SAN DIEGO — How should San Diego County Supervisors fill Nathan Fletcher's soon-to-be-vacant seat; an appointment, or a special election?
The County Board of Supervisors answered that question during its May 2 hearing when it voted unanimously to hold a special election to take place on August 15.
Fletcher announced his resignation on March 29, amid sexual misconduct allegations from a former MTS employee, Grecia Figueroa, who said Fletcher assaulted her on several occasions and used his influence to get her fired.
The special election, which could cost four million to five million dollars, will take place in August, with a possible run-off election, if necessary, slated for November.
According to the county, if the board had opted for an appointment, a new District 4 supervisor would have been in place by May or June.
While it was a decidedly unscientific poll, many District 4 residents CBS 8 spoke with were adamant that the choice of Fletcher's replacement should be in the hands of the almost 700,000 constituents in the district, and not the four remaining board members.
"I'm for a special election," said Lincoln Park resident Oran Payne. He believes that there's no question, in the wake of Fletcher's resignation, expected on May 15, the district's voters should determine his replacement, no matter the cost.
"People should vote for who they want!," said City Heights resident Barbara Powers, who is also a strong supporter of a special election for the sake of accountability and transparency.
During the board meeting, 85 people signed up to speak in person or on the phone. Aside from members of the SEIU union, most supported a special election and appoint an interim until the election.
"I have projects that are put on hold for road signs. Between an elementary school and local community that can't move forward at the pace it should because there is a vacant in the supervisor seat," said Oday Yousif, Valle De Oro Community Planning Chair.
After the vote, CBS 8 asked Chairwoman Nora Vargas about ensuring that there is representation until the election.
"It's really important to emphasize that the staff of District 4 continue to come here and work everyday and doing the work, if there is a pothole in District 4 and something of concern that there is a process they can go through," said Vargas.
Supervisor Tara Lawson Remer who once supported an appointment, voted for a special election but she wants to beef up voter outreach during a time when there is low voter turnout in a special election.
San Diego's Chapter of the League of Women Voters is also backing the option of a special election, saying in a letter to the Board of Supervisors that "This is consistent with a fundamental value of democracy, which the league strongly supports, that voters should have the final say on who should represent them."
WATCH RELATED: Nathan Fletcher's accuser talks about backlash against speaking up against sexual harassment (May 2023).