Voters will decide Tuesday who should fill three of four San Diego City Council seats being vacated due to term limits.

Sherri Lightner, who owns a small business, will face Phil Thalheimer, a businessman and community activist, in District 1, which includes La Jolla, University City, Carmel Valley and Rancho Penasquitos.

The district is now represented by City Council President Scott Peters, who is termed out of office.

Lightner has served on numerous community planning groups, boards and committees, including as president of the La Jolla Town Council.

Thalheimer, who co-founded a flight school, ran unsuccessfully against Peters in 2004. He was one of the people who spearheaded efforts to preserve the cross atop La Jolla's Mount Soledad.

In District 3, Todd Gloria, a community representative for Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, will square off against Stephen Whitburn, a spokesman for the American Red Cross' San Diego blood division.

The district includes the communities of City Heights, Hillcrest, Kensington, Normal Heights, North Park, South Park, Talmadge, University Heights, Balboa Park and parts of Golden Hill.

The seat is being vacated by Councilwoman Toni Atkins.

A close race is being held in San Diego's District 7 to replace termed-out Councilman Jim Madaffer.

The race pits Marti Emerald against April Boling.

Emerald was a consumer fraud investigative reporter for KGTV for many years before seeking the council seat.

Boling is a certified public accountant and businesswoman who chaired a panel under former Mayor Dick Murphy to overhaul the city's debt-ridden pension system.

District 7 includes the communities of Allied Gardens, parts of City Heights, the College Area, Del Cerro, Grantville, Rolando and Tierrasanta.

Carl DeMaio, founder of the government watchdog group The Performance Institute, was the only person to win a soon-to-be vacated council seat outright in June's primary election.

DeMaio will represent San Diego's District 5, which includes the communities of Carmel Mountain Ranch, Mira Mesa, Rancho Bernardo, Sabre Springs, Scripps Ranch and Sorrento Mesa.

He replaces termed-out Councilman Brian Maienschein.