineau, business owner Guadalupe Ruiz, Sweetwater Union High School District Area 4 Trustee Nicholas Segura, Jr., business owner John Volland, and construction foreman Daniel Zavala-Soto.
At the meeting the city council came to consensus that on March 26, Council will determine the interview questions, the format of the interviews, and then select the date to interview all eight candidates, a request from Council member Jose Preciado and Council member Carolina Chavez. Council came to consensus on interviewing all eight candidates.
If Council agrees on one of the applicants, they will be sworn in on the night of interviews.
If they cannot come to a consensus for an appointee, the seat will remain vacant until the upcoming November elections.
To view the applicants’ applications, visit www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/city-clerk/d4applicationintro.
