Campaign for Measure G declares victory

ELECTION RESULTS

Aiming to reform county governance, it had 51.36% as of Monday

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as seen at a board meeting on July 23 at Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in downtown Los Angeles. There have been five members for more than 100 years. Measure G, on the Nov. 5 ballot, would increase the number to nine, add an elected county CEO, and ethics commission. The measure declared victory Monday after nearly a week of ballot counting. Photo by Howard Freshman

Candidates for California’s 27th Congressional district are: Mike Garcia and George Whitesides. Courtesy Photos

Democrats Laura Richardson and Michelle Chambers are vying to replace termed-out state Sen. Steven Bradford. Courtesy images

LAUSD school board candidates Dan Chang and Scott Schmerelson. Courtesy photos

Candidates for the Long Beach Community College District Trustee Area 4 seat are Richard “Dick” Gaylord and Ennette Morton. Courtesy photos

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By Linh Tat

ltat@scng.com

The campaign for Measure G, the ballot measure to reform Los Angeles County’s governance structure, including nearly doubling the size of the current Board of Supervisors, declared victory Monday after nearly a week of ballot counting.

Voters were approving the measure 51.36% to 48.64%, according to the latest vote tally by the L.A. County registrar’s office. It needs only a simple majority to pass.

As of Monday, the registrar’s office had counted more than 3.6 million ballots and estimated 187,300 ballots were left to process countywide. At that point, 84,012 more people supported Measure G than opposed it.

Measure G calls for adding four more county supervisors to the current five-member board and having voters elect a county chief executive officer. Currently, the CEO is appointed by the board. In addition, Measure G calls for the creation of an independent ethics commission.

“The people of Los Angeles County have made history in passing Measure G, ushering in the change necessary for a more effective Los Angeles County,” L.A. County Board of Supervisors Chair Lindsey Horvath, who co-wrote the measure, said in a statement minutes after the registrar;s office released its Monday update of election returns.

Horvath said the measure will lead to greater accountability and “create a more ethical and representative government fit for the 21st century.”

“This victory means that every community, from the San Fernando Valley to the South Bay, from the San Gabriel Valley to the Antelope Valley, will now have greater access to a government prepared to hear their voices and prioritize their needs,” Horvath said. “This is a victory not only for today, but for generations to come.”

Supervisor Janice Hahn co-wrote the measure with Horvath. Supervisor Hilda Solis supported the effort, but two other supervisors, Holly Mitchell and Kathryn Barger, opposed it.

Supporters of Measure G noted that a handful of previous attempts to change the county’s charter failed.

“This historic victory gives voice to communities who have long been marginalized in the decision-making process,” Sara Sadhwani, a professor of politics at Pomona College, said in a statement. “With a more transparent and responsive governance structure, we’re creating a county government that truly reflects the diversity and needs of its people. This is a win for democracy and for all Angelenos.”

The next vote tally update from the registrar’s office is scheduled for late this afternoon. The registrar has until Dec. 3 to certify the results of the election.

Meanwhile, here’s a rundown of how other close races in L.A. County are shaping up.

U.S. House of Representatives: In California’s 27th Congressional District, Democrat George Whitesides continued to extend his lead over Republican Rep. Mike Garcia. Whitesides had 51.21% of the vote while Garcia had 48.79%, with 6,983 votes (or 2.42 percentage points) separating the two. The 27th District represents parts of northern L.A. County, including the high desert communities of Lancaster, Palmdale and Santa Clarita. On Saturday, Whitesides overtook Garcia for the first time since election night. This high-stakes race could help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives. As of Monday, Republicans had won 214 seats while Democrats had 204 seats with 17 more races still to be decided. The party with at least 218 seats will have a majority in the House.

State Senate: In the 35th District, Laura Richardson continued to lead over Michelle Chambers, though the margin narrowed again on Monday. Richardson had 50.57% of the vote while Chambers had 49.43% in this Democrat vs. Democrat battle to replace termed-out state Sen. Steven Bradford. Richardson, of San Pedro, is a housing advocate and small-business owner who previously served on the Long Beach City Council and in the state Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. Chambers, who lives in Compton, is a community justice advocate. She previously served on the Compton City Council and was an aide to then-U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn. The 35th Senate District represents residents in south L.A. County. It includes all or parts of Inglewood, Hawthorne, Compton, Carson and San Pedro.

The Los Angeles Unified School District: In the race to represent 3rd District constituents on the L.A. Unified school board, incumbent Scott Schmerelson had 51.87% while math teacher Daniel Chang had 48.13%, nearly the same as over the weekend. The 3rd District stretches from North Hollywood to Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys and most West San Fernando Valley communities. Schmerelson worked as a principal in L.A. Unified before retiring. He’s been on the school board since 2015. Chang is a teacher at James Madison Middle School in North Hollywood.

Long Beach City College: In the 4th District race for the board of trustees Ennette Morton continued to extend her lead. Morton, a college faculty administrator, had 51.13% of votes tallied so far while opponent Richard “Dick” Gaylord, a businessman and educator, had 48.87%. Morton’s lead grew from 716 votes the day before to 958.

Pasadena Unified School District: Measure EE, a parcel tax to help fund programs and raise teachers’ salaries, has been gradually increasing its number of supporters. The measure on Monday had 69.06% of the vote. It needs a two-thirds majority, or 66.67%, to pass.

Puente Hills Habitat: Measure PH, a bond measure that would boost the budget of the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority, has been teetering above and below the threshold of the required two-thirds majority, or 66.67%, for passage. On Monday, it had 67.83% approval. The measure, with its funding boost, would allow the Habitat Authority to protect the hills from wildfires, fight illegal dumping and hire more rangers.