1983 San Diego mayoral special election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1983 San Diego mayoral special election
| country =
| flag_image = Flag of San Diego, California.svg
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1979 San Diego mayoral election
| previous_year = 1979
| next_election = 1984 San Diego mayoral election
| next_year = 1984
| election_date = {{Start date|1983|5|3}}
| image1 = x150px
| nominee1 = Roger Hedgecock
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| running_mate1 =
| popular_vote1 = 105,385
| percentage1 = 52.3%
| image2 = x150px
| nominee2 = Maureen O'Connor
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| running_mate2 =
| popular_vote2 = 96,238
| percentage2 = 47.7%
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| title = Mayor
| before_election = Bill Cleator (acting)
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Roger Hedgecock
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsCA}}
The 1983 San Diego mayoral special election was held on May 3, 1983, to elect the mayor for San Diego. The special election was necessary due to former mayor Pete Wilson's resignation to take a seat in the United States Senate.
Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, though some candidates do receive funding and support from various political parties.{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/elections/city/run|title=How to Run for Office|access-date=March 9, 2017|work=The City of San Diego-Office of the City Clerk}} The non-partisan primary was held March 15, 1983. Maureen O'Connor and Roger Hedgecock received the most votes and advanced to the May runoff. Hedgecock received a majority of the votes in the May election, and was elected mayor for the remainder of Wilson's term.
Pete Wilson resignation
In November 1982, San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson was elected to the United States Senate representing California. On January 3, 1983, Wilson resigned as mayor of San Diego to be sworn in as a senator. Deputy Mayor Bill Cleator served as acting mayor until an election could be held to fill the office for the remainder of Wilson's third term.{{cite news|last1=Perry|first1=Anthony|title=Wilson Will Be Leaving A Changed City|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13D0F58BDB4429F7@2445337-13D0B629C3C4A58C@9-13D3F4470958CE98?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=March 10, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=January 2, 1983}}
Candidates
- Roger Hedgecock, San Diego County supervisor{{cite news|last1=Perry|first1=Anthony|title=3 Battle for O'Connor Runoff|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13D0F1A1238731F8@2445379-13D0EE4C75238883@32?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=March 9, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=February 13, 1983}}
- Maureen O'Connor, former member of the San Diego City Council
- Bill Cleator, member of the San Diego City Council and acting mayor
- Bill Mitchell, member of the San Diego City Council
- Rich Riel, businessman{{cite news|last1=Smolens|first1=Michael|title=20 of 21 Aspirants Qualify in Mayor Vote|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/page/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13D096D0F1C09D0C@2445360-13CF9ED72F3AF3E6@24-13D2B0431454E520@?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=March 9, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=January 25, 1983}}
- Joe Jaffe, college student
- Don Parker, businessman
- Rosalyn, retired teacher and perennial candidate
- George Hollis, optical manufacturer and engineer
- William Armstrong, unemployed former police officer
- Jim Cunradi, activist
- Paul Clark, daycare school owner
- Dan Russell, firefighter
- Oren Cox, businessman
- Jerry Shine, plastic injection molder
- Alex Weaver, economist
- John Yuskiw, potter and musician
- Art Walters, singles group founder and leader
- Leon Haake, marine engineering technician
- Walter Sweadner, computer hardware service manager
Campaign
Four candidates with prior elected experience contested the special mayoral election. Former city council member Maureen O'Connor, a Democrat, was considered the early front-runner and likely to advance to a runoff election, if not win the first round outright. O'Connor's major opponents in the first round election included county supervisor Roger Hedgecock, city council member and acting mayor Bill Cleator, and city council member Bill Mitchell, all self-identified Republicans. In addition to the main four candidates, an additional 16 other candidates qualified for the ballot.
In her campaign, O'Connor proposed freezing utility rates, focusing on creating jobs, and improving public transportation.{{cite news|last1=Perry|first1=Anthony|title=4 Mayoral Rivals Claim Victory in Forum|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13D1023944DDBF9F@2445405-13D0FB205E225E5B@0-13D23965CB4EB6E0@?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=March 11, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=March 11, 1983}} Hedgecock ran as a political moderate and emphasized environmental protection.{{cite news|last1=Sottili|first1=Carol|title=Sharp-Tongued Hedgecock Stresses Coalition-Building|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13D1535DAC0B3D9B@2445398-13D14B239FF3C200@0?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=March 10, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=March 4, 1983}} Cleator positioned himself as a pro-business Republican, and he criticized Hedgecock as a renegade Republican.{{cite news|last1=Perry|first1=Anthony|title=O'Connor, Hedgecock Gain Mayoral Runoff|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2:136E6A0F0DF56B38@EANX-13D15FB945043909@2445410-13CD0FDA13162BCF@3-13D243696B253E08?p=WORLDNEWS|access-date=March 10, 2017|work=The San Diego Union|date=March 16, 1983}}
On March 15, 1983, O'Connor came in first in the primary with 36.8 percent of the vote, followed by Hedgecock with 31.1 percent of the vote. Cleator finished in third with 25.6 percent of the vote. Mitchell, whose campaign never really took off, trailed behind in fourth with only 5.0 percent of the vote. None of the 16 minor candidates received more than 1 percent individually.
Because no candidate received a majority of the vote, O'Connor and Hedgecock advanced to a runoff election scheduled for May 3, 1983. Hedgecock ultimately prevailed in the runoff with 52.2 percent of the vote, and was elected mayor.
Primary election results
{{Election box begin no change
| title = San Diego mayoral special primary election, 1983{{cite web|title=Election History - Mayor of San Diego|url=https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/city-clerk/pdf/mayorresults.pdf|publisher=City of San Diego|access-date=March 10, 2017}}
| party1name = National Democratic Policy Committee
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Maureen O'Connor
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 66,054
| percentage = 36.8
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Roger Hedgecock
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 55,811
| percentage = 31.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bill Cleator
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 46,062
| percentage = 25.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Bill Mitchell
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 9,028
| percentage = 5.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rich Riel
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 1,239
| percentage = 0.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Joe Jaffe
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 1,152
| percentage = 0.6
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Don Parker
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 558
| percentage = 0.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Rosalyn
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 416
| percentage = 0.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = George Hollis
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 384
| percentage = 0.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = William Armstrong
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 312
| percentage = 0.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Paul Clark
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 276
| percentage = 0.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jim Cunradi
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 269
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Dan Russell
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 236
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Oren Cox
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 227
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jerry Shine
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 184
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Alex Weaver
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 174
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John Yuskiw
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 172
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Art Walters
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 99
| percentage = 0.1
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Leon Haake
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 75
| percentage = –
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Walter Sweadner
| party = Nonpartisan candidate
| votes = 34
| percentage = –
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 179,620
| percentage= 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
Runoff election results
{{Election box begin no change
| title = San Diego mayoral special runoff election, 1983
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Roger Hedgecock
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 105,385
| percentage = 52.3
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Maureen O'Connor
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 96,238
| percentage = 47.7
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 201,623
| percentage= 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{1983 United States elections}}
{{California gubernatorial elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:San Diego mayoral election, 1983}}
Category:1983 California elections
Category:California special elections
Category:1983 United States mayoral elections