2014: Jim Desmond Voted To Cancel His Own Uncontested Mayoral Election

2014: Desmond Voted To Cancel His Own Uncontested Mayoral Election

2014: Desmond Voted To Cancel Uncontested San Marcos Mayoral And Council Elections. “Should a council member or mayor who is running uncontested in an upcoming election be allowed to cast a deciding vote to scrap the election, especially if it means the city can save significant money? […] In San Marcos, Mayor Jim Desmond and council members Chris Orlando and Kristal Jabara were all up for re-election this year. At the council’s Aug. 20 meeting, Desmond and Jabara joined in the 3-2 vote to cancel the mayoral election and the 3-1 vote to scrap the council election. Orlando recused himself during the vote on the council race.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/2/14]

2014: Desmond Was Up For Re-Election As Mayor. “Should a council member or mayor who is running uncontested in an upcoming election be allowed to cast a deciding vote to scrap the election, especially if it means the city can save significant money? […] In San Marcos, Mayor Jim Desmond and council members Chris Orlando and Kristal Jabara were all up for re-election this year.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/2/14]

The California Fair Political Practices Commission Informed Cities That There Was No Conflict Of Interest In Allowing Council Members To Take Part In A Vote To Cancel Uncontested Elections. “Should a council member or mayor who is running uncontested in an upcoming election be allowed to cast a deciding vote to scrap the election, especially if it means the city can save significant money? […] An FPPC spokesman said last week that the commission’s attorneys had informed the cities that there was no conflict of interest in allowing council members to take part in the vote.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/2/14]

Desmond Said His Decision To Cancel The Election “Came Down To Saving Taxpayer Dollars”

In Discussing His Vote To Cancel The Election, Desmond Said, “It Didn’t Come Down To Appearances For Me; It Came Down To Saving Taxpayer Dollars.” “In San Marcos, Mayor Jim Desmond and council members Chris Orlando and Kristal Jabara were all up for re-election this year. At the council’s Aug. 20 meeting, Desmond and Jabara joined in the 3-2 vote to cancel the mayoral election and the 3-1 vote to scrap the council election. Orlando recused himself during the vote on the council race. […] ‘It didn’t come down to appearances for me; it came down to saving taxpayer dollars,’ Desmond said, noting that no one had filed to run against him. ‘The chance of a successful write-in campaign is less than 5 percent. So to spend money on something that has a 95 percent chance of failure to me was not a prudent use of taxpayer dollars,’ he said.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/2/14]

Desmond: “The Chance Of A Successful Write-In Campaign Is Less Than 5 Percent.” “‘It didn’t come down to appearances for me; it came down to saving taxpayer dollars,’ Desmond said, noting that no one had filed to run against him. ‘The chance of a successful write-in campaign is less than 5 percent. So to spend money on something that has a 95 percent chance of failure to me was not a prudent use of taxpayer dollars,’ he said.” [San Diego Union-Tribune, 9/2/14]