SACRAMENTO, California — San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria is advancing to a runoff to lead California’s second-largest city as it confronts record homelessness and a broader housing affordability crisis.

Gloria, a former state assemblymember who was elected to his first term as mayor in 2020, had more than 50 percent of the vote Tuesday as he led four candidates competing for November’s runoff.

Larry Turner, a police community relations officer, led in the early returns, followed by Geneviéve Jones-Wright, a former public defender who previously ran for district attorney.

The campaign has largely focused on how to deal with the thousands of people sleeping on the streets of San Diego each night. Gloria and the City Council, dominated by fellow Democrats, adopted an ordinance in June 2023 that bans overnight camping in parks, canyons, schools and other “sensitive” areas to address the issue. Some lawmakers are hoping to create a statewide ordinance modeled after the law.

Gloria’s attempt to deal with housing more broadly faced resistance from the City Council, which in November rejected a proposal he backed to develop more affordable homes. Many San Diegans complain about a sky-high cost-of-living, driven in part by an influx of new residents during the pandemic.

Gloria had the endorsement of many local elected officials but Jones-Wright picked up some late-primary momentum when she was endorsed by San Diego County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe.

The winner in the November runoff will start their 4-year term in December.