Over a year ago in March 2020, voters in the City of San Diego decided the fate of a local ballot measure and defeated it. The City Clerk—the sole person at the city with the authority to certify the election—declared the results of the election, stating the number of votes for and against the ballot measure and certifying that the measure fell short of the votes needed to win.

On April 6, 2021, more than a year after the election results were certified, six of the nine council members — Jennifer Campbell, Chris Cate, Stephen Whitburn, Marni Von Wilpert, Joe LaCava, Raul Campillo — asserted power they did not have to change the election results to get the outcome they wanted. Usurping the power to decide elections—a power reserved to the voters—they voted to change the results by approving the following resolution:

They said the measure needed fewer votes to pass than what the San Diego City Council had told voters before the election and what the City Clerk certified in the results. They moved the finish line long after the race had been run. And they overrode the decision of voters. The City Council’s unprecedented action to change the results of the March 2020 election is cheating, pure and simple.

This action is unprecedented and dangerous — if the City Council cheated once, they will do it again, especially if they don’t think voters are watching. The City Council is betting that voters won’t notice that they cheated, but we’re watching. Let’s call their bluff and let them know, voters decide elections, not politicians. 

We need to stand up for our democracy and stop the City Council from cheating voters. It’s not too late to reverse the City Council’s action and respect the decision made by voters. 

SIGN HERE TO TELL CITY COUNCIL THAT VOTERS DECIDE ELECTIONS, NOT POLITICIANS.