The 2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors election was held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, with the primary election held on March 3, 2020. While the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is officially a nonpartisan institution, Republicans controlled four out of the five supervisory seats, while a Democrat held one. However, the election resulted in a Democratic majority for the first time in decades after Nora Vargas and Terra Lawson-Remer respectively won supervisorial elections in the first and third districts.
Even though county supervisor elections are officially nonpartisan in California, Republicans held a 4–1 majority in the San Diego County Board of Supervisors heading into the 2020 election, with the one being a lone Democrat.[1]
Results[]
In the general election, Democrats Nora Vargas and Terra Lawson-Remer respectively won supervisory seats in the first and third districts, assuring a Democratic majority in the next term and for the first time in a generation.[2]
First district[]
2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors primary election for the first district[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Nonpartisan
Ben Hueso
32,263
29.29
Nonpartisan
Nora Vargas
20,767
18.86
Nonpartisan
17,934
16.28
Nonpartisan
16,634
15.10
Nonpartisan
13,232
12.01
Nonpartisan
4,035
3.66
Nonpartisan
2,679
2.43
Nonpartisan
2,591
2.35
Total votes
110,135
100.00
2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors general election for the first district[4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Nonpartisan
Nora Vargas
131,783
56.58
Nonpartisan
Ben Hueso
101,133
43.42
Total votes
232,916
100.00
Second district[]
2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors primary election for the second district[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Nonpartisan
Joel Anderson
59,803
35.46
Nonpartisan
Steve Vaus
52,357
31.04
Nonpartisan
45,037
26.70
Nonpartisan
11,465
6.80
Total votes
168,662
100.00
2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors general election for the second district[4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Nonpartisan
Joel Anderson
145,103
50.05
Nonpartisan
Steve Vaus
144,821
49.95
Total votes
289,924
100.00
Third district[]
2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors primary election for the third district[3]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Nonpartisan
(incumbent)
72,598
42.82
Nonpartisan
Terra Lawson-Remer
52,899
31.20
Nonpartisan
Olga Diaz
44,063
25.99
Total votes
169,560
100.00
2020 San Diego County Board of Supervisors general election for the third district[4]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Nonpartisan
Terra Lawson-Remer
176,594
58.12
Nonpartisan
Kristin Diane Gaspar (incumbent)
127,259
41.88
Total votes
303,853
100.00
Post-election[]
On January 5, 2021, the Board of Supervisors elected Nathan Fletcher as the new chair, succeeding Greg Cox.[5]
^Marx, Jesse; Srikrishnan, Maya (November 4, 2020). "Welcome to a Dem-Controlled County". Voice of San Diego. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.