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Politics Dec 15, 2023
Los Angeles City Hall. | Photo by Ken Lund CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
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The Los Angeles City Clerk’s Office Friday released the official list of 31 candidates who have qualified to appear on the ballot for the March 2024 election.
In 2024, even-numbered city council district seats will be up for election — a total of seven seats.
In the Second District, council President Paul Krekorian will be unable to run for reelection due to term limits. The race to represent the Second District, which encompasses North Hollywood and other parts of the eastern San Fernando Valley, will be highly contested as seven individuals seek election.
Candidates include Jon-Paul Bird, a mental health professional; Jillian Burgos, small business owner; Marin Ghandilyan, lawyer; Rudy Melendez, laborer/artist; Manny Gonez, housing advocate/environmentalist; Sam Kbushyan, state commissioner and small business owner; and Adrin Nazarian, a state labor board member and former state assembly member.
In the Fourth District, incumbent Councilwoman Nithya Raman will look to hold onto her seat, as Levon “Lev” Baronian, an engineer and neighborhood council member, and Ethan Weaver, a deputy city attorney, will look to unseat her.
The Fourth District consists of central Los Angeles, the southern San Fernando Valley and the eastern Santa Monica Mountains.
In the Sixth District, following the resignation of former Councilwoman Martinez after her involvement in a racially charged leaked audio recording, voters were able to elect Councilwoman Imelda Padilla in June, who then officially took office in July.
Padilla will look to remain in her seat as the representative of northern parts of the SFV such as Van Nuys, Panorama City and others. Two challenges — Ely De La Cruz Ayao, real estate broker; and Carmenlina Minasova, respiratory care practitioner — will seek election to that position.
In the Eighth District, incumbent Marqueece Harris-Dawson will be challenged by Jahan Epps, real estate broker; and Cliff Smith, a union community organizer. The Eighth District encompasses several south L.A. neighborhoods.
In the Tenth District, Heather Hutt — who was appointed to represent neighborhoods in central and south L.A. after former Councilman Mark Ridley- Thomas was suspended and later removed after being convicted in a federal bribery case — is aiming to be elected for a full term.
However, she will face four challengers in the March election — Eddie Anderson, a pastor and community organizer; Reggie Jones-Sawyer, a state assembly member; Aura Vasquez, a city commissioner and environmentalist; and Grace Yoo, an attorney and neighborhood council member.
In the Twelfth District, incumbent Councilman John Lee will face off challenger Serena Oberstein, a nonprofit policy executive and former president of the City Ethics Commission.
Lee, who was previously the chief of staff for former Councilman Mitch Englander, who represented the 12th District, was elected to represent the same district following Englander’s departure. Englander was later indicted for corruption charges stemming from a 2017 trip to Las Vegas.
Lee is now facing a City Ethics Commission investigation for the same trip. The commission has accused Lee of ethics violations related to failing to disclose gifts, misuse of his position, accepting excess gifts and aiding and abetting misuse of position related to the same 2017 trip to Las Vegas.
The councilman has denied the accusations and any wrongdoing. He issued a lawsuit against the City Ethics Commission, citing the investigation is being used as means to sway voters in the 2024 March election.
The 12th District stretches across the northwestern parts of the SFV, such as Chatsworth, Granada Hills, Northridge, Porter Ranch, North Hills, West Hills and Reseda.
Last, in the 14th District, incumbent Councilman Kevin de León is seeking another four-year term, though his seat will be highly contested as seven challengers are looking to replace him at City Hall.
Challengers — Genny Guerrero, a community advocate; Teresa Hillery, an attorney; Ysabel Jurado, a tenants rights attorney; Wendy Carrillo, a state assembly member; Eduardo “Lalo” Vargas, a public school teacher; Miguel Santiago, a state assembly member; and Nadine Diaz, a health care professional – – will be looking to oust de León.
De León, who was one of three council members that participated in the leaked audio recording that upended City Hall proceedings in 2022. While the other two, which included Martinez, left city council, de León was able to endure calls for his resignation and remain on the council.
However, the councilman was stripped of his committee assignments. Over the course of the year, de León has been able to pass motions with support of a few of his colleagues on the city council.
De León will most likely face criticisms from challengers over his involvement in the leaked audio.
According to the City Clerk’s office, the candidates qualified to run in the March election after having collected at least 500 valid voter signatures and paid a $300 filing fee by Dec. 6, or by gathering at least 1,000 valid voter signatures.
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