The Region - News from Dec. 9, 1986

Moving to avoid a costly special election, the San Diego City Council appointed lawyer Celia Ballesteros to serve the final year of Uvaldo Martinez’s term. Ballesteros’ unanimous appointment came on the council’s 42nd ballot when four council Republicans finally switched their votes to Ballesteros, a Democrat. Ballesteros, 55, who lost to Martinez in the 1983 election in the eighth council district, was immediately sworn in. There are now five women--including Mayor Maureen O’Connor--on the nine-member council--marking the first time in the city’s history that women have constituted a majority. Martinez, who pleaded guilty in October to two felony counts stemming from misuse of his city-issued credit card, resigned last month.