WATCH: Todd Gloria and Larry Turner face off in 2024 San Diego Mayoral Debate

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Election day is just seven weeks away, and ABC 10News is bringing you a debate between San Diego's mayoral candidates in an effort to give you a better idea of where the candidates stand on the key issues facing America's Finest City.

Mayor Todd Gloria has held the seat over the past four years, and he previously served as a member of the California State Assembly and San Diego City Council.

His opponent, Larry Turner, served in the Marine Crops for 23 years and has been with the San Diego Police Department for the past eight years.

If elected, this would be Turner's first elected office.

Both Gloria and Turner agreed to the following rules:

• Candidates will each have 90 seconds to respond to a question
• After each candidate gets a chance to answer, there will be an opportunity for follow-up questions or a 30-second rebuttal
• The candidates will have the responsibility to fact-check each other
• The debate will begin with 2-minute opening statements and 1-minute closing statements

ABC 10News' purpose in hosting this debate is to provide a platform for the candidates to give their perspectives and policy positions.
WATCH: The candidates deliver their opening statements, positing their vision for the city. Gloria won the coin flip, so he spoke first.

Our moderators asked the following questions about issues that are front of mind for San Diegans during the debate:

1. Qualifications
   
   1. Turner: San Diego is the nation's eighth largest city and California's second largest with 1.5 million people. We are a border town, a military town, a medical research hub and a tourist destination. That's a lot of responsibility. Mr. Turner, you've never been in government before, why should voters trust you to govern?
   2. Gloria: Your first term has had its challenges, which we will get to in this debate. But same question: Given the sate of the city, what are your qualifications and why should San Diego voters give you another four years?
2. Homelessness
   
   1. Gloria: You proposed a 1,000 bed shelter on Kettner and Vine, but it has come with some push back. Why do you think the city should move forward with this, and what else do you propose we do to get 1,000 more people sheltered with the help they need?
   2. Turner: Mr. Turner, you oppose the 1,000 bed shelter at Kettner and Vine. What is your solution for opening up more shelter space and getting those people and thousands more off the streets?
3. Unsafe Camping Ordinance
   
   1. Turner: We recently polled San Diegans on various topic ahead of the debate. 61% of respondents say they are supportive of the unsafe camping ordinance. Mr. Turner, is this an effective strategy for getting people off the streets, and what would you do differently to house the unhoused if you were mayor?
   2. Gloria: Mayor Gloria, after the city approved the ban, Gov. Newsom threw his support behind similar measures, and the Supreme Court ruled cities can ban encampments. Yet, we hear from San Diegans often that it's not working and there are too many homeless sleeping in cars, in tents, on sidewalks and parking lots. Is there no place to put them? The sheriff has said she will not put them in jail, so where do they go?
4. Cost of Living - Housing
   
   1. Gloria: Many San Diego families continue to struggle with cost of living in America's Finest City. Mayor Gloria, what would you do to help get a significant number of homes built that middle and low income San Diegans can afford to buy?
   2. Turner: Mr. Turner, same question to you: What would you do to help get a significant number of homes built that middle and low income San Diegans can afford to buy?
5. Cost of Living - Beyond Housing
   
   1. Turner: Staying on the topic of cost of living, Mr. Turner — San Diegans are struggling with more than just housing. Food costs are higher here, and utility costs are the third highest in the country. Can a mayor do anything about the high cost of living outside of housing?
   2. Gloria: Mayor Gloria, same question: You've been in office for four years. What is your plan to lower costs for San Diegans, outside of affordable housing? Can a mayor do anything about costs outside of government?
6. Crime/safety
   
   1. Gloria: Despite the city's overall crime rate falling over the last two years, our poll shows many San Diegans view crime as either a major or minor problem. You both have expressed your strong support for providing San Diego police with the funding and tools needed to keep the city safe. But what other measures would you take outside of increased policing to help reduce crime in our city?
   2. Turner: Mr. Turner, same question, what other measures would you take outside of increased policing to help reduce crime in our city?
7. Yoga ban
   
   1. Turner: On our website, we asked San Diegans to submit questions on the issues that matter to them the most. One topic that many brought up was the change in the municipal code — mainly targeting sidewalk vendors, but also banning certain outdoor classes, including yoga. Mr. Turner, do you feel this ban is necessary, and if not, what changes would you make to it?
   2. Gloria: Same question to you Mayor Gloria. Some feel this ban is overkill. Do you feel this ban is working, and if not, what changes would you make?
8. Bike Lanes
   
   1. Gloria: We also received a lot of viewer questions about the growing number of bike lanes in the city. They tell us they're not seeing them being used very often and streets are losing parking spaces. Mayor Gloria, you've said these bike lanes make our roads safer. Do you support continuing to install them in our current fashion?
   2. Turner: Mr. Turner, the same question to you: Do you support continuing to install bike lanes throughout the city?
9. Infrastructure
   
   1. Turner: The condition of our streets and sidewalks is always a top concern, and our poll found 76% of San Diegans say the city needs to do more to improve our streets and sidewalks. Mr. Turner, what would you do to address our roads?
   2. Gloria: Mayor Gloria, you've made road repair one of the centerpieces of your administration. Are you happy with what you've accomplished, and what do you say to San Diegans who say they're still not happy with the roads where they live?
10. January Flood
    
    1. Gloria: Let's shift to an issue that really impacted those in some of San Diego's underserved communities: The January floods. Mayor Gloria — let's start with you — did the city fail by not clearing storm drains and culverts prior to the storm?
    2. Turner: Mr. Turner — same topic for you: What steps would you take to make sure something like Jan. 22 doesn’t happen again?

WATCH: To close out the debate, the candidates signed off with their closing statements. Turner went first this time around.

We fielded questions from you ahead of this debate, but now that it has wrapped up, we're wondering what other questions you may have about local San Diego politics heading into election day. Fill out the form below with your question about the local ballot.