Politics Chat - June 3, 2008

Union-Tribune reporter Matthew Hall answered readers' questions about San Diego politics during a Tuesday morning chat session at uniontrib.com/chat.

matthew_hall(P) Polls opened three hours ago and close in nine more when some early voter tabulations will be ready. Last-minute thoughts or questions? Fire away.

matthew_hall(P) Polls actually stay open til 8 p.m. tonight. Forgive my bad math above. It's early....

pine67(C) I never received a ballot, what can I do?

pine67(Q) sample ballot, i mean

matthew_hall(A) If you have voting questions today, call the Registrar of Voters Office at 858-565-5800. Or visit its website at www.votesd.com It is also open for voting at 5201 Ruffin Road, Suite I, San Diego. If you go to the ROV at 11 a.m., you'll be able to ask mayoral candidate Steve Francis some final questions. He's send out a press release saying he'll be voting there at that time.

matthew_hall(P) Did it again.... The actual Web site for the ROV is www.sdvote.com Someone get me a coffee, stat. Maybe I'm tired because I know I'll be working til 3 a.m....

pine67(Q) a last attempt to get votes?

matthew_hall(A) Ah, a cynic. Francis is undoubtedly trying to get some publicity out of this. And indeed he already has, though maybe not the kind he was hoping for. The right-leaning blog Red County San Diego posted this yesterday at www.redcounty.com/sandiego/2008/06/steve-francis-hectic-election/

CMR(Q) Matt - Lets fast foward to 2012...do you think there is a credible candidate on the left that can actually win city wide? And why do you think that even with a D edge the mayorship has been in GOP hands for the past 20 years?

matthew_hall(A) Good questions though you overlook Democratic mayor Maureen O'Connor, who served until Susan Golding took her place in 1992. That leaves a Republican run of Golding, Murphy and Sanders. Frye came close (some say she came better than close) in 2004 and she gave it a go in 2005 to break up the streak, but political analysts also say she had a ceiling that never allowed her to get past 50 percent, making her campaigns tricky ones to win, especially when she called for a sales tax increase. One answer to your question may involve just that: Taxes. San Diego has always been a low-tax town and being used to that, more people may want to keep it that way than go with the alternative. That said, it's easier to campaign on a no-tax pledge or saying they're most unlikely, as Repubs do, than to campaign on boosting taxes, as Dems might. In any event, you don't think Democrat Scott Peters wants to end his political career as city attorney, do you? If he gets enough votes to make the runoff agaisnt Aguirre, then can unseat him in November, I imagine Peters would be poised to take over for Sanders in 2012. Also, and I don't know how serious to take this, but outgoing Assembly speaker Fabian Nunez grew up here and will be looking for work soon.

diego72(Q) I haven't voted yet. Can I really pop into any voting precinct and cast a ballot?

matthew_hall(A) Not any precinct (though everyone can go to the Registrar of Voters office if they're so inclined). In terms of polling sites, you'd have to go to the one by your home. You can find that out on the ROV Web site if you don't know it. Or the sample ballot you should have received in the mail will have the address, too.

matthew_hall(P) Thanks for the questions everyone. Today's the day. If you haven't already, remember to get out there and exercise your right to complain. Check back to www.uniontrib.com throughout the night for updates, starting at 8 p.m. when the first results will be available.

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