COUNTY — A bombshell dropped on Friday morning as San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas announced she will resign on Jan. 6.
Vargas, who is the chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors and also chairs the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), said in a press release she was stepping down due to “personal safety and security reasons.” The county has paid for private security for Vargas for months, according to county sources, similar to when former Supervisor Nathan Fletcher had a security detail after a fire broke out at his San Diego home in 2021.
The Board of Supervisors has several options to fill Vargas’ District 1 seat, which includes Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, Bonita, Otay Mesa and San Diego neighborhoods such as Barrio Logan, Golden Hill, East Village, Logan Heights and San Ysidro, to name a few.
Those options include appointing a representative to fill the term, appointing a successor until a special election is held, or calling for a special election. As for SANDAG, Vargas’ term expired last week as the board chair has a two-year term.
Many residents are furious as Vargas was re-elected this year with a 25-point win over Alejandro Galicia in November. A special election is expected to cost the county at least $200,000, according to reports.
