2005 San Diego mayoral special election

Dick Murphy resignation

On April 25, 2005, Dick Murphy announced that he would resign as mayor of San Diego, effective July 15, 2005. Murphy had only recently been reelected as mayor in the highly contested 2004 mayoral election. Murphy's resignation occurred during investigations by the SEC and the FBI into the San Diego pension scandal. The city held a special election to fill the vacancy at mayor. Following Murphy's resignation, Michael Zucchet served as acting mayor for three days before he too resigned due to a corruption conviction that was later overturned. Council member Toni Atkins then served as acting mayor until the mayoral election was complete.

Candidates

Declared

• Jerry Sanders, former San Diego police chief (Voter registration: Republican)
• Donna Frye, city council member (Voter registration: Democratic)
• Steve Francis, businessman (Voter registration: Republican)
• Pat Shea, lawyer (Voter registration: Republican)
• Richard Rider, retired stock broker and financial planner (Voter registration: Libertarian)
• Myke Shelby, Harley Davidson dealer (Voter registration: Republican)
• Shawn A. McMillan, lawyer (Voter registration: Republican)
• Jim Bell, environmental designer (Party preference: Democratic)
• Ed Kolker
• Jeremy Ledford
• Thomas Knapp

Campaign

The special election to replace Murphy attracted a crowded field of eleven official candidates on the ballot. Donna Frye, a member of the San Diego City Council who had almost beaten Murphy with a write-in campaign in the 2004 election, was the only democrat among the top-tier candidates. Former police chief Jerry Sanders ran on a platform of executive experience, having successfully turned around the financial situations of the local chapters of the Red Cross and United Way since retiring as police chief. Steve Francis, founder and chairman of AMN Healthcare Services emphasized downsizing city government and implementing business principles. Francis outspent his rivals in the campaign, putting nearly $2 million of his own money into his campaign. Lawyer Pat Shea ran on a platform that San Diego should declare bankruptcy to deal with the pension scandal, a position that the other front runners disagreed with.

Frye won the plurality of votes in the July primary and advanced to the general election along with runner-up Sanders. However, Sanders and third-place finisher Francis, both republicans, combined for a majority of votes cast in the primary. After conceding the primary election, Francis endorsed Sanders for the general election. Sanders was elected mayor with a majority of the votes in the November general election.

Primary election

Polling

Results

General election

Polling

Results

Notes

References

References

1. "How to Run for Office". The City of San Diego-Office of the City Clerk.
2. (25 April 2005). "San Diego mayor resigns amid pension fund probe". USA Today.
3. Coffey, Daniel. (October 14, 2010). "Justice undone: Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza". San Diego Daily Transcript.
4. Pollack, Andrew. (21 July 2005). "Upheaval Continues in San Diego as 11 Vie for Mayor". New York Times.
5. (29 July 2005). "Third-place finisher backs former police chief in mayoral runoff". Associated Press.
6. [https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=6833decb-78de-4f00-a5a6-500b1b486dfa SurveyUSA]
7. "Election History - Mayor of San Diego". City of San Diego.
8. [https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=1dd90bef-8aa3-468e-a3c0-e974fab31a50 SurveyUSA]
9. [https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=99f7f372-a4a9-49db-98bb-0a091631338a SurveyUSA]