Unofficial election results have National City Councilwoman Alejandra Sotelo-Solis in the lead to replace termed-out Mayor Ron Morrison, who is ahead in his City Council race.
With 100 percent of the precincts reporting in National City Wednesday morning, Sotelo-Solis is the top vote-getter in the four-person mayoral race.
Sotelo-Solis earned 2,608 votes or 43.09 percent of the vote. Finishing in second is Planning Commissioner Ditas Delossantos Yamane with 1,816 or 30.1 percent of the vote, followed by City Treasurer Mitch Beauchamp who got 913 votes, 15.9 percent, and realtor Daniel Perez coming in last with 695 votes or 11.48 percent.
Although every precinct has been accounted for, the San Diego registrar of voters says there are 490,00 outstanding ballots countywide, which could change election figures.
The registrar of voters has 30 days to certify the election.
If Sotelo-Solis is elected mayor she will leave her current City Council seat vacant with two years remaining on her term. The City Council will then have to decide whether to fill her seat with two-years remaining via appointment or special election.
Sotelo-Solis, 39, declared victory hours after the first batch of results were released by the registrar of voters, she was leading by less than 100 votes at the time.
“I’m proud to say I’ve been working hard to be the next mayor of National City,” she told a room full of supporters at Napoleon’s Pizza House on National City Boulevard. “We’re going to have a new mayor! The first Latina mayor (of National City)!”
If Sotelo-Solis’s lead holds she will be only the second female mayor since Thelma Hollingsworth, who served from 1960-1961, and the first Latina mayor in the city’s 131-year history.
“It’s great to have a Latina mayor,” said National City resident Coyote Moon, who is a supporter of Sotelo-Solis. “I feel like finally someone is in there who really represents me and understand the struggles that Latinas have in their everyday lives. I’m super proud of her.”
According to the U.S. Census, National City’s population is predominantly Hispanic.
Moon said she also believes, with Sotelo-Solis at the helm, National City would steer away from its old conservative Republican policies that past administrations have set as she said Sotelo-Solis will move National City forward in a more progressive form.
Jacqueline Reynoso, president of the National City Chamber of Commerce, said having a new mayor could be beneficial for National City’s business community.
“We’re excited about new leadership taking ground in National City,” she said. “I think it’s refreshing all around.”
Tasha Willamson, who’s been advocating for change on the city council since the death of Earl McNeil in National City Police custody, said she expects more of the same on the city council but hopes Sotelo-Solis can leave her own mark.
“The same people still seem to be sitting on the dais so what it says to me is National City will still be the Wild Wild West,” she said. “May Alejandra Sotelo-Solis find the courage to represent without the oppressive boot of Ron Morrison on her neck. May she change the way the least among her residents and visitors are treated. May she remember every day the lies she fell pry to during the botch cover up of Earl McNeil’s homicide. Murders, criminals and liars are protecting the very chambers and city she now reigns supreme over.”
I can’t believe people voted for Solis and Rios. These 2 are straight up socialists. I’m glad their commie rent control measure went down in flames. Their “progressive” beliefs are what’s running this state into the ground.