Meet the candidates for San Diego City Attorney
Above Video: San Diego City Attorney Candidate Heather Ferbert On What Makes Her A Good Candidate And Why She Decided To Run
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — California’s 2024 primary election is almost here and it’s time to pick your favorite candidates.
The presidential primary election in California is happening March 5, with dozens of local, state and federal races and several measures on the ballot.
Voters will have until Election Day to cast their vote in person or by mail ballot. You can find a full list of election drop boxes in San Diego County here.
Voting centers will begin opening across the county starting Feb. 24; all vote centers will be open by March 2.
San Diego’s guide to elections during the Mar. 5 presidential primary
More information on voting in the March 5 presidential primary can be found on FOX 5/KUSI’s voting guide. For more election coverage, visit FOX 5/KUSI’s California 2024 Primary Election page.
Now to the candidates for City Attorney.
San Diego City Attorney
Heather Ferbert, Chief Deputy City Attorney, and Brian Maienschein, a Legislator and Law Professor, are going head to head in the race for San Diego City Attorney.
Heather Ferbert
Ferbert is currently the Chief Deputy City Attorney for San Diego. She is a graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law.
She is active in the Lawyer’s Club of San Diego, the women’s bar association, is an adjunct professor at the San Diego School of Law and trains new lawyers, according to her campaign website.
Ferbert lives in San Diego with her husband and daughter.
Background:
As Chief Deputy City Attorney, Ferbert’s campaign website states she “has defended women’s rights, opened emergency homeless shelters, protected our parks and waterways, and stopped million-dollar real estate fraud scams. Heather currently leads the City’s legal team that advises the City Council and ensures City officials follow the law.”
Previously, Ferbert was an attorney for the Housing Commission and other public agencies.
Her campaign website goes on to state she has delivered on the following challenges:
“Broke the gridlock to open emergency homeless shelters and new treatment centers”
“Stopped multi-million real estate fraud scams and uncovered financial waste and mismanagement”
“Stood up for abortion rights by strengthening San Diego’s pro-choice protections after the Supreme Court ruling”
On the issues:
Heather Ferbert states on her campaign website the issues she is prioritizing:
“Upholding the Law & Moving San Diego Forward”
“Fighting Fraud and Protecting Taxpayers”
“Stopping Gun Violence”
“Housing Protection Unit”
“Addressing Homelessness and Public Health”
“Protecting Vulnerable Populations”
“Keeping San Diego Safe”
“Protecting the Environment”
Endorsements:
Ferbert’s campaign website lists several endorsements, including the San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, City Attorney Mara Elliott, Deputy Chief Attorneys Association, Safer California, San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention, PB Democratic Club, San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association, San Diego Municipal Employee Association, Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego, Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, and Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego.
Brian Maienschein
Maienschein teaches election law at the University of San Diego.
He graduated from University California, Santa Barbara, before returning to San Diego, where he earned his law degree from California Western Law School, according to his campaign website.
Background:
Maienschein has represented California’s 76th Assembly District since 2012.
His campaign website states he served on the San Diego City Council for eight years. He was also the city’s first Commissioner on Homelessness.
Maienschein serves as Chair of the Rare Disease Caucus and sits on the Health, Judiciary, and Communications and Conveyance Committees. He was also named Chair of the Assembly Judiciary Committee for the 2023 legislative session.
He stated in the city’s 2024 election statement of qualifications that he has “worked to start a new program for first-time home buyers in California, won tougher prison sentences for sex trafficking crimes against children, worked as a leader in taking the federal government to court to protect California’s clean air laws, and voted to protect marriage equality in our state constitution.”
Maienschein lives in San Diego with his wife and two daughters.
On the issues:
Maienschein states on his campaign website the issues he is prioritizing:
“Maternal mental health”
“Preventing gun violence”
“Student debt resources”
“Veterans resources”
Endorsements:
According to the city’s 2024 election statement of qualifications, Maienschein says he has endorsements from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest, San Diego City Firefighters, San Diego’s Deputy District Attorneys and San Diego Police Officers Association.
Voting is open from 7 am. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5 for California’s Presidential Primary Election.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
