# Stephen Whitburn

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Stephen_Whitburn
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Stephen_Whitburn.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Whitburn
> Source revision: 1356292748
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Stephen Whitburn** (born c. 1964) is an American politician, activist, and former journalist serving as a member of the [San Diego City Council](/source/San_Diego_City_Council) since 2020, representing [District 3](/source/San_Diego_City_Council#District_3).[1] A member of the [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)), he served as president [pro tempore](/source/Pro_tempore) of the city council from 2020 to 2021 under council president [Jennifer Campbell](/source/Jennifer_Campbell_(politician)).

Whitburn represents the communities of [Balboa Park](/source/Balboa_Park_(San_Diego)), [Bankers Hill](/source/Bankers_Hill,_San_Diego), [Downtown](/source/Downtown_San_Diego), [Golden Hill](/source/Golden_Hill,_San_Diego), [Hillcrest](/source/Hillcrest,_San_Diego), [Little Italy](/source/Little_Italy,_San_Diego), [Middletown](/source/Middletown,_San_Diego), [Mission Hills](/source/Mission_Hills,_San_Diego), [Mission Valley West](/source/Mission_Valley,_San_Diego), [North Park](/source/North_Park,_San_Diego), [South Park](/source/South_Park,_San_Diego), and [University Heights](/source/University_Heights,_San_Diego).

## Early life and career

Whitburn was born in [West Germany](/source/West_Germany) and grew up in multiple states, including [upstate New York](/source/Upstate_New_York).[2] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in [Spanish](/source/Spanish_(language)) and Latin American studies from the [University of Wisconsin–Madison](/source/University_of_Wisconsin%E2%80%93Madison).[3]

Whitburn started working for a radio station as a news reporter in [Madison, Wisconsin](/source/Madison,_Wisconsin) for nine years before accepting a position with a radio station in San Diego.[4] He then worked as a public affairs manager for the [American Red Cross](/source/American_Red_Cross), later taking director roles at [San Diego Pride](/source/San_Diego_Pride) and the [Southern California](/source/Southern_California) chapter of the [American Cancer Society](/source/American_Cancer_Society).[5][6]

## Political career

In 2008, Whitburn ran for the District 3 seat on the San Diego City Council vacated by term-limited incumbent [Toni Atkins](/source/Toni_Atkins). He came in second in the June primary behind fellow Democrat [Todd Gloria](/source/Todd_Gloria), a staffer for Congresswoman [Susan Davis](/source/Susan_Davis_(politician)). Gloria went on to defeat Whitburn in the general election with 54.6% of the vote.[7]

After losing the election, Whitburn served as vice chair of the City of San Diego’s Medical Marijuana Task Force in 2009.[8] In 2010, Whitburn ran for the 4th supervisorial district on the [San Diego County Board of Supervisors](/source/San_Diego_County_Board_of_Supervisors), seeking to unseat [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) incumbent Ron Roberts.[9] He would have been the first openly [gay](/source/Gay) member of the board of supervisors if elected.[10] Roberts and Whitburn advanced from the primary with 47.3% and 22.3% of the vote, respectively. Roberts went on to defeat Whitburn in the general election.[11]

### San Diego City Council

#### Elections

Main articles: [2020 San Diego elections#District 3](/source/2020_San_Diego_elections#District_3) and [2024 San Diego elections#District 3](/source/2024_San_Diego_elections#District_3)

In 2020, Whitburn ran for the District 3 seat on the San Diego City Council vacated by [Chris Ward](/source/Chris_Ward_(American_politician)), who ran to become a member of the [California State Assembly](/source/California_State_Assembly) representing the [78th district](/source/California's_78th_State_Assembly_district). He finished first in the nonpartisan primary election with 31.1% of the vote before defeating fellow Democrat Toni Duran in the [general election](/source/2020_San_Diego_elections#District_3) with 63% of the vote.[12]

He ran for re-election in 2024, advancing from the primary election with 52.4% of the vote.[13] During the campaign, he expressed support for [income-restricted housing](/source/Affordable_housing) and streamlined regulations to lower costs for housing developers.[14] He was supported by the [San Diego County](/source/San_Diego_County) [Democratic Party](/source/California_Democratic_Party), the San Diego and [Imperial Counties](/source/Imperial_County,_California) Labor Council [AFL-CIO](/source/AFL-CIO), and the [YIMBY](/source/YIMBY) Democrats of San Diego.[15][16] He went on to defeat public interest attorney and fellow Democrat Coleen Cusack with 57.5% of the vote in the [November 2024 general election](/source/2024_San_Diego_City_Council_election).[17]

