Former Chula Vista City Attorney Bart Miesfeld and Deputy City Attorney Marco Verdugo Wednesday appeared headed for a March 5 runoff in the special election for Chula Vista city attorney.
Miesfeld led the field of three with 39.41%, or 7,782 votes, while Verdugo was second with 38.26%, or 7,555 votes, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.
Verdugo put out a statement Wednesday morning.
“Our strong finish makes clear Chula Vista voters want a City Attorney who’s ready to do the job and whose record and roots in our community Chula Vista voters can trust,” he said. “I’m fired up to win this campaign, serve the city I’ve always called home and protect Chula Vista’s families, finances, and future as the city’s attorney.”
Former federal public defender Dan Smith Diaz was third with at 22.32%, or 4,407 votes.
If no candidate receives a majority, there will be a runoff between the top two finishers.
Miesfeld was appointed as Chula Vista city attorney by the City Council in 2008 and served for two years.
The winner will serve until December 2026.
The special election was necessitated by the Sept. 3, 2022, death of Simon Silva from cancer. Silva had been a Chula Vista deputy city attorney since 2009, and his name still appeared on the November 2022 ballot. He defeated Smith Diaz, 50.6%-49.4%, in that year’s general election.
— City News Service
