Versión en español a continuación.

 Updated on March 24, 2021, at 12:13 PM

Get out to vote on April 6!

Did you know that many residents in San Diego County are voting again on April 6? There will be a Special Election for Assembly District 79. We just went through a very important Presidential election, and a year full of talk about voting by mail and the importance of having your voice heard at the ballot box. We saw the importance of access to early voting and how just a few votes can cause huge changes at the federal, state, and local levels.

We must keep building our culture of voting as we head towards another important election for San Diegans.

Why are we having the Special Election on April 6?

On January 29, 2021, Shirley Weber became the first African American to serve as Secretary of State of California. Governor Newsom appointed her to fill the vacancy left by former California Secretary of State, Alex Padilla. Secretary Weber had been the assembly member representing District 79 since 2012. The vacancy she left in District 79 prompted the special primary election on April 6, 2021. A special general election will follow on June 8, 2021.

How do I learn more about the candidates?

EHC, along with our allies at Engage San Diego, hosted a candidate’s forum on Facebook live. Four of the candidates participated. Click below to watch a recording of the forum and hear from these candidates about COVID recovery, climate justice, and other social justice matters.

Fast forward to minute 38:00 to learn what programs or methods the candidates would like to see California use as we continue a path towards climate justice and combatting climate change.

Do I live in the District?

Bonita, La Mesa, or Lemon Grove are entirely in the 79^th district. If you live there, then you do live in the District and should vote. The District also includes some areas of Chula Vista, National City, and the City of San Diego so you may want to click on the link below to find out whether you will be voting.

Find Out If You’re Voting

Other Important Information

Vote Safely by mail on or before April 6!

Important Deadlines!

Actualizado el 24 de marzo de 2021, a las 12:13 PM 

¡Vote el 6 de Abril!

 ¿Sabía que muchos residentes del Condado de San Diego van a votar de nuevo el 6 de abril? Habrá una elección especial para el Distrito 79 de la Asamblea. Acabamos de pasar una elección presidencial muy importante y un año en el que hubo mucho que hablar acerca del voto por correo y la importancia de hacer escuchar su voz en las urnas. Nos dimos cuenta de la importancia de votar temprano y los grandes cambios que unos cuantos votos pueden lograr a nivel federal, estatal y local.

Nosotros debemos seguir fortaleciendo nuestra cultura del voto conforme se aproxima otra importante elección para los Sandieguinos.

¿Por qué tendremos la Elección Especial el 6 de abril?

El 29 de enero de 2021, la Dra. Shirley Weber se convirtió en la primera afroamericana en ocupar el cargo de Secretaria de Estado de California. El gobernador Newsom la nombro para tomó la posición vacante por el anterior Secretario de Estado de California, Alex Padilla. Secretaria Weber fue asambleísta en representación del distrito 79 desde el 2012. Esta vacante motivó esta elección primaria especial del 6 de abril, 2021 que será seguida por una elección especial general el 8 de junio, 2021.

¿Cómo aprendo más acerca de los candidatos(as)?

EHC junto con nuestros aliados en Engage San Diego, organizó un foro de candidatos en Facebook en vivo. Participaron cuatro de los candidatos. Haga clic a continuación para ver una grabación del foro y escuchar a estos candidatos discutir sobre la recuperación de COVID, la justicia climática y otros asuntos de justicia social.

Avance hasta el minuto 38:00 para saber qué programas o métodos les gustaría que California usara a los candidatos mientras continuamos el camino hacia la justicia climática y la lucha contra el cambio climático.

¿Vivo en el distrito?

Si Usted vive en Bonita, La Mesa o en Lemon Grove, entonces usted vive en el distrito y debe votar. El distrito también incluye algunas áreas de Chula Vista, National City y de la ciudad de San Diego por lo que le recomendamos que consulte este mapa para verificar si va a votar.

¿Averigüe si está votando?

Otra información importante

¡Vote de manera segura por correo a más tardar el 6 de abril!

¡Fechas Importantes!

JOIN US: Census 2020 Virtual Town Halls

Have you completed the 2020 Census? Data gathered every 10 years by the Census is used to distribute $800+ billion annually in federal funding to support healthcare, economic security, parks and schools, and much more!

In these uncertain times, it is even more critical that our communities are not left behind because they were not counted.

If you need support or answers to your Census questions, please join our Census 2020 Virtual Town Halls on June 11 or June 18. The events are being broadcast via Zoom and Facebook Live in both Spanish and English.

RSVP on Facebook:

• Spanish Census Town Hall – June 11, 2020 (4-5 PM)
• English Census Town Hall – June 18, 2020 (4-5 PM)

Facebook Live broadcasts will be streamed on the EHC Facebook Page

RSVP on Zoom:

• Spanish Census Town Hall – June 11, 2020 (4-5 PM)
• English Census Town Hall – June 18, 2020 (4-5 PM)

We will discuss how to fill out the census survey in different ways, including remotely. Our panel of Census experts will provide updates on self-response rates in hard-to-count communities. They will share ways you can help get others counted and answer many frequently asked questions including:

• What is my 12-digit Census ID?
• What do I do if I do not have a Census ID?
• Can I do the Census online?
• Should I enter everyone in my house? Even the kids?

