Are we finally ready to pay attention to local elections? I hope so. Even with the aberration that was the 2016 Presidential race, the pipeline matters.
Here’s how I’m voting and why.
This post, unlike any I’ve ever done before, is a work in progress. Since so many of you are mailing your ballots in early I decided to share my decisions in real-time. As of May 19th this is what my ballot will look like. There is a distressing lack of information about the judges.
Alex Padilla for US Senate
Karen Bass for Mayor of Los Angeles
Hydee Feldstein Soto for Los Angeles City Attorney
Stephanie Clements for Los Angeles City Controller
Katy Young Yaroslavsky for City Council, 5th District
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas for State Senator, 28th District
Both candidates are substandard for State Assembly Member, 51st District
Ted Lieu for United States Representative, 36th District
Yes on Measure BB
Henry Stern for County Supervisor, 3rd District
Robert Luna for Sheriff
Jeffrey Prang for County Assessor
Superior Court Judge, Office 3
Superior Court Judge, Office 60
Superior Court Judge, Office 67
Superior Court Judge, Office 70
Superior Court Judge, Office 90
Superior Court Judge, Office 116
Superior Court Judge, Office 118
Superior Court Judge, Office 151
Superior Court Judge, Office 156
Gavin Newsom for Governor of California
Lieutenant Governor of California
California Secretary of State
California State Controller
California State Treasurer
Califnornia Attorney General
California Insurance Commisioner
Member of the State Board of Equalization, 3rd District
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
California’s National Ballot, 2022
United States Senator, expiring January 3, 2023
Alex Padilla: Alex is a capable State Senator and there are no other qualified candidates on the ballot. It is absolutely out of the question to vote GOP here, and the only other democrat is a chiropractor who listed their job as “Doctor”. This vote is easy.
City of Los Angeles Primary Ballot, 2022
Mayor of Los Angeles
Karen Bass: Karen Bass is a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her leadership in Los Angeles. She’s capable and progressive but still good for business. Bass’ resume speaks for itself. The only other candidate who stands a chance of winning this election is Rick Caruso who changed his party affiliation four months ago to prepare to run for office. He and his wife donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the GOP in the last two years. The notion of a Mayor Caruso should terrify women, renters, and the LGBTQ+ community. Caruso links are here.
Los Angeles City Attorney
Hydee Feldstein Soto: Soto stands out from the other candidates by making homelessness her first priority. Kevin James would be fine, and Richard Kim would destroy the city.
Controller of Los Angeles
Stephanie Clements: Once again there is only one viable candidate and it is Stephanie Clements. Clements has the experience and restraint the position requires. Koretz would not be awful, he was a decidedly un-awful City Councilperson (how’s that for an endorsement?), and Mejia would be an unmitigated disaster. I’m not a fan of condemning people for outdated and deleted tweets, but this one shows his character and I don’t care how many infographics he dazzles the LA Times with, he should never be in office in Los Angeles. Further, the theory of outsiders is good, but can you fix something you’ve never seen before? Government is not private industry, outsiders fail routinely as they attempt to tackle the wrong issues.
City Council Member, 5th District
Katy Young Yaroslavsky: Planned Parenthood endorsed her. We could be finished here except it is worth noting that she comes from and married into a family of public servants. This could be a great thing, I actually had help from her mother during her tenure at Sheila Kuehl’s office. I am voting for her in hopes that the apple fell very near the tree. Sam Yerbi would be fine too, but his intermingling of politics and religion sends my vote to to Young-Yaroslavsky.
State Senator, 28th District
Lola Smallwood-Cuevas: Smallwood-Cuevas’ impressive list of endorsements from within and outside of government is a strong signal that she will have the much needed skill of consensus building while serving in the state senate. Cheryl Turner and Kamilah Victoria Moore are also very impressive. Voting for any of the three women running would serve the state well.
State Assembly Member, 51st District
I’m pleased that this isn’t my district. Neighter is a good choice. Rich Chavez Zbur thinks that recent college graduates are the right people to put in front of solving homelessness. This is as idiotic as saying that your social media manager should be a teenager. Louis Abramson has “Pass a California Right to Housing” on his website with absolutely no indication of what that entails and how it would be funded. It should not surprise anyone that homelessness is at the fore of every Californian’s mind when it comes to voting, so these two terrible answers to a very big question demonstrate that neither has prepared himself for the job. I hope that when November comes they have better answers to pressing questions.
United States Representative, 36th District
Ted Lieu: Lieu’s name might be familiar as he co-authored the Articles of Impeachment following the January 6 Insurrection. His records on banking regulation, cybersecurity, and the environment are impressive. Electing Ted Lieu is critically important if we are to protect civil rights in United States.
Measure BB
Yes: This allows for the City of Los Angeles to give preference to contractors who are located inside the City of Los Angeles.
County Supervisor, 3rd District
Henry Stern: Stern’s platform is both progressive and pragmatic. His solutions for homelessness include wraparound services and getting people off the streets immediately. Herzberg and Horvath are two other great candidates, but Herzberg’s endorsements from law enforcement concern me and Horvath’s wanting more density in housing is not good for homeowners or for traffic. I also want to be clear, a few years ago when Stern was running for Senate we were introduced and I was offended when shook my hand while looking over my shoulder for more important people. I don’t forget slights like that, yet here I am, endorsing his campaign. Kudos Henry. You owe me a proper handshake, one with eye contact.
Sheriff
Robert Luna: The LA Times describes him as “the department’s last best chance”. Which I think is optimistic. I hope the LASD is not beyond repair, but I suspect it may be.
County Assessor
Jeffrey Prang: Prang has modernized the assessor’s office, reduced paperwork for the office and small businesses alike, increased transparency, and worked with the treasurer and tax collector to give residents and business owners better customer service.
Superior Court Judge, Office 3
Superior Court Judge, Office 60
Superior Court Judge, Office 67
Superior Court Judge, Office 70
Superior Court Judge, Office 90
Superior Court Judge, Office 116
Superior Court Judge, Office 118
Superior Court Judge, Office 151
Superior Court Judge, Office 156
Governor of California
Gavin Newsom: Reelecting Newsom is prudent if we wish to protect reproductive rights in California.
Lieutenant Governor of California
California Secretary of State
California State Controller
California State Treasurer
Califnornia Attorney General
California Insurance Commisioner
Member of the State Board of Equalization, 3rd District
State Superintendent of Public Instruction