Game on: Two duel for mayor while raising money
By Donna Hartings
April 26, 2006
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Rancho Bernardo’s 2006 Honorary Mayor campaign — the friendly little competition that raises big funds for local programs and projects — officially kicked off this week with candidates Nancy Canfield and Karen Rott tossing their hats and hopes into the ring.
The winner of the two-way race will be announced Sunday, June 4 during the annual RB Alive! Street Fair hosted by the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce. This year marks the first time the honorary mayor’s race and the street fair have been held since the Rancho Bernardo and Diamond Gateway chambers of commerce consolidated into a single organization last July.
“I think it will be fun,” said Canfield, a published author and agent with Prudential Realty.
Canfield, who was recently appointed to the RB Historical Society’s board of directors, said her focus throughout the campaign will be on the Society’s ongoing efforts to get a larger museum “up and running” at the Bernardo Winery.
Rott, chair of the RB Community Council’s public safety committee, said she intends to donate half of the money she raises over the next six weeks to Fire Station 33 renovations.
“It’s a marvelous opportunity to start talking about this project,” Rott said. “I’m campaigning for the fire station, not for me as honorary mayor.”
The honorary mayor election originated in 1991 as a fund-raiser benefitting the chamber’s various community programs, including health and education. To “win,” Canfield and Rott will spend the next six weeks selling votes (or tickets) to supporters for $5 each or six votes for $25.
Because it is a fund-raiser, the public can buy votes from either or both contenders. Each ticket is then entered into a drawing for prizes. This year’s grand prize is $411 or 15 percent interest on $1 million. Second prize is $205 or 15 percent interest on $500,000 and third prize is $102 or 15 percent on $250,000. The chamber will be providing the prize money.
The candidate who sells the most votes between now and June 4 wins the honorary mayor title and will represent Rancho Bernardo at numerous community functions throughout the year, including the Spirit of the Fourth Independence Day parade in July, the chamber’s annual state-of-the-community luncheon, and various ribbon cuttings and groundbreaking ceremonies for schools, businesses and medical facilities.
As chamber officials point out, it would be impossible for San Diego’s mayor to attend all of these community’s functions.
But there really are no losers in this competition because the runner-up automatically becomes Rancho Bernardo’s deputy honorary mayor.
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