Toni Duran

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Toni Duran

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Personal

Birthplace

East Los Angeles, Calif.

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Personal LinkedIn

Toni Duran ran for election to the San Diego City Council to represent District 3 in California. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Duran completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

In 2020, Duran participated in a Candidate Conversation hosted by Ballotpedia and EnCiv. Click here to view the recording.

Biography

Duran's professional experience includes working as a district representative for State Senator Toni Atkins. She received an associate degree from Meramac Community College in 1996.

Duran has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• Run Women Run
• San Diego Chapter of NOW
• San Diego Leadership Alliance
• San Diego Democrats for Equality
• Democratic Woman's Club
• YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County
• Latina Democratic Club
• North Park Community Association
• MANA de San Diego
• ACLU,
• San Diego Chapter of the NAACP

Elections

2020

See also: City elections in San Diego, California (2020)

General election

General election for San Diego City Council District 3

Stephen Whitburn defeated Toni Duran in the general election for San Diego City Council District 3 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephen Whitburn (Nonpartisan)	63.0	49,119
		Toni Duran (Nonpartisan)	37.0	28,813

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 77,932
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Watch the Candidate Conversation for this race!

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for San Diego City Council District 3

Stephen Whitburn and Toni Duran defeated Chris Olsen, Michelle Nguyen, and Adrian Kwiatkowski in the primary for San Diego City Council District 3 on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephen Whitburn (Nonpartisan)	31.1	14,844
✔		Toni Duran (Nonpartisan)	22.7	10,836
	Submit photo	Chris Olsen (Nonpartisan)	20.3	9,705
	Submit photo	Michelle Nguyen (Nonpartisan)	17.5	8,340
	Submit photo	Adrian Kwiatkowski (Nonpartisan)	8.4	3,996

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 47,721
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Duran's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2020

Candidate Conversations

Moderated by journalist and political commentator Greta Van Susteren, Candidate Conversations is a virtual debate format that allows voters to easily get to know their candidates through a short video Q&A. Click below to watch the conversation for this race.

====Video for Ballotpedia====

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released September 4, 2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Toni Duran completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Duran's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I was born in East Los Angeles, in a hospital that wouldn't let my mother in until she could prove that she either had insurance or could afford to pay her medical bills. My earliest memories are of the one-bedroom apartment that was all my mother could afford on her medical assistant salary. Mom eventually remarried, and we moved all over the country, but I always knew that California was home.

As a community representative for Senator Toni Atkins over the last seven years, I've regularly attended community meetings throughout District 3 and have worked on critical issues affecting women, veterans, small businesses, homelessness, the LGBTQ community, and human trafficking. I have worked with local government agencies and organizations, while also gaining an intimate knowledge of our neighborhood issues.

As a proud LGBTQ Latina, I've struggled with discrimination and housing instability myself - moving nine times in twelve years to find housing that I can afford. I am a public servant at heart and understand what it takes to serve everyone in D3. It would be an honor to continue to do this work with our community and ensure that more people have a seat at the table.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• The number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in San Diego continues to increase and the old solutions are no longer enough.
• We must transition our region to the point where traveling on mass transit or other alternative means of transportation is as convenient, affordable, and safe as driving a car.
• Our government works better when it works for the people, and that only happens when government engages with and listens to ALL residents, not just political insiders.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My public policy passions are all intersectional. Housing ties with homelessness - climate action ties with transportation and infrastructure - arts and culture ties with education - systemic racism ties with policing and investing in community.

My number one priority will be to continue our critical work to address homelessness. There is no "one size fits all solution" and we need to work smarter to ensure that less people are living on the street, in their cars, and in our canyons, and more folks are in housing with services to help address their challenges. We need regular coordination at all levels of government and with non-profit service providers. We need to repurpose more of our unused City own buildings and publicly owned land to address the needs of our unhoused neighbors.

We need to reassess the police departments' budget, which is about 55% of our entire city budget, so more funding can go into after-school programs, libraries, and other services to support and invest in our communities. We should remove homeless outreach from police and fill that gap with trained outreach workers, social workers, mental health providers, and family reunification programs.

We need to increase our housing stock for low and middle income folks. This will also include collaboration at all levels in a neighborhood by neighborhood strategy - working WITH residents. Solutions include decreasing permit wait times, prioritizing affordable projects, decreasing red-tape for develop

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My grandmother, I called her Baba Molly, was the best person I have ever known. Her laugh was infectious! She had a tough life and even though she didn't have much, she was always willing to share what she DID have. There was always a seat at her kitchen table, refried beans, and warm tortillas for anyone who was down on their luck. She took in every stray animal that found its way to her door. (I lost count of how many dogs and birds she had over the years.) She took in people as well. It wasn't until after she passed that I learned that she didn't know how to read or write because she was taken out of school at a very young age. Because she was a Latina, she didn't even earn the right to vote until she was in her 40's. So, while she didn't have much control over many things that happened to her throughout her life - she didn't let anything bring her down. She loved with all her heart, didn't judge anyone, was full of compassion, and always had a big smile and warm hug ready for you. I know that her spirit lives on and I aspire to be as good a person as she was.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty. Transparency. Collaboration. Flexibility. Service to community is a privilege and elected officials have an obligation to look out for their communities and their constituents - not for themselves.

What is your favorite book? Why?

"Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" - It's a story about fighting for and standing up for love, friendship, chosen family and community - all in a time of extreme and deadly racism and sexism. It's so important to stand up for what is just and right.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

General Leia Organa

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The Story by Brandi Carlile

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

As a woman, a Latina, and a member of the LGBTQ community, I have struggled with discrimination my entire life. This has also made me fight harder for women and minorities.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The council uses the "strong mayor" form of government, which means that at times council members do not vote on certain items in the way they'd like to due to fear of retaliation from the Mayor.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, I believe having experience, as a non-elected representative, working in a local elected office helps when seeking office as a local City Councilmember. In these roles you are able to see what does and doesn't work when creating policy and working with local organizations and constituents. You have already started the work by building positive relationships and trust within the communities that you represent, as well as gaining intimate knowledge of local and neighborhood issues. You have to use that privilege, of having access to information that people outside of an office do not have, to put that knowledge to work for the people that you hope to serve.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

The ability to listen, learn, collaborate, and put your ego and own self-interests aside to do what is right for the people that you serve. You need to keep an open mind while also having the courage and integrity to stand up for what is right.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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