Early returns appear to show Roberts replacing Pam Slater-Price as County Supervisor

SAN DIEGO - Solana Beach Councilman Dave Roberts appeared to defeat Steve Danon in a tight race to fill the San Diego County Board of Supervisors seat being vacated by Pam Slater-Price.

With all precincts reporting, Roberts -- the deputy mayor of the North County coastal city -- had 50.7 percent of the vote, compared to 49.3 for Danon, according to totals released early today.

Only about 1,900 votes separated the two, and it was not immediately known how many provisional or questioned ballots remained to be tallied.

If his lead holds, Roberts will become the first new supervisor in San Diego County since 1995.

Slater-Price, whose District 3 stretches from Encinitas to Escondido and includes some Northern San Diego areas, is retiring. The campaign to replace her focused largely on job creation and bolstering the economy.

Danon said, if elected, he would collaborate with chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and business leaders to retain, recruit and create a healthier business environment to provide better paying jobs.

Roberts said he would form an office of small business development to give incentives to small businesses to help in job creation.

The two advanced to a runoff when neither received more than 50 percent of the vote in June primary election. Del Mar Mayor Carl Hilliard; Bryan Ziegler, deputy county counsel; and Stephen Pate, a transportation coordinator in the film industry, were knocked out of the race.

Supervisors Greg Cox and Dianne Jacob beat challengers outright in their June re-election bids.