Eight people are vying to fill Encinitas Mayor Bruce Ehlers’ former District 4 City Council seat, and one of them could be picked for the job Wednesday. The council is proposing to interview all eight applicants during its regular meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave. And, the council may make its selection immediately after the applicants “briefly explain their qualifications and interest in serving” as the city’s new District 4 representative, an agenda report for Wednesday’s meeting indicates. District 4 covers the city’s eastern edges, including Olivenhain and parts of New Encinitas. Ehlers, who lives in Olivenhain, vacated his council seat when he was sworn into office as mayor Dec. 10 after winning the mayoral race against incumbent Tony Kranz in November. The council decided Dec. 11 to use the appointment process to pick someone to fill out the nearly two years remaining in his council term. Hosting a special election would have cost $275,000 to $450,000, depending on whether it was a mail-in-ballot election or a polling place one, and the earliest an election could have been held was Aug. 26, City Clerk Kathy Hollywood has said. Under the city codes, applicants must be at least age 18, live within the District 4 boundaries, and be a registered voter. Ehlers has said he would prefer to pick someone who lives in New Encinitas, instead of Olivenhain, is “nonpartisan” like him — he’s a former Republican who is now registered as Independent — and is willing to “work hard and read” massive council agenda packets. Nine people applied for the council post, but one was eliminated during the county’s review process because that person didn’t turn out to live within District 4, the city clerk’s office reported. The eight applicants are: Julie Graboi — an Olivenhain resident and MiraCosta College instructor who has been active in city issues, including Proposition A and the update to the city’s General Plan. In her application, Graboi, who has previously run for council, wrote that she will not seek election in 2026 if picked for the council seat now. Brad Lefkowits — the owner of Waves Landscape Design company who serves on the city’s Urban Forest Advisory Committee. He lives in New Encinitas, and is active in the Parents of Encinitas Union School District group. Farhad Mahmoudi — a New Encinitas resident who works in the legal technology industry and vowed on the application not to seek election in 2026, saying, “I have no desire to run a political campaign.” Denise M. Martin — a New Encinitas resident who is a high school mathematics teacher. She has been president of her homeowners’ association for over a decade and was a Proposition A community organizer. Michael Quinn — a city Parks & Recreation commissioner who lives in New Encinitas and currently works as a substitute teacher. He has 30 years’ experience working in the natural foods business, including owning two stores. Marco San Antonio — the owner of One Day Signs, a former Orange County firefighter and current board member of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District. Eli Stern — a retired financial company employee who has served on the city’s Senior Citizen Commission and Affordable Housing Task Force. His wife ran for City Council in 2022. Paul Templin — an engineer and former Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya who has recently worked in cyber security programs for Toyota and ViaSat.