April 23, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Quick Election Guide for June 3 Primary Election

Election
Several key offices feature competitive races heading into the June 3 primary election. (Thinkstock)

California’s primary for the 2014 midterm elections in California is set for this Tuesday, June 3.

Below is an overview of who is running for the major offices to represent portions of the Westside in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and Los Angeles County. Also included is a brief overview of the two ballot measures on the June 3 ballot. All information provided by www.smartvoter.org.

U.S. Representative – 33rd District:
In the race to succeed Henry Waxman, whose congressional district includes most of the Westside, there are 18 listed candidates on the Smart Voter website, though two – Brent C. Roske and James Graf – have dropped out of the race. Also, at least one write-in candidate has entered this race: Theo Milonopoulos, a PhD student and long-time resident of the district.
• Elan S. Carr, criminal gang prosecutor, Republican, priorities include education, jobs and the economy, and public safety
• Vince Flaherty, entrepreneur, historian, and producer, Democratic, priorities include fighting for reform on 434 issues from agriculture to water
• Tom Fox, lawyer, party affiliation and priorities not listed
• Lily Gilani, lawyer and CEO, Republican, priorities not listed
• Wendy Greuel, businesswoman and former Los Angeles council member, Democratic, priorities include environment and climate change, equal pay, open space, and public transit spending

• Mark Matthew Herd, neighborhood council board member, Libertarian, priorities not listed
• Kristie Holmes, social worker and professor, Democratic, priorities include closing tax loopholes for corporations and legalizing marijuana as federal law
• David C. Kanuth, public defender, Democratic, priorities include reform to education, environmental, and immigration policy
• Ted Lieu, current State Senator, Democratic, priorities include campaign finance reform, combating climate change, and job creation
• Matt Miller, radio show host, Democratic, priorities not listed
• Kevin Mottus, environmental health advocate, Republican, priorities include double level freeways and more subways, no offshore drilling or GMOs, and minimizing radio frequency radiation exposure
• Barbara Mulvaney, human rights attorney, Democratic, priorities include environment, foreign policy, women’s rights
• Zein E. Obagi, Jr., educational equality advocate, Democratic, priorities not listed
• Michael Ian Sachs, environmental technician, Green, priorities include immigration and tax reform, job creation
• Michael Shapiro, sports executive and filmmaker, Democratic, priorities include balancing individual privacy with national security, continuing Waxman’s progressive agenda, and guaranteeing the future of Medicare and Social Security
• Marianne Williamson, author and non-profit founder, priorities include ending poverty, combating climate crisis, and ending “system of legalized bribery,” party affiliation not listed.

U.S. Representative – 37th District

Karen Bass has represented the 37th Congressional District in Washington, D.C., since January 2013. The district includes Century City. Bass, a Democrat, is facing off against two other opponents: Republican R. Adam King and Democrat Mervin Evans.

On smartvoter.org, Evans, an author and management consultant, stated his priorities were to protect kids, military families, and Social Security. Neither Bass nor King listed their respective priorities on the website.

Since there are three candidates for this seat, only the top two vote getters will move forward after the June 3 election.

State Senate – 26th District

Thanks to redistricting in 2011, parts of the Westside now fall within the Senate’s 26th District. There are eight candidates – none a declared Republican – seeking to represent an area mostly represented by Ted Lieu, himself one of the candidates hoping to succeed Waxman’s seat in Washington, D.C.

• Ben Allen, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board member, Democratic, priorities include increasing investment for public education, preserving open space, reducing underemployment and unemployment, and stopping global climate change
• Barbi S. Applequist, attorney, Democratic, priorities include economy, protecting the environment, and safer communities
• Betsy Butler, former state legislator, Democratic, priorities include environment, seniors, and veterans
• Sandra Fluke, social justice attorney, Democratic, priorities include affordability of higher education, growing the middle class, and solving California’s water crisis
• Amy Howorth, education advocate and former mayor of Manhattan Beach, Democratic, priorities not listed
• Vito Imbasciani, California State Surgeon, Democratic, priorities not listed
• Seth Stodder,     law professor, party affiliation and priorities not listed
• Patric M. Verrone, attorney and television writer, Democratic, priorities include educational opportunities, high-wage jobs for middle class families, improved home care for seniors.

State Senate – 30th District

Holly Mitchell, who currently represents Century City in Sacramento, is seeking re-election in the 30th Senate District. The district includes Century City and other neighboring communities such as Culver City and Mar Vista.

Mitchell, a Democrat, is facing one opponent in the primary: fellow Democrat Isidro Armenta. Since there are only two candidates in the primary, both candidates will also face off against each other in the Nov. 4 general election.

On smartvoter.org, Armenta lists himself as an “Education Policy Deputy.”

According to the California Secretary of State, Mitchell has accepted campaign spending limits for the 2014 election. No campaign information on Armenta was available on the Secretary of State website.

