ENCINITAS — Encinitas Councilwoman Catherine Blakespear has officially entered the 2016 race for Encinitas mayor, announcing her bid at her 40th birthday party over the weekend.
Blakespear hinted last year that she would consider a run for the elected mayoral position when she requested candidacy paperwork in October 2015 after current Mayor Kristin Gaspar announced she would run for County Board of Supervisors.
Blakespear, who was elected to the council in 2014, said she believes she has the qualifications and qualities to be a good mayor.
“I think I offer the right combination of what Encinitas residents want in their Mayor — environmentally focused, prudent with city finances and a consensus-builder about the issues that matter to Encinitas voters,” Blakespear said in a newsletter to supporters. “In short, a level-headed, professional, pragmatic leader who listens.”
Encinitas’ mayor became an elected position with a two-year term after voters passed Propositions K and L in 2012, which created the elected post and set the term of service.
Gaspar, who is running against incumbent Dave Roberts and Escondido Mayor Sam Abed for Dist. 3 supervisor, could choose to run again for mayor if she does not win the June primary outright or advance to a November runoff.
If Gaspar does advance, Blakespear’s council seat would not be up for re-election because Blakespear could return to it if she is not elected mayor. If she is elected, the council would decide in December to either appoint Blakespear’s replacement or hold a special election to fill the vacancy.
City Clerk Kathy Hollywood said no other person has requested candidacy paperwork for the mayoral position. Three people have pulled papers for the council election: incumbents Tony Kranz and Mark Muir and Planning Commissioner Tasha Boerner Horvath.
