Myrtle Cole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Myrtle Cole
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| Member of the San Diego City Council for the District 4 |
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| In office June 3, 2013 – December 10, 2018 |
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| Mayor | Bob Filner Kevin Faulconer |
| Preceded by | Tony Young |
| Succeeded by | Monica Montgomery |
| President of the San Diego City Council |
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| In office December 12, 2016 – December 10, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Sherri Lightner |
| Succeeded by | Georgette Gomez |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona National University |
| Website | City Council District 4 website |
Myrtle Cole is an American politician. She was a member of the San Diego City Council from 2013 to 2018. She represented District 4 in San Diego.
Myrtle Cole is part of the Democratic Party. She made history as the first African American woman elected to the San Diego City Council. She also served as the council president from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, she tried to get re-elected but did not win. This was a rare event, as it was one of the first times since 1992 that someone already on the council lost their re-election bid.
Serving San Diego
Myrtle Cole first became a member of the San Diego City Council in 2013. This happened during a special election for District 4. A special election is held when a seat becomes empty before the regular election. The previous council member, Tony Young, had left the position.
What is District 4?
District 4 is an area in San Diego that Myrtle Cole represented. It includes many neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are Alta Vista, Broadway Heights, Chollas View, Emerald Hills, Encanto, Greater Skyline Hills, Jamacha, Lincoln Park, Lomita Village, North Bay Terrace, Oak Park, O'Farrell, Paradise Hills, Redwood Village, Rolando Park, South Bay Terrace, Valencia Park, and Webster.
Re-election and Leadership
Myrtle Cole won re-election for a full four-year term in June 2014. She received 57% of the votes in the primary election. A primary election helps choose which candidates will run in the main election. Her second term on the council started in December 2014.
In December 2016, her colleagues on the City Council chose her to be the council president. The council president has important jobs. They decide what topics the council will discuss and who works on different committees. Myrtle Cole was chosen with a 6-3 vote. She received votes from all four Republican council members and one other Democrat. Even though both she and her opponent, David Alvarez, were Democrats, Myrtle Cole was seen as more moderate. This means her views were closer to the middle ground.
End of Her Term
In the November 2018 election, Myrtle Cole ran for re-election again. However, she lost to Monica Montgomery, who was a civil rights attorney and had worked for the city before. This was a significant event because it was the first time since 1992 that a sitting council member in San Diego lost their re-election bid. Her term ended in December 2018.
