The L.A. County Registrar released results from about 80,000 additional ballots Friday, Nov. 11, adding confidence to the steady lead of many Los Angeles area candidates and shifting the margins in the tight LAUSD races.
LAUSD District 2 race is a virtual tie with 0.04 of a percentage point separating the candidates, while in the District 4 race Marvin Rodríguez has a slim 2.54 percentage point lead over incumbent and LAUSD board president Kelly Gonez, as of results reported at 4:09 p.m. Friday.
Tight margins characterize the city council races in Burbank, Santa Clarita, San Fernando, Culver City, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and Malibu.
The final results may not be known for several days or even weeks as the registrar still has just under 800,000 ballots to count. So far around 1.53 million ballots have been counted and the next round of results is expected on Saturday, Nov. 12.
Here is how the latest wave of results on Nov. 11 impacted key L.A. area races.
20th State Senate District: Caroline Menjivar held a steady lead over Daniel Hertzberg, with 55.05% to 44.95%, in a district that stretches from Burbank to Pacoima to San Fernando to Canoga Park. Hertzberg is the son of current State Senator and LA County Board of Supervisors candidate Bob Hertzberg, while Menjivar is a Marine Corps veteran and LGBTQ advocate.
27th Congressional District: Mike Garcia declared victory in the race for the 27th Congressional District seat that encompasses Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster and Granada Hills on Wednesday morning. Garcia, the Republican incumbent in the newly configured district, had 55.98% while his Democratic challenger Christy Smith had 44.02%.
LAUSD District 2: Maria Brenes and Racío Rivas were virtually tied in the race to represent District 2 of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Rivas held 50.04%, while Rivas held 49.96%. Rivas is a policy deputy for LAUSD board member Jackie Goldberg and Brenes is the founder of InnerCity Struggle, a nonprofit organization focused on building stronger schools and preventing housing displacement.
LAUSD District 6: The race to represent District 6 of the Los Angeles Unified School District was neck and neck between School Board President Kelly Gonez and Marvin Rodríguez. Gonez had 51.27% while Rodríguez had 48.73%. Kelly Gonez has served on the board since 2017. Rodriguez is a veteran teacher and former Marine, who ran on a platform of improving communication with the community.
LA City Council District 5: Katie Young Yaroslavsky had a firm lead over Sam Yebri in a race to fill the open seat of termed out Councilman Paul Koretz. Yaroslavksy had 57.07% to Yebri’s 42.93%. Yaroslavsky was L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl’s senior policy director for the environment and the arts, while Yebri is a nonprofit director and business owner.
LA City Council District 11: Traci Park had a strong lead over Erin Darling. Park had 54.58% to Darling’s 45.42%. Park’s lead marks a shift in this Westside district’s preference away from homeless policies championed by Darling and current Councilman Mike Bonin. Park ran on a platform that included enforcing anti-camping ordinances and increasing the police budget.
LA City Council District 13: Hugo Soto-Martinez held his lead over incumbent Mitch O’Farrell. Soto-Martinez had 53.29% to O’Farrell’s 46.71%. Soto-Martinez is a labor group organizer with Unite Here Local 11 and rode a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment following the L.A. City Council backroom taping scandal. O’Farrell has represented the 13th District since 2013 and prior to that worked as a senior deputy for then-Councilman Eric Garcetti.
LA City Council District 15: Tim McOsker held a strong lead over Danielle Sandoval. McOsker had 65.38% to Sandoval’s 34.62%. Current Councilman Joe Buscaino endorsed McOsker, an attorney with deep roots in San Pedro, including a stint as deputy city attorney. Sandoval has served in neighborhood councils and worked with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and nonprofit organizations.
LA City Attorney: Hydee Feldstein Soto held a firm lead over Faisal Gill in the race for L.A. city attorney. Feldstein had 57.73% to Gill’s 42.27%. The winner will replace Mike Feuer, who is termed out.
LA City Controller: Kenneth Mejia announced his victory over City Councilman Paul Koretz in the race for L.A. city controller via a tweet shortly after the release of votes Wednesday night. In the latest update Mejia had 61.09% to Koretz’s 39.91%.
LA Measures ULA, SP, LH: Measure LH had 67.61% support. It would authorize public entities in the city to develop, build or buy up to 5,000 additional units of low-income rental housing in each council district. Measure SP had 64.80% disapproval. It would impose a .08 cent per square foot tax on improved parcels, reduced to a .02 cent tax in 30 years or upon completion of certain programs. Measure ULA had 54.54% support. Known as the “mansion tax,” it would impose a 4% tax on property sales and transfers exceeding $5 million, and 5.5% on those $10 million or more.
Burbank: In the race for three council seats, Nikki Perez, Burbank City Clerk Zizette Mullins, Tamala Takahashi and incumbent Sharon Springer, led with 24.04%, 21.20%, 20.80% and 20.44% respectively. Carmenita Helligar had 13.53%.
Santa Clarita: In the race for three council seats, incumbent Lauren Weste, Bill Miranda, Marsha McLean and Denise Lite led with 20.17%, 20.03% and 17.25% and 15.38%, respectively. Five other candidates trailed with 8.30% or less of the vote.
San Fernando: In the race for three council seats, Joel Fajardo, incumbent Mary Mendoza, Mary Solorio, and incumbent Sylvia Ballin led with 26.36%, 21.67%, 17.90% and 17.83%, respectively. Victoria Garcia had 16.25%.
Culver City: In the race for two council seats Dan O’Brien, Denice Renteria, Freddy Puza and Harden Alexander Fisch led with 26.24%, 21.95%, 21.77%, and 21.09%, respectively. Khin Khin Gyi had 4.90% and Devin Yaeger had 4.05%.
West Hollywood: In the race for three council seats Lauren Meister, John Heilman, John Duran, Robert Oliver, Chelsea Byers and Zekiah Wright led with 17.34%, 11.54%, 10.36%, 10.03%, 9.75% and 9.30%, respectively. Six other candidates trailed behind with 6.86% or less of the vote.
Santa Monica: In the race for three council seats Caroline Torosis, Jesse Zwick, Lana Negrete, Natalya Zernitskaya, Armen Melkonians and Ellis Raskin led with 19.01%, 16.91%, 12.52%, 11.44%, 11.33% and 11.21%, respectively. Six other candidates trailed behind with 4.14% or less of the vote.
Malibu: In the race for two council seats Doug Stewart, Marianne Riggins and Bill Sampson led with 27.24%, 21.04% and 20.09%, respectively. Hap Henry had 16.13%, Ryan Embree had 9.63%% and Jimy Tallal had 5.91%.