In a move reflecting both continuity and stability in San Diego County's political landscape, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer has been re-elected to maintain her role as chair of the County Board of Supervisors for 2026. The board, holding an organizational meeting yesterday, voted in favor of Lawson-Remer, with Vice Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe and Chair Pro Tempore Paloma Aguirre also continuing to serve in their current positions, as reported by the County of San Diego.
The selection of Lawson-Remer was notable, as she previously served as acting chair after Nora Vargas stepped down in early 2025. Her formal election to the chair position occurred after Aguirre's victory in the July 2025 special election. The Times of San Diego reported that the decision to re-elect followed Aguirre's praise of Lawson-Remer's "steady, clear hand" in managing board meetings and was marked by a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Jim Desmond absent due to illness.
While the confirmation process reflected a general consensus, interesting dissenting notes were sounded in the preceding year. Supervisor Joel Anderson had abstained during the previous vote on leadership but has since shifted his stance, voting in favor of the current leadership roster. He did, however, call for a return to the pre-pandemic protocol of one-year terms for these positions, according to the Times of San Diego. Anderson also proposed Aguirre for the chair position in a motion that failed to gain traction without a second.
Lawson-Remer acknowledged the support of her colleagues, indicating appreciation for the partnership of Montgomery Steppe during what she described as an "extremely tumultuous" year. "We spent the first half of the year without a voted-in chair, vice chair and pro-tem," Lawson-Remer told the Times of San Diego. Despite the absence of formally elected leadership, she affirmed, the board did an admirable job of navigating through the challenging period.