#### Tenure

During his first term, Whitburn served as president [pro tempore](/source/Pro_tempore) of the city council from 2020 to 2021 under council president Jennifer Campbell and was described as an ally of [mayor](/source/Mayor_of_San_Diego) Todd Gloria.[18] He served on the [San Diego Metropolitan Transit System](/source/San_Diego_Metropolitan_Transit_System) board of directors as vice chair in 2023 before becoming chair later that year following the resignation of then-chair [Nathan Fletcher](/source/Nathan_Fletcher).[19][20]

Whitburn introduced a city council ordinance in 2023 that allowed police to [remove homeless encampments](/source/Homeless_encampment_sweeps) on public property if city shelter beds were available, which passed in a 5–4 vote.[21][22][23] The ordinance became a model for a statewide encampment ban bill that was introduced in the [California State Senate](/source/California_State_Senate) the following year.[24]

During his second term, Whitburn was reelected as chair of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System in 2025.[25] He voted against a 2025 proposal to [charge for parking](/source/Parking#Pricing,_fees_and_subsidy) at [Balboa Park](/source/Balboa_Park,_San_Diego),[26] and called for a repeal of the program after it was passed by the city council in a 6–3 vote.[27] In 2026, Whitburn negotiated a settlement to a lawsuit against the city with former city attorney [Mike Aguirre](/source/Mike_Aguirre) and former mayor [Kevin Faulconer](/source/Kevin_Faulconer) that resulted in reduced [trash collection](/source/Waste_management) fees and the rollback of paid parking at Balboa Park.[28]

## References

1. ["Councilmember Stephen Whitburn (District 3) | City of San Diego Official Website"](https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd3). *www.sandiego.gov*. Retrieved December 10, 2024.

1. Donoho, Ron (October 7, 2024). ["District 3 City Council Race: Stephen Whitburn Defends Homeless Policies"](https://thesandiegosun.com/stephen-whitburn-d3-san-diego/). *San Diego Sun*. Retrieved October 21, 2024.

1. ["Stephen Whitburn | Councilmember Stephen Whitburn (District 3) | City of San Diego Official Website"](https://www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/cd3/staff/whitburn). *www.sandiego.gov*. Retrieved 2022-07-17.

1. ["Stephen Whitburn"](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwhitburn). [LinkedIn](/source/LinkedIn). Retrieved 2024-11-27.

1. Garrick, David (2020-12-03). ["Whitburn plans to use collaboration, varied background to help bring San Diego council to next level"](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2020-12-02/whitburn-plans-to-use-collaboration-his-broad-background-to-help-bring-san-diego-to-next-level). *San Diego Union-Tribune*. Retrieved 2022-07-17. (subscription required)

1. Meehan, Vince (2022-02-04). ["Your District 3 Council member"](https://sandiegodowntownnews.com/your-district-3-council-member/). *San Diego Downtown News*. Retrieved 2022-07-17.

1. ["Election History - Council District 3"](http://www.sandiego.gov/city-clerk/pdf/cd3results.pdf). City of San Diego. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. Whitburn, Stephen (November 14, 2023). ["Letter to the Editor: Whitburn’s Response to the Politics Report"](https://voiceofsandiego.org/2023/11/14/letter-to-the-editor-whitburns-response-to-the-politics-report/). *Voice of San Diego*. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. James, Ron (March 11, 2010). ["Local community leader Stephen Whitburn announces run for County Supervisor"](https://sdnews.com/local-community-leader-stephen-whitburn-announces-run-for-county-supervisor/). *sdnews.com*. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. Kyle, Keegan (September 29, 2010). ["How a Supervisor’s Race Has Divided the Gay Community"](https://voiceofsandiego.org/2010/09/29/how-a-supervisors-race-has-divided-the-gay-community/). *Voice of San Diego*. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. Kyle, Keegan (November 3, 2010). ["Whitburn Responds to Defeat"](https://voiceofsandiego.org/2010/11/03/whitburn-responds-to-defeat/). *Voice of San Diego*. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. Carroll, John (2020-11-04). ["Stephen Whitburn Wins Race For San Diego City Council District 3"](https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2020/11/03/election-2020-whitburn-duran-san-diego). *KPBS Public Media*. Retrieved 2022-07-17.

