I'm targeting this diary to my fellow Kossacks in Los Angeles to gauge their reactions to Charter Amendments 1 and 2 that will be on the March 3rd Primary ballot.
Amendment 1 would move City elections to the same day as State and Federal elections.
Amendment 2 would move School Board elections to the same schedule.
Currently the City of Los Angeles holds elections for city offices (mayor, controller, city attorney) and members of the Board of Education of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) in the spring of odd-numbered years (2015, 2017..)
Charter Amendments 1 and 2 would change the election dates to June and November of even-numbered years(2020, 2022, 2024..), so that local elections would take place on the same day as state and federal elections (governor, president, members of the state legislature and congress, etc.)
More below the Oracle of Orangeness...
Supporters of both amendments say that in recent years, turnout in local elections has been low - 21% and 25% of registered voters voted in the Primary and General Municipal Elections of 2013. In contrast turnout in the City of Los Angeles for the 2012 November Presidential Election was 71%. Supporters say that aligning the dates of local elections with the state primary and general elections will increase voter turnout in local elections and the people who vote will be more representative of the city. They say that the consolidation of local elections with these elections has the potential to save the City millions of dollars per year that could better be spent elsewhere.
Opponents allege that while turnout in the March, 2013 Municipal Primary was only 21%, turnout in Los Angeles for the June, 2014 statewide primary was even less - 15%, and that many contest are decided in the primary. They say that voters will pay less attention to local races if they appear on the same ballot as the more high profiles races for Governor and President. They also argue that these amendments unfairly add an extra year and a half to the terms of the elected officials that put the measures on the ballot. Opponents also claim that having elections at the same time as federal and state elections will drive up the cost of campaigning for local office, as local candidates will have to compete so many other candidates and ballot measure campaigns for media time.
Frankly, right now I'm inclined to vote YES on both measures because I believe that consolidating the local and State/Federal elections will increase voter turnout. And I see nothing wrong with extending terms of Councilmebers by 18 months since I DESPISE term limits. Please feel free to comment in the remarks.
As for the council races, I've been redistricted from District 4 (LaBonge) to 10 (Wesson). I will vote for Grace Yoo who is running in 10 to unseat Wesson. When I was in LaBonge's district, his staff was always helpful with any problems we had in our neighborhood. But since we've been moved to Wesson's district, we now have a staff that is extremely unresponsive.
I'd like to hear the comments of fellow Kossacks in Los Angeles about their opinions on the March 3rd Primary.