Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, though some candidates do receive funding and support from various political parties.

[1] In October 2015, Ocean Beach Town Council president Gretchen Newsom became the first major Democratic candidate to announce that she would challenge Kevin Faulconer's bid for re-election.

[4] In January 2016, former California State Assembly member Lori Saldaña announced that she intended to run for mayor against Faulconer.

Although Saldaña had been a Democrat while in the state assembly, she subsequently left the party in September 2014 and intended to run for mayor as an independent.

[5] In March 2016, former San Diego City Council member Ed Harris declared his intention to run for mayor.