Mara Elliott served the City of San Diego as the elected City Attorney from 2016 to 2024, redefining the role with her unwavering commitment to protecting families, standing up to special interests,and creating a safer city for all.

The first woman and first Latina elected to the office, Mara is a national leader in gun violence prevention, consumer advocacy, and support for victims of domestic violence, sex trafficking, and elder abuse.

Mara worked with law enforcement and the courts to launch San Diego’s groundbreaking approach to gun violence. She and her team trained more than 500 law enforcement agencies throughout the state on the use of lifesaving gun violence restraining orders.

Mara relaunched Your Safe Place, the nation’s first comprehensive resource center for victims of domestic violence, by expanding vital services to survivors of sex trafficking and partnering with the legislature and local elected leaders to secure dedicated shelter for these victims and their families.

Mara created a dedicated conservatorship unit, the first of its kind, to effectively and compassionately address the needs of unhoused individuals with complex mental health issues. Mara also created the Office’s first affirmative civil enforcement unit to protect consumers, workers, and the environment. Her lawsuit against the opioid industry brought tens of millions of dollars to the region for drug addiction resources and public safety.

Before her 2016 election, she served as legal counsel to school districts, the local transit authority, and the County of San Diego. Mara earned a reputation for fighting for the people she represents—something she will continue to do for the residents of Senate District 40.

The daughter of a longshoreman and a secretary, Mara was the first in her family to graduate from college. Mara earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her law degree from McGeorge School of Law. Mara and her husband, Greg, raised their two children in District 40.