LA MESALA MESA — Tuesday is the last day that La Mesa voters can cast a ballot for one of six candidates competing for a seat on the City Council.
The seat was vacated earlier this year by Akilah Weber, who resigned in April 13 after she won a special election to represent the 79th Assembly District. Weber replaced her mother, Shirley Weber, who was named Secretary of State last December.
The candidates who qualified to run for Weber’s seat are Mejgan Afshan, Kathleen Brand, Patricia Dillard, Laura Lothian, Michelle Louden and Jim Stieringer. The winner will finish the remainder of Weber’s term, which ends in November 2022.
Candidate information on audio can be accessed at https://bit.ly/2Y5oxf8 and information about the election is available at https://www.cityoflamesa.us/1492/Elections
Ballots were mailed to voters last month. They can be left in-person at an official drop-off location at the city of La Mesa through 8 p.m. Tuesday. The locations are the La Mesa branch library at 8074 Allison Ave., La Mesa City Hall at 8130 Allison Ave., and the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center at 8450 La Mesa Blvd.
Ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Nov. 2 and received by the Registrar’s office no later than Tuesday, Nov. 9, to be counted.
In-person voting is also available Tuesday from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office at 5600 Overland Ave., in San Diego.
City Clerk Megan Wiegelman said the county is seeking to have the official results ready by Thursday, Nov. 18.
The City Council — Mayor Mark Arapostathis and council Bill Baber, Colin Parent and Jack Shu — split in April on how to fill the remaining months of Weber’s term. Arapostathis and Baber pushed for the special election while Parent and Shu lobbied for an appointment to be made by the council. City Attorney Glenn Sabine said at the time that the deadlock would default to a special election.
Original estimates showed the city having to pay more than $500,000 to hold the special election.
