Supervisor Nora Vargas resigns from San Diego County Board of Supervisors – NBC 7 San Diego

Nora Vargas, San Diego County supervisor and chairwoman of the county board of supervisors, announced Friday her decision to step down from the board at the end of her term.

“For reasons of personal safety, I will not take the oath of office for a second term,” she said in a statement Friday. “It has been an honor to serve in public office during unprecedented times, including on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors for the past four years.

“Whether serving as an elected executive member on the Southwestern College Board of Directors for seven years or as your first Latina County Supervisor, I have had the privilege of leading transformative initiatives in San Diego County and beyond for nearly 30 years, along with many others has always been our community, ensuring that everyone is seen and heard and has the chance to develop.

Vargas was elected to the board in 2020, replacing former supervisor Greg Cox on January 4, 2021. She is the first Hispanic woman to serve on the board. Your last day will be January 6, 2025.

She succeeded then-Supervisor Nathan Fletcher as board chair after he resigned amid scandal.

It was unclear what the “personal safety reasons” referred to, but Vargas has been away from the board several times this year for unknown reasons and has struggled with health problems due to nodules on her vocal cords.

County supervisors’ meetings have become increasingly rowdy in recent years, and Vargas called for a recess as recently as Dec. 10 because a person in the gallery yelled during a contentious public speech about immigration policy.

Despite the frequent heated arguments at the meetings, Vargas said she was proud of the work she did.

“Among my proudest achievements are advancing disaster relief and recovery, addressing the complexities of the pandemic and driving systemic change so that our government serves all members of our community and not just a select few,” she said. “I have worked tirelessly to address the inequities that have plagued our community for far too long. I am proud of the progress we have made together.”

“As a Guerrera at the core, I remain committed to continuing the fight for justice, equity and human rights – just in a different capacity. I look forward to continuing to work wholeheartedly for a more just society.” Thank you for the privilege of serving as your representative.”

Vargas easily won re-election in November, receiving 62% of the vote to his opponent Alejandro Galicia’s 38%.

Before the election, Vargas said she was running for a second term because “San Diego County needs bold, effective leadership. As your manager, I have delivered real results for our community.”

She said her top priorities are “housing, behavioral health, environmental justice and economic prosperity to ensure a healthier and more equitable San Diego County.”

What happens next isn’t entirely clear since she won’t be sworn into the board in January. The two Democrats and two Republicans remaining on the board could find it difficult to approve an interim candidate for Vargas’ seat, which could lead to early elections in 2025.

“I greatly appreciate Chairwoman Vargas’ service to the county and our community and hope that she finds a solution to the challenges she is facing,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. “As Vice Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, I can assure you that the work and new direction of the County will continue to move forward.”

“We will continue to advance our agenda to uplift all of our communities. “I have confidence in my fellow county supervisors, leadership team and staff, and we will continue to address the major issues facing our region, just as the public expects and deserves.”