Anderson increases lead over Vaus in District 2 supervisor race

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Former state legislator Joel Anderson increased his lead over Poway Mayor Steve Vaus to 187 votes today in the race for the Second District seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

Anderson led by 156 votes entering Saturday's count. He was 135 votes ahead entering Friday's count, 85 ahead entering Thursday's and seven ahead entering Wednesday's.

Anderson leads Vaus 144,528-144,341, or 50.03%-49.97%, according to figures released Saturday by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

Approximately 13,500 ballots remain to be counted in San Diego County's five supervisorial districts, but it is not known how many remain in

the Second District, Registrar of Voters Michael Vu said.

Vote-by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day will be counted as long as they are received by Nov. 20 under state law.

The next update is scheduled to be released after 5 p.m. Sunday.

Vaus led by 1,245 votes Nov. 4 but his lead shrank to 111 through Monday's count.

Anderson has pledged that if elected, he would "work to improve our roads, support attainable housing and promote career opportunities."

"If our family members can find housing and work, maybe we won't have to travel to Phoenix to visit our grandchildren," Anderson said.

Vaus said if elected, his priorities as supervisor would be the same as his priorities as Poway's mayor, "Keeping us safe from crime and fire,

maintaining infrastructure, protecting and expanding open space, encouraging development of new housing and being accessible.''

Both candidates in the nonpartisan race are Republicans.

The district includes El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and Santee and the San Diego communities of Allied Gardens, College Area, Del Cerro, Grantville, Navajo, Rolando and San Carlos.

It also includes East County's unincorporated communities of Alpine, Campo, Julian, Ramona, Rancho San Diego and Spring Valley.

The winner will succeed Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who was barred from running for re-election because of term limits. She was elected to the first of her seven terms in 1992.