Former Councilman Officially Steps Down in District 4

San Diego City Councilman Tony Young has officially resigned from his post in District 4 and a special election looks to be taking shape.

Young announced in November that he would be leaving the council to head the local American Red Cross.

Now, the special election to replace the councilman will be held in the next three months. City Clerk Elizabeth Maland said she is recommending March 26 to the city council, which will vote on the recommendation on Monday.

That date was chosen because it will likely allow the city to coordinate the special election to fill Juan Vargas’ seat. It will also give candidates enough time to get enough signatures to run.

Eleven candidates have so far submitted intent-to-run forms with the city, said Bonnie Stone, Deputy Director of Elections and Information Services.

City code requires the candidates to live within the district's boundaries as they were drawn before redistricting. They can start collecting signatures for their nomination beginning January 11, Maland said.

Three of the potential candidates appeared on an episode of Politically Speaking with Gene Cubbison to talk about the issues that they would focus on if elected.

Educator Dwayne Crenshaw, employment recruiter Barry Pollard and Young's former advisor Bruce Williams have all announced they'd like to run.

Pollard ran unsuccessfully against Young in the district in 2010.

Pollard said this year will be different, and that he has a better understanding of the problems facing his district’s neighborhoods and how to solve them.

“I’ve gotten close to the organizations and the problems that have been identified in [District 4], such as working with the city budget trying to figure out why capital projects haven’t been done here,” he said.

Crenshaw also ran for the position in 2002 against Charles Lewis, whose death in 2005 led to Young’s election.

“I have lived, worked and fought for the neighborhoods of the 4th District for more than 37 years,” Crenshaw said in a statement. “I look forward to reaching out to the voters in the days ahead and asking them to join with me in continuing to fight for stronger neighborhoods with good jobs, quality schools and safe streets.”

Williams was Young's Senior Policy and Community Affairs Advisor. Prior to his work in Young's office, he also served as Neighborhood Ombudsman for the Coalition of Neighborhood Councils.

On Politically Speaking, he said he will work to clean up his district's neighborhoods and continue the neighborhood cleanup programs that were so successful in District 4 under Tony Young. He also said he will support efforts such as the Property Value Protection Ordinance, which seeks to hold banks accountable for neglected foreclosed homes with a registry of who owns the homes.