Mariko Nakawatase to be sworn in as Imperial Beach’s newest councilmember

Mariko Nakawatase, an Imperial Beach native who works as a staff member for county Supervisor Joel Anderson and serves as president of the San Diego Young Republicans, will be sworn in Wednesday as the newest member of the Imperial Beach City Council.

The council voted 3-1 on Oct. 1 to appoint Nakawatase to the District 3 position vacated when former Councilmember Mitch McKay was appointed mayor following Paloma Aguirre’s election to the county Board of Supervisors.

The final vote saw McKay, Councilmember Jack Fisher and Mayor Pro Tem Carol Seabury in favor, and Councilmember Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez opposed.

“For me, serving as a City Council member has been a dream since 2017, when I was a college student eager to see local government do more for its people,” Nakawatase, 30, said in a statement. “As a frustrated student, I wanted to better understand why certain systems worked the way they did and I realized that if I wanted to see real change, I had to be part of it.”

McKay said the city opted for an appointment rather than a special election, citing high costs and limited timing.

“The primary factor is it’s really expensive,” McKay said. “The cost that we were quoted for a council position was almost $250,000… Our small city — we don’t have half a million dollars for an election, or $250,000 for a council seat election. So I think most people understood that.”

The city received eight applications, McKay said. The council conducted two rounds of public interviews, narrowing the field to four finalists before two withdrew.

McKay said he was aware of public perceptions that council appointments can favor political allies but maintained that wasn’t the case in Imperial Beach. He described the council as politically diverse and collaborative, noting it includes members with varying affiliations.

“Our council has been quite diverse,” McKay said. “We’ve got two independents, one Democrat and one Republican. Our council always got along, and we had very few ultra-contentious issues over the years. So I don’t think people were particularly concerned about (stacking the council) but, you know, there’s always a perception.”

Nakawatase said the appointment process, rather than a traditional election, can leave some residents feeling unheard. She said she understands those frustrations, but hopes to turn that energy into continued civic participation.

“I completely empathize with those who may have hoped for a different outcome, it’s not an easy process,” she said. “To those who applied, I encourage them to stay involved and even run again in November. Imperial Beach needs more people willing to step up and be part of the change alongside this Council.”

Emphasizing accessibility, responsiveness and connection to residents across District 3, Nakawatase said she plans to make representation a cornerstone of her service. She added that she intends to build those connections through direct outreach and consistent engagement with residents and businesses.

“My role is not to speak for residents, but to make sure their voices shape the decisions we make,” she said.

McKay said Nakawatase’s local roots and community involvement made her a strong addition to the council.

“She’s fairly well known in the community for working with the Kiwanis group and the high school Key Club and other organizations — the Sun and Sea Festival — so she’s a fairly well-known quantity,” McKay said.

Nakawatase joins a four-member council alongside McKay, Fisher, Seabury and Leyva-Gonzalez. McKay said her appointment restores a full council and will help balance the city’s workload across various regional boards and committees.

“Having another council member on board gives us, you know, hopefully some more opportunities to share the assignments and make it feel a little more of an equal load across the council,” McKay said.