The San Diego area was home to five of the electors who cast votes in the Electoral College Monday for Joe Biden, affirming that he would be the next President of the United States.
California's 55 electors, who are chosen by whichever party wins the popular vote for president, cast their ballots Monday in Sacramento.
Each party has a different method to select the electors they want to represent them. The California Democratic Party allows the top Congressional primary candidates and the state's two senators to choose an elector each. Republicans appoint many of their party's most recent nominees for elected office to be electors.
22-year-old political strategist from Carlsbad Kevin Sabellico was chosen as an elector by Representative Mike Levin. He worked on Levin's campaign and has worked on Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris' campaigns.
"I think in a democracy we should just count all the votes up and whoever has the most votes should win, it's really that simple," Sabellico said.
Sabellico disagrees with the way the Electoral College works, but says it's an honor to be part of the process.
"To be one of the people here today officially making [Kamala Harris] the Vice President-Elect of the United States, the first woman in the White House, that is really, it is a big freaking deal," he said.
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Peter Bolland is a humanities professor at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. That's where he met Ammar Campa-Najjar more than a decade ago. Campa-Najjar was the top vote-getter in the 50th Congressional District's primary and selected Bolland to be an elector.
"It’s a problematic institution and we might be better off without it, but I understand Hamilton and Madison's rationale back in the summer of 1787 when they plopped this weird compromise into the constitution, Bolland said. "But the bottom line reaction [to being selected] was, I’m really excited."
Bryan Fletcher is a community advocate in San Diego focusing on social justice and immigration issues. He was selected by Representative-Elect Sara Jacobs.
"I understand how the presidential election fits into the overall thread of our democracy over hundreds of years and to be part of that club, to be part of that exclusive club that has elected presidents for hundreds of years was quite an honor," Fletcher said.
Fletcher is also a former NFL player and won the Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.
California electors, like those in most other states, give all of their votes to the winners of the popular vote in their state. In 2000 and 2016, the Electoral College elected a president that did not win the national popular vote.
California electors make $10 for their service plus a 5 cents-per-mile reimbursement for their trip to Sacramento and back.