Did you know that children under five are the most undercounted age group in the census? This lack of data has a direct impact on classroom sizes, school lunches, access to schoolbooks, and much more. In fact, each person not counted in the Census costs $2,000 every year in essential government services our families and communities need and deserve.

Join us on June 11 or June 18 to learn how you can complete the 2020 Census safely and easily.

For more information, please contact Jorge Gonzalez:
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JOIN US: Census 2020 Virtual Town Halls - June 11 and June 18

Have you received a letter in the mail asking you to complete the 2020 Census?

If so, please complete the Census right away! It only takes 5 -10 minutes. Each person not counted costs your community $2,000 each year in government services such as improved transportation, better parks and schools, healthcare and other services your community deserves. These services are more important now than ever.

Start now by opening the envelope from the Census Bureau to locate your unique Census ID number. Got it? Here are three ways you can complete the Census:

1. ONLINE: You can now complete your census online and for the first time, the Census form will be available in 13 languages, including Spanish and Vietnamese.
   
   
2. BY PHONE: The Census can also be completed in 13 languages over the phone. Simply call 1-844-330-2020 and follow the instructions.
   
   
3. BY MAIL: Request a paper form in English or Spanish that can be mailed back to the U.S. Census Bureau.

NOTE: You will be asked for your Census ID # when submitting your census in any of these three ways.

No Census ID? No Problem. Call the Census Hotline to request a form or complete the census over the phone using your address:

English 844-330-2020 or Spanish 844-468-2020

CENSUS 2020 RESOURCES

EHC is working with Count Me 2020 to encourage everyone to participate in Census 2020 and bring vital resources to our communities. Learn more by watching this video:

 
Take our pledge to complete the 2020 Census:

If you have any questions about Census 2020, you can always contact EHC by emailing Jorge Gonzalez at Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo. for more information.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors controls a $6 billion budget and makes critical decisions about health, housing, air quality, and toxic pollution in our communities. In 2020, residents of Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Sherman Heights, National City and the rest of San Diego County District 1 will be electing a new supervisor for the first time in almost a quarter of a century.

On May 31, 2019, EHC partnered with ACCE, Engage San Diego and the Invest in San Diego Families Coalition to host a public forum and hear from the declared supervisor candidates on how they would address critical issues facing communities in District 1.

Watch the full Facebook Live video recording of the Candidate's Forum:

The following declared candidates were in attendance at the forum:

• Sophia Rodriguez
• Nora Vargas
• Raphael Castellanos

Ben Hueso, the only other declared candidate on May 31, was unable to attend the forum due to his current commitments as State Senator, which required him to be in Sacramento. He sent a short video clip in which he outlined some of the key elements of his campaign.

Based on the over 150 residents packing the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in National City last Wednesday, it’s clear EHC members and residents of District 1 want their voices heard in holding this office accountable. A group of community members had the opportunity to ask the attending candidates to respond to the following questions:

AIR POLLUTION: Philomena Marino
District 1 contains the region’s hot spots for diesel and particulate pollution. It includes the world’s busiest border crossing, the Otay truck crossing, the 905 and 5 freight corridors, the Port cargo terminals, heavy industry at the waterfront, and smaller industries. It includes the communities that rank highest in the region on CalEnviroScreeen, the state’s tool for identification of the most impacted communities.

Q. What will you do to improve air quality for the residents and workers in District 1?

COUNTY BUDGET AND RESERVE: Tammy Jackson
The County of San Diego controls a budget of over $6 Billion, and they have budget reserves of over 50% of their annual revenue, which is almost $2 billion dollars.

Q. If elected would you spend the reserves and if so, how would you prioritize those expenditures?

HEALTH: Maria Teresa Goodman
District 1 corresponds closely to the County’s HHS South region. The South region has numerous health challenges, with higher rates of several important conditions. Such examples as higher rates of Coronary Heart Disease and stroke hospitalization, higher rates of Diabetes hospitalizations, and higher rates of pulmonary disease.

Q. What will you do to reduce the environmental, economic, and social justice factors that contribute to this disparity in health outcomes?

HOUSING: Barbara Pinto
The most recent homeless count in the county is over 8100 individuals.

Q. With the housing crisis getting worse, what are some of your policy ideas to protect and preserve existing housing, and to produce new housing?

 CLIMATE JUSTICE: Roddy Jerome
District 1 represents communities most impacted by climate change.

Q. What specific changes would you make to the County’s Climate Action Plan to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Within your answer please say what role should the County have in advancing mass public transit?

COUNTY SERVICES: Enrique Zapata

The county has underinvested in staff in key areas such as social workers, behavioral health, eligibility workers, public health nurses and many others.

Q. What you would do to assure proper services are provided in these areas and other county departments?

Finally, the candidates were asked a series of rapid-fire questions with the options to choose yes, no, or give a 15-second explanation.

(Click image above to view the questions in a PDF document)

Photos and videos from the Candidate Forum: