Mayoral Election Field Narrows; Kersey Unopposed in Council District 5

Almost all of the lesser-known candidates who filed for the San Diego mayor's race fell short of the 200 verified petition signatures required to qualify for the election, City Clerk Elizabeth Maland said Monday.

That leaves only Tobiah Pettus, a web-based business owner who used to manage restaurant construction projects, challenging the four major candidates in the race.

The best-known candidates for mayor are Councilman Carl DeMaio, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, and Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego.

Eight others did not file enough verified petition signatures at the deadline earlier this month, Maland said. The signatures were examined by the county Registrar of Voters.

Two City Council candidates who filed before the deadline also fell short -- Dempsey McGibbony and Gregg Sawdy.

With those two off the ballot, Councilman Todd Gloria will run for re- election unopposed and candidate Mark Kersey will not face another candidate in his bid to claim the seat being vacated by DeMaio.

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith will also be unopposed in his bid for re- election.

-City News Service