SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The election is just 42 days away and in the mayor’s race one issue looms largest, homelessness and the difficulty in cutting the numbers. With the polls showing a tightening race, Mayor Todd Gloria is pitching to San Diegan’s he’s the man to see the job through. “We’ve been able to make meaningful progress on a number of key issues, specifically keeping crime low, paving more streets, building more housing that everyday San Diegans can afford, and of course getting more homeless folks off the streets," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. "But my message is not mission accomplished, this is just halftime. I’m asking San Diegans for the opportunity to continue to build upon those foundations so we can get more meaningful change for San Diego." How can a candidate win the popular vote but lose the election? Challenger and Independent candidate Larry Turner says if elected he would take a direct enforcement approach when handling the homeless. “Day one, it’s going to Chief Wahl and saying look, we’ve got all these laws on the books, lets start enforcing them,” said Larry Turner, a long-time police officer and former Marine. Turner says his administration would reorganize the priorities of the city, scaling back public services to core functions until major issues have improved. “Really gets down to the meat and potatoes of public service, of running a city, of mayor 101, is those three things -- homelessness, infrastructure and public safety. Those take priority and when you realign everything under those priorities, you’ll see a difference on homelessness that will be evident right away,” said Larry Turner a long-time police officer and contender for Mayor. Election 2024: Here’s how to register to vote in California Mayor Gloria says in his last four years he has set the table to see a major change in homelessness and says he wants to complete what he’s started. “Whether it’s the shelter expansions, the unsafe camping ordinance, the grants pass decision, affordable housing production, the mental health reforms and prop 36, what you see is a wholesale change in the way that we’ve been dealing with this issue in just in the last four years, and the next four years will certainly be better as we take these tools given to us and make things better for San Diego,” said Mayor Gloria. Election Day is around the corner: Important dates San Diegans need to know Turner says he’s ready to cut off third party service providers that don’t have metric positive performances. In the end, both candidates are passionate to make San Diego the best place to call home. “Every day I get up with the sol responsibility to try to find someway to make my home town a better place to live. Even on the darkest and most difficult of days, I recognize this is a privilege. I’m honored to have the job and I want to continue to do it,” said Mayor Gloria. “I’m not a politician. I’m not with a party, I’m an independent, a life long independent, I’m one of you, we can turn this around. Please give me the chance to do that,” said Turner.