Former San Diego City Council candidate and gay community activist Stephen Whitburn announced last Friday that he is running for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. The board governs the local administration of state law, land use and social and health services.

“I believe that there should be at least one Democrat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. One fresh perspective. One fresh voice,” Whitburn said during a press conference held at Twiggs Coffee House in University Heights. “Tonight I’m announcing my candidacy to be that one fresh Democratic voice on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.”

All five members of the current county board are Republican, white and heterosexual and have served on the board for at least three consecutive four-year terms.

Whitburn is one of four other Democratic challengers – housing counselor Juan Del Rio, San Diego Unified Board Trustee Shelia Jackson and retired-school teacher Margaret Moody – to Republican incumbent Supervisor Ron Roberts, who represents the Fourth District.

San Diego County District Four includes University City and Miramar at its northern end, Mission Hills, Hillcrest and City Heights in the middle and Encanto and Paradise Hills at its southern end.

Assemblymember Lori Saldaña, a Democrat, who had been in the District Four race for more than six months, dropped out last month in response to her mother’s recent death.

“After much reflection and discussion with my family this weekend at her [my mother’s] services, I have realized I simply cannot continue with my Board of Supervisors campaign this year,” Saldaña said in an e-mail to supporters.

City Councilmember Donna Frye had been considering a run for the board but officially announced that she would not be running earlier this month.

“After thoughtful consideration over many months, I have decided not to run. The public deserves that my full attention be focused on the City of San Diego,” Frye said in a prepared statement. “I have not yet made plans for the future, however, be assured I will continue working on behalf of the public in whatever capacity that ultimately turns out to be.”

Whitburn said he was disappointed to hear that Frye and Saldaña would not run and that they would have given voters several alternatives to voting for Roberts.

“Instead it appeared that we would be left once again with the same entrenched Republican who has held this seat for more than 15 years, an entrenched Republican who has milked the power of incumbency,” Whitburn said. “There are more Democrats in this district than there are Republicans, yet the power of incumbency is so strong that Democratic voters have had a Republican representing them for more than 15 years. That should not be.”

Whitburn said he supports the upcoming (June 9) ballot measure that proposes to limit members of the board of supervisors to serve a maximum of two four-year terms.

Speaking about the initiative, Whitburn said, “If you elect me, I will give you everything I got to serve you well for eights years and then I’d make way for another fresh voice on the board.”

With less than ninety days away from the election, Whitburn said he had “no illusions” about the challenges that lay ahead of him but expects that a run off will occur in November.

“Obviously I am going to be working very hard to get the 50 percent plus one needed to win in June, but most people would expect with five candidates on the ballot that it will go to a run off,” Whitburn said. “That will give us the time that we are so sorely lacking at this moment.”

Money is also an issue for Whitburn.

“Today I wrote a check for $1,400 to take out nomination papers. I hadn’t exactly budgeted for that. Tomorrow I have to write another check for $1,200 – that’s not in the budget either.”

According to campaign disclosures, Roberts brought in more than $117,000 in contributions between July and December 2009.

The Whitburn campaign has scheduled its first fundraiser to take place at the Bamboo Lounge on Sunday, March 28 at 6 p.m.

Senator Christine Kehoe, San Diego City Councilmember Donna Fry and former deputy mayor Toni Atkins endorsed Whitburn’s run for the board on Wednesday in a prepared statement.

“The County Board needs a voice that protects working families, keeps our neighborhoods safe and clean, and cares for the most vulnerable residents,” Kehoe said. “Stephen Whitburn will be that voice for us.”

“I’ve known Stephen Whitburn for nearly a decade,” Atkins said. “We urgently need his integrity, compassion, and energy on the County Board of Supervisors.”

If Whitburn were to win the supervisors race, he would be the first openly GLBT member to serve on the board.