Chris Ward (American politician)


Christopher Ward is an American politician serving as a member of the San Diego City Council, representing the Third Council District. He is a Democrat, although city council positions are officially nonpartisan per California state law.

Education and career

Ward earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at Johns Hopkins University and a Masters in Public Policy and Urban Planning at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
He worked as an environmental planner at the firm EDAW, working with local government to develop land use plans and conduct environmental review, and as a researcher at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of California, San Diego. He then served as the chief of staff to State Senator Marty Block, who represented the communities of the Third City Council District and most of the rest of the city of San Diego.

San Diego City Council

Elections

In 2016. Ward ran for an open seat on the San Diego City Council representing District 3. District 3 includes the neighborhoods of Balboa Park, Bankers Hill/Park West, Downtown San Diego, Golden Hill, Hillcrest, Little Italy, Mission Hills, Normal Heights, North Park, Old Town, and University Heights. Incumbent council member Todd Gloria was ineligible to run for reelection due to term limits. Ward was elected in the June primary with a majority of the vote.

Tenure

As a councilmember, Ward has worked to identify measures that will significantly reduce San Diego's overall homeless population. These have included three temporary shelters to house 700 individuals, an additional storage facility to serve 500 clients, and a proposed centralized homeless navigation center. In July 2017 the City Council unanimously approved an Equal Pay Ordinance, proposed by Ward. The ordinance requires companies that do business with the city to pay their employees equally regardless of gender or race.
In January 2019 the City Council approved a measure proposed by Ward that bans, for environmental reasons, the use of polystyrene for most retail uses including food service, egg cartons, and coolers. The ordinance also stipulates that single-use plastic items such as straws and eating utensils be available only on request. According to Ward, San Diego is the largest city in California to take this action.

Committee assignments

On January 24, 2019, Ward announced that he would be a candidate for the California state Assembly in district 78 to succeed Assemblyman Todd Gloria, who's running for Mayor of San Diego.

2020 California State Assembly

Personal life

Ward and his partner Thom are homeowners in University Heights, where they live with their two children.