2023 Los Angeles special election explained

Election Name:2023 Los Angeles special election
Country:Los Angeles
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Election Date:April 4, 2023 (first round)
June 27, 2023 (runoff)
Previous Election:2022 Los Angeles elections
Previous Year:2022
Next Election:2024 Los Angeles elections
Next Year:2024
Seats For Election:1 out of 15 seats in the City Council
Majority Seats:8
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Seats Before1:13
Seats1:1
Seats After1:14
Seat Change1: 1
Party2:Independent (United States)
Seats Before2:1
Seats2:0
Seats After2:1

The 2023 Los Angeles special election was held on April 4, 2023 with a runoff occurring on June 27, 2023.[1] Voters will elect a candidate in a nonpartisan primary, with runoff elections potentially scheduled. One of the fifteen seats on the Los Angeles City Council was up for election due to the vacancy of one member, councilwoman Nury Martinez of District 6, who resigned in the wake of the 2022 Los Angeles City Council scandal.[2] Sharon Tso was installed as a caretaker to the district, but no formal appointment was made.[3] There was potential for a recall over Kevin de León's statements made during the 2022 Los Angeles City Council scandal as well, though due to the lack of signatures turned in by the deadline on April 1, 2023, the petition to recall de León failed.[4] Former City Attorney Mike Feuer also proposed that a special election be held on a referendum to replace the Council's ability to redraw the City Council districts with an independent commission before the 2024 elections.[5]

Municipal elections in California are officially nonpartisan, and candidates' party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.

District 6

Election Name:2023 Los Angeles City Council District 6 special election
Flag Image:File:Flag of Los Angeles, California.svg
Country:Los Angeles
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Election Date:April 4, 2023 (First round)
June 27, 2023 (Runoff)
Previous Election:2020 Los Angeles elections#District 6
Previous Year:2020
Next Election:2024 Los Angeles elections#District 6
Next Year:2024
1Blank:First round
2Blank:Runoff
Image1:Imelda Padilla, 2024.jpg
Candidate1:Imelda Padilla
Color1:c0c0c0
1Data1:3,421
25.69%
2Data1:8,520
55.79%
Candidate2:Marisa Alcaraz
Color2:c0c0c0
1Data2:2,812
21.12%
2Data2:6,751
44.21%
Image3:Marco Santana 2023 (cropped).jpg
Candidate3:Marco Santana
Color3:c0c0c0
1Data3:2,515
18.89%
2Data3:Eliminated
Image4:Rose Grigoryan 2023 (cropped).jpg
Candidate4:Rose Grigoryan
Color4:c0c0c0
1Data4:1,980
14.87%
2Data4:Eliminated
Image5:Isaac Kim 2023 (cropped).jpg
Candidate5:Isaac Kim
Color5:c0c0c0
1Data5:1,452
10.90%
2Data5:Eliminated
Image6:Antoinette Scully 2023 (cropped).jpg
Candidate6:Antoinette Scully
Color6:c0c0c0
1Data6:744
5.59%
2Data6:Eliminated
City Councilor
Before Election:Vacant
Posttitle:City Councilor
After Election:Imelda Padilla

The 6th district includes the neighborhoods of Lake Balboa, Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, North Hills, North Hollywood, and Sun Valley, as well as Van Nuys Airport and the Sepulveda Basin.[6]

Although the election was officially nonpartisan, all qualified candidates were members of the Democratic Party except Rose Grigoryan, who was registered as "no party preference."[6]

Candidates

Declared

Qualified write-in candidates

Disqualified

Declined

Fundraising

Campaign finance reports as of February 18, 2023[13]
CandidateContributions
Marisa Alcaraz$100,606
Rose Grigoryan$23,379
Isaac Kim$13,275
Imelda Padilla$55,362
Marco Santana$53,900
Antoinette Scully$5,688
Douglas Sierra$8,113

Political positions

CandidateEliminate
parking
minimums
Increase
upzoning
in District 6
Support
Healthy
Streets LA
Close
Whiteman
Airport
Police
staffing
level
Reallocate
police
funding
Repeal
Section
41.18
Marisa Alcaraz
Rose Grigoryan
Isaac Kim[14]
Imelda Padilla
Marco Santana[15]
Antoinette Scully
Douglas SierraPossibly

General election

District 14 recall attempt

Kevin de León's recall was first introduced in October 2022, in the midst of the 2022 Los Angeles City Council scandal. The recall petition was approved by the city clerk office on December 6, 2022.[16] The petition failed on April 1, 2023, as only 21,006 of the required 25,000 valid signatures were turned in.[17]

Polling

Should Kevin de León be recalled?

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: LA City Council to hold special election for Nury Martinez's District 6 replacement. October 25, 2022. CBS News.
  2. Web site: Los Angeles City Councilwoman Resigns Amid Uproar Over Racist Remarks. Cowan. Jill. Hubler. Shawn. October 12, 2022. October 14, 2022. The New York Times.
  3. Web site: Caretaker appointed after Nury Martinez resigns, special election considered. October 13, 2022. October 14, 2022. KTTV.
  4. Web site: Arellano . Gustavo . February 1, 2023 . Column: Voters in Kevin de León’s district support recalling him. Now comes the hard part . February 1, 2023.
  5. Web site: LA city attorney proposes ballot measure in 2023 creating new City Council maps. October 13, 2022. October 15, 2022. KABC-TV.
  6. News: Your guide to the L.A. City Council District 6 election to replace Nury Martinez.
  7. Web site: Meet The Candidates For Nury Martinez’s LA City Council Seat. January 13, 2023. Stoltze, Frank. Laist.
  8. Web site: L.A. on the Record: KDL, absurdist theater and a trick play. December 17, 2022. Los Angeles Times. Zahniser, David. Wick, Julia.
  9. News: LA City Council District 6 Special Election.
  10. News: Meet The Candidates For Nury Martinez’s LA City Council Seat.
  11. Web site: Martinez’s resignation sets off scramble for mid-San Fernando Valley seat. October 17, 2022. Los Angeles Times. Smith, Dakota.
  12. Web site: LA Council Members to Explore Special Election To Fill Nury Ramirez Seat. October 18, 2022 . NBC Los Angeles.
  13. Web site: Public Data Portal.
  14. Web site: CD6 Candidate Forum - 2-18-2023.
  15. Web site: Council District 6 Mobility Debate - Special Election 2023.
  16. Web site: Kevin de León recall, Los Angeles, California (2021-2023) . 2023-04-10 . Ballotpedia . en.
  17. Web site: L.A. on the Record: Effort to recall Councilmember Kevin de León fails . Wick, Julia . April 1, 2023 . . November 12, 2023.