VISTA — Competitive races are shaping up for two seats on the Vista City Council.
District 3 Councilmember Katie Melendez will run against challenger Denisse Barragan, and two newcomers will throw their hats in the ring for the District 2 seat that will be vacated by Councilmember Joe Green.
Melendez, who currently serves as Deputy Mayor, is seeking her second term to represent District 3, which includes Breeze Hill, West Vista Village, Melrose and Grapevine. Her opponent, Barragan, is a local business owner.
In District 2, which includes the Vista Civic Center, Vista Valley, and the Main Street area of downtown Vista, Marine veteran and activist Anthony White is running against business owner Jeffrey Fox. Green, who has been on the City Council since 2016, is not seeking re-election.
Vista Unified School District
Seven candidates are running for three open seats on the Vista Unified School District Board of Trustees.
Area 4 Trustee Cipriano Vargas is the only incumbent running for another term in 2024, with trustees Rosemary Smithfield and Julie Kelly not seeking re-election. Elected in 2016, Vargas is running against Frank Nuñez and nonprofit director and parent Zulema Gomez to represent central Vista.
Parent and PTA leader Amanda Remmen and parent Michael Markov are running for the Area 1 seat, currently held by Smithfield, representing northern Vista and parts of Oceanside. Retired teacher Susan Martin and business owner Anthony “TJ” Crossman are running for Kelly’s Area 5 seat, representing Ocean Hills, Buena Vista and Shadowridge.
SAN MARCOS
San Marcos City Council
Two seats are up for election on the San Marcos City Council this November, with just one incumbent coming back for a shot at another term and several newcomers throwing their hat in the ring.
District 4 incumbent Ed Musgrove is seeking his second four-year term and is challenged by Natasha Zander Hilmes. District 4 encompasses northern San Marcos, including Richland, Santa Fe Hills, and Palomar College.
District 3 Councilmember and Deputy Mayor Sharon Jenkins has served on the council since 2012 and will retire at the end of her term. Attorneys Alan Geraci and Danielle LeBlang are seeking her District 3 seat, which represents Cal State San Marcos, North City and the Creek District.
San Marcos Unified School District
Three incumbents on the San Marcos Unified School District board of trustees are each facing a challenger in their re-election bids this November
In the Area A race, which represents the district’s southwest area, including portions of Carlsbad, incumbent Carlos Ulloa is running for re-election against parent and business owner Heidi Herrick.
The Area B race, representing San Elijo Hills, Discovery Hills and Lake San Marcos, includes incumbent Sarah Ahmad and small business manager Brittany Bower, and Area D incumbent Jaime Chamberlin is running against parent and business owner Lena Lauer Meum.
Ulloa, Chamberlin and Ahmad were all elected in 2020 and are running for their second term on the board.
