| Election Name: | 1979 San Diego mayoral election |
| Flag Image: | Flag of San Diego, California.svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1975 San Diego mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 1975 |
| Next Election: | 1983 San Diego mayoral special election |
| Next Year: | 1983 (special) |
| Nominee1: | Pete Wilson |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 90,530 |
| Percentage1: | 61.6% |
| Nominee2: | Simon Casady |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 46,502 |
| Percentage2: | 31.6% |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Pete Wilson |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Pete Wilson |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
The 1979 San Diego mayoral election was held on September 18, 1979 to elect the mayor for San Diego. Incumbent Pete Wilson stood for reelection for a third term. As the result of a voter-approved amendment to the City Charter to align mayoral elections with state elections, the winner of the election stood to receive an extended five-year term.
Municipal elections in California are officially non-partisan, though some candidates do receive funding and support from various political parties.[1] The non-partisan primary was held September 18, 1979. Wilson received a majority of the votes in the primary and was reelected mayor with no need for a runoff election.
On June 19, 1979, former newspaper publisher Simon Casady announced he would run for mayor of San Diego. Casady was considered the strongest challenger to Wilson's attempt at a third term. Although the position of mayor is officially non-partisan, Casady, a liberal Democrat and long-time activist, hoped to run a partisan campaign against Wilson.[3] Wilson officially announced his candidacy for re-election on June 20, 1979. Wilson emphasized his positive record in his previous two terms as mayor in his re-election campaign.[4]
On September 18, 1979, Wilson was re-elected easily with 61.6 percent of the vote. Casady came in second with 31.6 percent of the vote. The five remaining candidates garnered less than 7 percent vote combined. Because Wilson received a majority of the vote, he was reelected outright with no need for a runoff election.[5]
Because Wilson was elected mayor with a majority of the votes in the primary, no runoff election was held.