The Votes Are In!
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Politics Jun 07, 2022
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A multitude of lively primary election campaigns will be concluding this Tuesday, as voting for the Los Angeles City and County primary election is quickly approaching its deadline at 8 p.m. Here’s everything you need to know before submitting your vote.
Nine LA Mayoral candidates currently vying for spot, Bass and Caruso leading the way:
Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, and billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso are the clear front-runners according to polls, with a tally released Monday showing Bass leading with 38% of likely voters’ support and Caruso close behind with 32%.
The same poll — which was conducted by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times — showed Councilman Kevin de León’s campaign for mayor with 6% support from likely voters. Fifteen percent of likely voters were undecided.
If polling holds true, Bass and Caruso would advance to the November general election, although some campaign watchers have pondered whether Caruso — with his mighty self-funded campaign war chest and weeks-long advertising blitz — could gather more than 50% of the primary vote and avoid the runoff. But such a result appears to be a longshot, given Bass’ strong support base and the overall number of candidates on the ballot.
Bass, 68, would be Los Angeles’ first female mayor and only the second Black mayor, after Tom Bradley, who led the city from 1973 to 1993.
Open LA County Supervisor seat up for grabs, Solis looking for another term:
The five-member Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will get at least one new face by year’s end, with Supervisor Sheila Kuehl opting against a reelection bid for her District 3 seat, and six candidates vying to fill the void.
The seat covers a majority of the San Fernando Valley, stretching from Westlake Village and Malibu to Calabasas, West Hills, Porter Ranch, San Fernando, Panorama City and Northridge, while also stretching to West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.
West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath is among those challenging for the seat in Tuesday’s primary election, along with two state Senators — Henry Stern and Robert Hertzberg — and three business owners, Roxanne Beckford Hoge, Jeffi Girgenti and Craig Brill. Kuehl has thrown her support behind Horvath, who has also been backed by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis. Supervisor Kathryn Barger has endorsed Hertzberg.
Meanwhile, Supervisor Solis is facing four challengers in her bid for a third — and final — term on the board. Her District 1 seat represents an eastern swath of the county, including Monterey Park, Azusa, Pomona, Diamond Bar, Rosemead, West Covina, Highland Park and Lincoln Heights.
8 LA City Council seats on primary ballot, including 3 without incumbents:
Races for eight of the 15 seats on the Los Angeles City Council are on Tuesday’s primary election ballot, with three of posts up for grabs thanks to the lack of incumbents.
In Council District 5 — which includes Bel Air, Encino, Westwood, Encino and Fairfax — Councilman Paul Koretz is termed-out and running for city controller.
Candidates vying for the seat are Katy Young Yaroslavsky, former senior environment and arts policy deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and a daughter-in-law of former Supervisor and Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who represented the district from 1975-94; attorney and small business owner Sam Yebri; UCLA School of Law lecturer Jimmy Biblarz; and former chair of the Mid City West Neighborhood Council Scott Epstein.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who has represented Council District 11 since 2013, decided not to run for a third term on the City Council, saying he wanted to focus on his mental health. Vying to represent the westside district — which includes Venice, Pacific Palisades, Mar Vista and other Westside neighborhoods are: civil rights and eviction defense attorney Erin Darling, who was endorsed by Bonin; former adviser to a Board of Education member Allison Holdorff Polhill; attorney and former Board of Public Works President Greg Good; attorney Traci Park; former Venice Neighborhood Council member and land use attorney Mike Newhouse; Venice Neighborhood Council President Jim Murez; medical delivery driver Mat Smith; and teacher Midsanon “Soni” Lloyd.
LA voters weigh candidates for open city attorney, controller seats:
While the race for mayor has taken center stage ahead of Tuesday’s primary election in Los Angeles, two other citywide posts are open this year, with no incumbent running for city attorney or controller.
The Los Angeles city attorney leads the office that prosecutes misdemeanors, files lawsuits on behalf of the city and represents L.A. in legal matters, including lawsuits filed against the city. The city attorney is also responsible for writing laws requested by the City Council.
Current City Attorney Mike Feuer is termed out of the office he has held since 2013. So far in 2022, Feuer has filed lawsuits against the operator of the vacation rental platform Vrbo for allegedly processing rental bookings for unregistered hosts, against the agricultural chemical and biotechnology company Monsanto for allegedly polluting the city’s waterways with a carcinogen and against the owners of a North Hollywood apartment complex where a local gang allegedly roams freely.
