In the 1983 San Diego mayoral special election runoff, Democrat Roger Hedgecock beat Democrat Maureen O'Conner by 9,147 votes.
Former city council member Maureen O'Connor, a Democrat, was considered the early front-runner and likely to advance to a runoff election, if not win the first round outright. O'Connor's major opponents in the first round election included county supervisor Roger Hedgecock, city council member and acting mayor Bill Cleator, and city council member Bill Mitchell, all self-identified Republicans. 
Republican Roger Hedgecock 105,385 Democratic Maureen O'Connor 96,238 
