The appointment by Bernalillo County commissioners on a 3-2 vote returns the veteran San Jose politician to the state of her birth and ends her 18-month search for government jobs away from the Bay Area.

Earlier this month, a lawyer for Chavez threatened to sue her San Diego counterparts for the way she claimed she was treated as an applicant for the $400,000 post.

Lawyers for the Santa Clara County supervisor cite irregularities, including breaches of confidentiality and discrimination, in San Diego County’s search for a new top administrative officer.

An aggressive public campaign by organized labor for a Chavez appointment, which included outdoor rallies, attack mailers, disruption of public meetings and personal attacks on supervisors, appears to have backfired.

Labor union members rallied outside the San Diego County administration building on Tuesday, pushing for Chavez' appointment to the county’s top staff position.

The counting process exploded into a controversy involving political action committees, campaign surrogates, the Federal Election Commission, members of Congress and the counting of previously discarded ballots.

The fortunes of Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez in San Diego appeared to have dimmed, as business and community leaders and county Republicans advocated for a local administrator with knowledge of San Diego County and no ties to the organized labor and partisan Democrat connections that had initially pushed Chavez for the job a year ago.

Ostensibly a manual to help future candidates to elective office understand what’s in store for them, it’s a bid to rehabilitate his reputation 18 years after his controversial mayorship ended.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan now has a primary opponent, Tyrone Wade, but past elections provide strong evidence the two-year incumbent will sail to an early victory in the March 5 primary.

Cindy Chavez was the top choice in May for San Diego County administrator, but the county won't say if she is still an applicant for the position, or if she needs to reapply. Chavez isn't responding to questions about the San Diego job.

If no other candidate emerges, Mayor Matt Mahan will be the first unopposed mayoral candidate since the first popular election of a San Jose mayor in 1966.

Up to $2 million will be available for projects in each of the five supervisor districts, providing matching grants to cities, school districts and nonprofits to build all-inclusive playgrounds.

The mayor reaches across the council divide to involve political opponents in grassroots revitalization efforts.

When the project is completed in 2029, VTA riders will be able to get on light rail at the Eastridge Transit Center and connect directly with BART at Milpitas Station.

Cindy Chavez’ strong Democratic Party and organized labor credentials had vaulted the Santa Clara County supervisor to the top of the list of candidates for Chief Administrative Officer, but these strengths could prove to be her undoing.

he San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted today to rehire retiring Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer to stay on until her replacement is hired May 2.