Feuer had been running for mayor, but dropped out of the race after ballots were already sent to voters.
Villanueva looks to fend off 8 challengers, avoid fate of his predecessor:
Unseating an incumbent Los Angeles County sheriff is no easy task, but eight people are vying to do just that in Tuesday’s election as they challenge Alex Villanueva, whose first term has been marked by clashes with the county Board of Supervisors and questions about so-called “deputy gangs.”
Over the past century, only one incumbent sheriff in the county has lost a re-election bid. That was four years ago, when Villanueva achieved a stunning upset of Sheriff Jim McDonnell, riding to an election victory with strong backing from reform-minded community groups and Democrats.
But over the past four years, Villanueva’s support among those groups has waned as he repeatedly clashed with the Democrat-dominated Board of Supervisors over funding and policy matters, fought back against claims of “deputy gangs” within the agency, defied subpoenas to appear before the Civilian Oversight Commission and refused to enforce the county’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate among his deputies and department employees.
He has openly criticized “progressive” policies and politicians, most notably District Attorney George Gascón, and assailed movements to “defund” law enforcement agencies.
Voters to fill vacant South Bay assembly seat:
Voters will choose among two Democrats Tuesday to fill a vacant South Bay Assembly seat along with the two candidates who will be on the November ballot in the race for a full two-year term.
Nonprofit director/businesswoman Tina Simone McKinnor topped the field of four Democrats in the April 5 special election in the 62nd Assembly District with 39% of the vote. Because no candidate received a majority, she will face Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles, the runner-up with 34.6%, in a runoff Tuesday.
The special election in the district stretching from Venice on the north, Lawndale on the south, the unincorporated Westmont and West Athens areas on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west was triggered by Autumn R. Burke’s resignation Feb. 1 citing family priorities.
Kamlager, Perry, Culver City mayor seeking to succeed Bass in Congress:
Sen. Sydney Kamlager, former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry and Culver City Mayor Daniel W. Lee are among the five Democrats in Tuesday’s 37th Congressional District primary seeking the two spots on the general election ballot in the race to succeed Rep. Karen Bass.
Bass, D-Los Angeles, opted to run for mayor of Los Angeles instead of running for a seventh term representing the predominantly Democratic district that stretches from South Los Angeles to Culver City. She has endorsed Kamlager.
Kamlager said she is focused on “expanding voting rights,” “reproductive justice,” “health care for all,” “criminal justice reform focused on diversion, redemption and rehabilitation,” “job creation to create economic justice and opportunities for all communities” and “innovative investment in housing.”
Maebe A. Girl, who is a member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council of Los Angeles, is also on the ballot as the first trans drag queen to ever run for Congress.
Ballot measure could give LA Businesses bid preference for city contracts:
Los Angeles voters are weighing in on a ballot measure that, if approved in Tuesday’s election, would allow the city to give preference for some of its contracts to businesses located in the city.
Charter Amendment BB, which needs a majority of voters’ approval to pass, was introduced in a motion by Councilmen Paul Koretz, Bob Blumenfield and Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
If passed, the measure would add “city of Los Angeles” to the City Charter’s definition of local, allowing the city to give contracting bid preferences to businesses located with the city of Los Angeles. The charter currently requires the city to award contracts to responsible bidders with the lowest prices, while “local” businesses in Los Angeles County and California are allowed to be prioritized.
Voter turnout is low! Lack of competitive state race a factor, Newsom expects overwhelming win:
One year after an effort to recall him fell flat, Gov. Gavin Newsom is widely expected to win re-election during this year’s election cycle, even though there are two dozen candidates challenging him in Tuesday’s primary.
The lack of a strong front-running opponent, however, has left little doubt about Newsom winning another term. And it has taken some luster off the election as a whole, with most political watchers anticipating a relatively low turnout given the absence of a major challenge to the state’s top executive.
Here’s how to get involved:
Yet, the expectation of a low turnout is not stopping the city and county from attempting to influence residents to vote — including Metro which is offering free bus and train rides to encourage Angelenos to get involved in the primary election.
There are multiple ways to allow your voice to be heard during this election, including mail-in ballots, same-day registration and drop-off boxes. There are no excuses — go vote!
Click here to learn more about election and voter information.
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