1996 San Diego mayoral election

1996 San Diego mayoral election

← 1992 March 26, 1996 (1996-03-26) 2000 →
 
Nominee Susan Golding Jim Bell
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 157,385 12,853
Percentage 78.3% 6.4%

Mayor before election

Susan Golding
Republican

Elected mayor

Susan Golding
Republican

The 1996 San Diego mayoral election was held on Tuesday, March 26, 1996, to elect the mayor for San Diego. Incumbent mayor Susan Golding stood for reelection.

Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, though some candidates do receive funding and support from various political parties.[1] The non-partisan primary was held Tuesday, March 26, 1996. Since the incumbent Golding received a majority of primary votes, she was reelected outright with no need for a runoff in the November general election.

Candidates

Campaign

Incumbent mayor Susan Golding was seen as an overwhelming favorite going into the election against five relatively unknown candidates with little prior political experience. She refused to participate in debates against her five challengers.[3] On March 26, 1996, Golding received an overwhelming majority of the votes and was easily re-elected mayor.[4]

Primary election results

San Diego mayoral primary election, 1996[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Susan Golding (incumbent) 157,385 78.3
Democratic Jim Bell 12,853 6.4
Democratic Patrick Coleman 12,019 6.0
Nonpartisan Loch David Crane 7,748 3.9
Nonpartisan Jim Turner 5,702 2.8
Republican James Hart 5,295 2.6
Total votes 200,002 100

General election

Because Golding won a majority of the votes in the March primary, there was no need for a runoff in the November general election.

References

  1. ^ "How to Run for Office". The City of San Diego-Office of the City Clerk. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f LaVelle, Philip J. (March 10, 1996). "Golding appears ready to romp to second term". San Diego Union-Tribune. pp. B-1. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  3. ^ LaVelle, Philip J. (February 11, 1996). "There's no debating Golding's position in her re-election campaign". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  4. ^ LaVelle, Philip J. (March 27, 1996). "Golding buries opposition to win re-election". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
  5. ^ "Election History - Mayor of San Diego" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved March 3, 2017.