Donna Frye
Encyclopedia
Donna Frye was a member of the San Diego City Council
, representing District 6. Her term ended December 6 2010.
Frye was born in 1952 in Pennsylvania
, the second of three children. Her family moved to San Diego when her father took a civilian job with the Navy
.
After an abusive first marriage and problems with alcohol abuse, Frye met her current husband Skip Frye
at a Mexican restaurant in 1980. After they married, he persuaded her to give up alcohol, and together they opened a custom-made surfboard
shop in Pacific Beach
in 1988.
Frye first became concerned with coastal water pollution problems when her husband repeatedly became sick after surfing. She soon became an environmental and community leader. In 2001 she was elected to the San Diego City Council.
Frye ran for mayor of San Diego
in November 2004 as a write-in candidate, and a plurality of voters wrote in her name. A controversy arose when she lost the election because a number of voters did not fill in the bubble next to her written name or misspelled her name (usually spelling her last name "Fry"). If those votes had counted, Frye would have won the mayorship. Whether Frye would have been allowed to serve as mayor in any case is uncertain, as her write-in candidacy was at odds with the San Diego City Charter. (It occurred during a run-off election between Dick Murphy and Ron Roberts.)
Dick Murphy
was re-elected as mayor after a series of legal challenges to the election results, but resigned on July 15, 2005, as the city's fiscal crisis and legal woes with regulatory and law enforcement agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Bureau of Investigation
worsened and became a matter of increasing public awareness. Frye ran for mayor in the special election that took place on July 26, 2005, with a platform advocating open and honest government and restoring order to the city's financial situation, points found in nearly all of the candidates' platforms. Frye was endorsed by Mike Aguirre
, the city attorney who has confronted the city council over releasing documents.
Frye placed ahead of ten opponents, including former police chief and runner-up Jerry Sanders
(27%), by receiving 43% of the vote. However, a majority
was needed to win outright, and so a run-off election was held between Frye and Sanders on November 8, 2005. Frye was defeated in this election, receiving 46.1% of the vote to Sanders' 53.9%. She did, however, win reelection to her council seat in June of the following year.
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, representing District 6. Her term ended December 6 2010.
Frye was born in 1952 in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the second of three children. Her family moved to San Diego when her father took a civilian job with the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
After an abusive first marriage and problems with alcohol abuse, Frye met her current husband Skip Frye
Skip Frye
Skip Frye is a surfer, surfboard designer and shaper, and environmental activist.-Background:...
at a Mexican restaurant in 1980. After they married, he persuaded her to give up alcohol, and together they opened a custom-made surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
shop in Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach, San Diego, California
Pacific Beach is a neighborhood of San Diego, bounded by La Jolla to the north, Mission Beach and Mission Bay to the south, Interstate 5 to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. While largely populated by young people, surfers, and college students, the population is becoming older, more...
in 1988.
Frye first became concerned with coastal water pollution problems when her husband repeatedly became sick after surfing. She soon became an environmental and community leader. In 2001 she was elected to the San Diego City Council.
Frye ran for mayor of San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in November 2004 as a write-in candidate, and a plurality of voters wrote in her name. A controversy arose when she lost the election because a number of voters did not fill in the bubble next to her written name or misspelled her name (usually spelling her last name "Fry"). If those votes had counted, Frye would have won the mayorship. Whether Frye would have been allowed to serve as mayor in any case is uncertain, as her write-in candidacy was at odds with the San Diego City Charter. (It occurred during a run-off election between Dick Murphy and Ron Roberts.)
Dick Murphy
Dick Murphy
Richard M. Murphy is a former U.S. politician. He served as the 33rd Mayor of San Diego, California from 2000 to 2005-Early life:...
was re-elected as mayor after a series of legal challenges to the election results, but resigned on July 15, 2005, as the city's fiscal crisis and legal woes with regulatory and law enforcement agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
worsened and became a matter of increasing public awareness. Frye ran for mayor in the special election that took place on July 26, 2005, with a platform advocating open and honest government and restoring order to the city's financial situation, points found in nearly all of the candidates' platforms. Frye was endorsed by Mike Aguirre
Mike Aguirre
Michael Jules Aguirre was the City Attorney for the City of San Diego, California from 2004 to 2008. As city attorney, Aguirre issued 35 investigative reports detailing waste, fraud, and abuse in San Diego City government, particularly in the San Diego City Pension.- Biography :Aguirre was born...
, the city attorney who has confronted the city council over releasing documents.
Frye placed ahead of ten opponents, including former police chief and runner-up Jerry Sanders
Jerry Sanders (politician)
Gerald Robert "Jerry" Sanders is an American politician, Mayor of San Diego, California, and former Chief of Police.-Personal life:...
(27%), by receiving 43% of the vote. However, a majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
was needed to win outright, and so a run-off election was held between Frye and Sanders on November 8, 2005. Frye was defeated in this election, receiving 46.1% of the vote to Sanders' 53.9%. She did, however, win reelection to her council seat in June of the following year.
External links
- Official City Council District 6 webpage
- Official Donna Frye for Mayor webpage (inactive)
- Biographical Sketch in San Diego Union-Tribune (7/7/2005)
- FBI raids City Hall
- San Diego is mired in a series of probes
- Promising more, saving less: the roots of San Diego's pension crisis (inactive)
- "Live at Golden Hall," a photojournal on Election Day 2004