Written by Nathaniel Mannor
On Monday, a surprise vote from City Council took place as they elected Sean El-Rivera, the new President of City Council, over sitting president Jennifer Campbell. The vote was 8-1, with Campbell as the only dissenter as the Elo-Rivera term started immediately after the vote.
While it is noteworthy that Elo-Rivera defeated a sitting president by such a large margin, the real shock comes from his consideration for the position. His name was not high on peoples’ minds regarding the next City Council President, but Elo-Rivera proved them all wrong. Elo-Rivera represents District 9 on the San Diego City Council, which includes areas around San Diego State and the neighborhood of Kensington
After his win, he shared that “I am honored to have earned the bipartisan trust of my council colleagues to serve as Council President of the San Diego City Council.” He also expressed gratitude for Campbell’s leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Over the past year, Councilmember Campbell and her team have led San Diego through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure we performed the work San Diegans deserve. I am grateful for her service as council president,” he said.
Elo-Rivera also praised his fellow council members for their votes. “A special thank you to Councilmember Moreno, a fierce advocate for San Diego’s most underserved communities, and Councilmember Montgomery Steppe, who courageously ran for council president last year, for their trust in me. Both leaders would make for fantastic council presidents in their own right.”
Let’s hope that Sean Elo-Rivera leads San Diego City towards a better future that allows us to remain one of the finest cities not just in California but in America.
