In Santee, two longstanding council members are being challenged for their seats in November.
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Once a quiet backcountry town, Santee has developed into an East County suburb, putting infrastructure needs and expansion as central issues in the upcoming election.
Councilmember Rob McNelis, 54, and Vice Mayor Ronn Hall, 69, were both appointed to their current four-year terms after running unopposed in the 2022 election. Now facing challengers, the incumbents are pitching their track records to voters.
McNelis serves District 1 and has sat on the City Council since 2010. His challenger is Matthew Rascon.
A mortgage broker and a Republican, McNelis has lived and worked in Santee since 1994. He has the support of the Republican Party of San Diego County, the Deputy Sheriff’s Association and the Lincoln Club Business League.
“I have institutional knowledge, I want to keep sharing it with the citizens of Santee,” McNelis said during a Sept. 22 candidate forum hosted by the Santee Chamber of Commerce.
Rascon, 36, is an orthopaedic technologist who was endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party. He ran for the 48th Congressional seat in 2024, but lost in the Democratic primary with 2.2% of the vote.
A longtime resident of Santee, Rascon said his biggest goal is to act as a “voice and ear” for residents.
Santee voters will also decide whether to approve a one-cent sales tax increase in November. The proposed general tax, dubbed Measure Y, was a central issue during the forum, as officials are grappling with an estimated $327.7 million in unfunded projects.
Despite his personal opposition to tax hikes, McNelis said he supported the general sales tax proposal, pointing to increased costs stemming from “unfunded state mandates.”
“It’s up to us to figure out how to do the best with what we have, and I think thus far we’ve done a good job,” McNelis said.
“We’re spending a little more now to ensure the maintenance of the roads in perpetuity,”
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Hall, a Republican, currently serves District 2, which encompasses the southeastern quarter of Santee. He has sat on the City Council since he was first elected in 2014. His challenger is Eddie Vandiver, also a Republican.
Hall was appointed to his current term after he faced no challenger during the 2022 election. In his candidate statement, the insurance broker says he has made it a priority to listen to his constituent’s concerns.
Notably, he was the sole council member to oppose the one-cent sales tax, primarily because he didn’t support increasing the fee from a half-cent measure to one cent.
“I support local jobs, a balanced budget, paving streets, reducing homelessness, and common-sense improvements to our city, while protecting your tax dollars,” he said.
He has the support of Mayor John Minto, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and San Diego County Supervisors Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond, all Republicans.
Vandiver is the general manager of Sportsplex USA Santee, a sports facility that features a variety of fields and indoor snack bars.
The 25-year Santee resident sits on the Santee Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and will prioritize safety, first responders, maintaining parks and infrastructure, promoting responsibility and transparency, he said.
“I think it’s time for a change, I think it’s time for someone new to come in,” Vandiver said.
Vandiver has the endorsement of the Santee Firefighters Association and the Lincoln Club Business League, and the support of Councilmembers McNelis and Dustin Trotter.
The San Diego County Republican Party did not endorse either candidate — despite endorsing Hall during the 2022 election. As of the June 30 filing deadline, Hall’s campaign raised $18,588 in funding, while Vandiver raised over $37,250.
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