2020 San Diego City Attorney election

U.S. Senate
U.S. Senate
	1849; 1850; 1852 sp; 1856; 1857 sp; 1860; 1860 sp; 1868; 1872; 1873; 1873 sp; 1878; 1880; 1885; 1886 sp; 1887; 1891; 1891 sp; 1893; 1895 sp; 1897; 1900 sp; 1903; 1905; 1909; 1911; 1914; 1916; 1920; 1922; 1926; 1928; 1932; 1934; 1938; 1940; 1944; 1946; 1946 sp; 1950; 1952; 1954 sp; 1956; 1958; 1962; 1964; 1968; 1970; 1974; 1976; 1980; 1982; 1986; 1988; 1992; 1992 sp; 1994; 1998; 2000; 2004; 2006; 2010; 2012; 2016; 2018; 2022; 2022 sp; 2024; 2024 sp; 2028;

U.S. President
U.S. President
	1852; 1856; 1860; 1864; 1868; 1872; 1876; 1880; 1884; 1888; 1892; 1896; 1900; 1904; 1908; 1912; 1916; 1920; 1924; 1928; 1932; 1936; 1940; 1944; 1948; 1952; 1956; 1960; 1964; 1968; 1972; 1976; 1980; 1984; 1988; 1992; 1996 Dem; Rep; ; 2000 Dem; Rep; ; 2004 Dem; Rep; ; 2008 Dem; Rep; ; 2012 Dem; Rep; ; 2016 Dem; Rep; ; 2020 Dem; Rep; ; 2024 Dem; Rep; ;

The 2020 San Diego City Attorney election was scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The primary election was held on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, although most members do identify a party preference. A two-round system was used for the election, starting with a primary in March followed by a runoff in November between the top two candidates. Incumbent City Attorney Mara Elliott advanced from the primary election to face private sector attorney Cory Briggs in the general election.

Campaign

The incumbent City Attorney Mara Elliott stood for reelection to a second term. She was challenged for the position by two private sector attorneys: Cory Briggs and Pete Mesich.^[1]

In the March primary, Elliott received about two-thirds of the vote to advance to the general election against Briggs, the closest runner-up.^[2]

Polling

Primary election

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size^[a]	Margin of error	Mara Elliott	Cory Briggs	Pete Mesich	Undecided
SurveyUSA/KGTV-TV/San Diego Union-Tribune	February 6–8, 2020	527 (LV)	± 5.3%	28%	15%	9%	47%
SurveyUSA/KGTV-TV/San Diego Union-Tribune	January 16–19, 2020	518 (LV)	± 5.2%	28%	18%	6%	48%

General election

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size^[a]	Margin of error	Mara Elliott	Cory Briggs	Undecided
SurveyUSA/KGTV-TV/San Diego Union-Tribune	October 1–5, 2020	547 (LV)	± 5.3%	28%	22%	50%
SurveyUSA/KGTV-TV/San Diego Union-Tribune	August 28–31, 2020	517 (LV)	± 5.3%	30%	20%	50%

Results

2020 San Diego City Attorney election^[3]
Primary election
Candidate	Votes	%
Mara W. Elliott	208,767	67.9%
Cory Briggs	71,672	23.3%
Pete Mesich	47,072	8.9%
Total votes	307,662	100%
General election
Mara W. Elliott	375,060	66.6%
Cory Briggs	187,791	33.4%
Total votes	562,851	100%