1. ["San Diego County Primary Election Results, March 5, 2024"](https://www.livevoterturnout.com/ENR/sandiegocaenr/19/en/Index_19.html). April 4, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.

1. Schulz, David (October 6, 2024). ["Q&A with Stephen Whitburn, candidate for San Diego City Council"](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/10/06/qa-with-stephen-whitburn-candidate-for-san-diego-city-council/). *San Diego Union-Tribune*. Retrieved November 27, 2024. (subscription required)

1. ["Stephen Whitburn wins reelection in San Diego City Council District 3 race"](https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2024/11/06/stephen-whitburn-wins-reelection-in-san-diego-city-council-district-3-race). *KPBS*. November 6, 2024. Retrieved May 11, 2026.

1. ["2024 San Diego County Voter Guide"](https://yimbydemssd.com/san-diego-voter-guide). *YIMBY Democrats of San Diego*. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. ["ELECTION HISTORY – COUNCIL DISTRICT 3, CITY OF SAN DIEGO"](https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/district3_0.pdf). *Office of the City Clerk*. Retrieved May 11, 2026.

1. Bowen, Andrew (October 7, 2024). ["San Diego City Council races explainer"](https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2024/10/07/general-election-2024-san-diego-city-council-races-explainer). *KPBS*. Retrieved January 27, 2026.

1. ["MTS Board Elects Stephen Whitburn as Chair"](https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/media-center/news-releases/mts-board-elects-stephen-whitburn-chair). *San Diego Metropolitan Transit System*. May 18, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2026.

1. Jennewein, Chris (May 18, 2023). ["City Council’s Stephen Whitburn Elected MTS Chair to Succeed Nathan Fletcher"](https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2023/05/18/city-councils-stephen-whitburn-elected-mts-chair-to-succeed-nathan-fletcher/). *Times of San Diego*. Retrieved January 27, 2026.

1. City News Service (June 13, 2024). ["San Diego City Council approves Unsafe Camping Ordinance by 5-4 vote"](https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2023/06/14/san-diego-city-council-approves-unsafe-camping-ordinance-homelessness). *KPBS*. Retrieved December 2, 2024.

1. Garrick, David (August 12, 2024). ["Council candidates debate housing, homelessness and how to define crime"](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/08/12/council-candidates-debate-housing-homelessness-and-how-to-define-crime/). *San Diego Union-Tribune*. Retrieved November 27, 2024. (subscription required)

1. Hill, Ryan (June 28, 2024). ["SCOTUS's encampment decision validates San Diego's ordinance, Councilmember Whitburn says"](https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/scotuss-encampment-decision-validates-san-diegos-ordinance-councilmember-whitburn-says). *ABC 10 San Diego*. Retrieved November 27, 2024.

1. La, Lynn (February 6, 2024). ["Why California legislators of both parties want to ban homeless encampments"](https://calmatters.org/housing/homelessness/2024/02/homeless-encampments-california-ban/). *CalMatters*. Retrieved December 2, 2024.

1. ["Councilmember Stephen Whitburn Re-elected as Chair of MTS Board of Directors"](https://www.sdmts.com/inside-mts/media-center/news-releases/councilmember-stephen-whitburn-re-elected-chair-mts-board). *San Diego Metropolitan Transit System*. October 16, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2026.

1. Rudy, Paul (September 16, 2025). ["San Diego City Council votes to bring paid parking to Balboa Park"](https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/san-diego-city-council-votes-to-bring-paid-parking-to-balboa-park/). *Fox 5 KUSI News*. Retrieved February 11, 2026.

1. Ong, Jermaine (January 7, 2026). ["San Diego City Councilman Stephen Whitburn calls for repeal of Balboa Park paid parking plan"](https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/san-diego-city-councilman-stephen-whitburn-calls-for-repeal-of-balboa-park-paid-parking-plan). *ABC 10 San Diego*. Retrieved April 16, 2026.

1. Garrick, David (May 24, 2026). ["How three men struck San Diego’s surprise deal on trash fees and Balboa Park parking"](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/24/how-three-men-struck-san-diegos-surprise-deal-on-trash-fees-and-balboa-park-parking/). *San Diego Union-Tribune*. Retrieved May 26, 2026. (subscription required)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stephen Whitburn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Whitburn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Whitburn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.