State Assembly – 50th District

Almost two years after Richard Bloom defeated Betsy Butler in a hotly contested race that took several weeks after the November 2012 election to announce the winner, the Assemblyman who represents the Westside in Sacramento is back on the circuit seeking reelection. Unlike many other races in this year’s primary, Bloom is facing off against only one opponent: Bradly S. Torgan (environmental attorney, Republican, priorities not listed).

Both candidates will advance to the Nov. 4 ballot.

State Assembly – 54th District

Earlier this year, Sebastian Ridley-Thomas was elected to represent Century City in the State Assembly. Currently the youngest legislator in California, Democrat Ridley-Thomas is seeking reelection just a few months after he took the oath of office for his first term.

There is only one challenger: Republican Glen Ratcliff, an owner of a professional event staffing company.

According to the Secretary of State’s website, Ridley-Thomas has not yet accepted campaign spending limits for the 2014 election. No information was available on the same website for Ratcliff.

Both candidates will advance to the Nov. 4 ballot.

County Supervisor – Third District

Zev Yaroslavsky is termed-out from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors after 20 years on the job. A field of eight candidates seeks to step in and fill in his shoes. The district includes most of the Westside. Candidates for supervisor do not run with a party affiliation.

• John Duran, former mayor of West Hollywood, priorities include public safety, transportation, and being a “watchdog” over county finances
• Douglas P. “Doug” Fay, environmentalist, priorities include encouraging “maximum participation” in the County General Plan process, improving educational, employment and healthcare opportunities, and transparency
• Yuval Daniel Kremer, educator and business owner, priorities include doubling current Metro bus service, fiscal prudence, and stopping the killing of cats and dogs at county shelters
• Sheila Kuehl, college institute director and state legislator, priorities include accessible and affordable health care, county-wide public transportation system, and improving safety and well-being of children in the foster care system
• Rudy Melendez, artist and laborer, priorities include assisting the homeless, environmental stewardship, improving county services and infrastructure, public safety, and welfare of children
• Eric Preven, consultant, producer and writer, priorities include fiscal pragmatism, government ethics reform, and justice reform
• Bobby Shriver, former mayor of Santa Monica, nonprofit director, priorities include conserving water resources, job creation, and expanding transit
• Pamela Conley Ulich, attorney, professor, and former mayor of Malibu, priorities include education, environment, and Sheriff’s Dept. oversight.

There are also two statewide propositions on the June 3 ballot. These two propositions will not be on the November ballot, so the final vote for the initiatives would be final.

Proposition 41 – Whether or not the State should sell $600 million in new general obligation bonds to fund multifamily housing for low-income veterans. Since the obligation bonds would be repaid with state tax revenue, any housing built under this proposition would be done so with taxpayer money.

This bond would fund construction, renovation, and acquisition of affordable multifamily housing. The target audience is veterans who have families and earn less than 80 percent of the average family income proportional to family size and county. Homeless veterans would also be included in this program.

Proposition 42 – If approved, the State Constitution would be amended to require local governments to comply with laws providing for public access to local government body meetings and records of government officials. Any costs associated with complying with public records laws and the Brown Act would be eliminated should this proposition pass.

Essentially, if Proposition 42 passes, local governments would be required to keep up with providing access to meetings such as city council, school board, and other public entities under the Public Records Act and Brown Act, but the State would not be responsible to reimburse local governments for any costs associated with keeping up with both laws.

Related Posts

(Video) A Myriad of Ways to Unlock Your Beauty Offered at Mirror Mirror Med Spa

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

For More Info, Go To Mirrormedspa.com For More Info, Go To https://t.co/5uE3LO9Lz9 pic.twitter.com/tz8YgJaB4j — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) April 23, 2025

New York Film Academy in Los Angeles Offers Summer Camps, Programs

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

New York Film Academy in Los Angeles is hosting several summer camps for teenagers and kids, providing practical training in...

Cinespia Returns to Hollywood Forever With Cult Classics and a David Lynch Tribute

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Becomes a Moviegoer’s Paradise Once Again Cinespia, Los Angeles’ beloved outdoor cinema series, will return to Hollywood...

Major I-405 Rehab Project Unveiled: Caltrans to Host Virtual Info Meeting

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Sepulveda Pass Overhaul: New Pavement, Safer Roads, Better Commutes The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a virtual informational...

Culver City Government Hosts Second Annual Mental Health Fair at City Hall

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Free Tools, Resources, and Relaxing Activities at Wellness Celebration Culver City will host its second annual Mental Health Resource Fair...

Skip Traffic, Relax, Catch a Vibe: Midweek Sunset Party Lands on the Westside

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

DJ Jason Bentley, Mocktails, Games, Food Trucks, Light Up Fox Hills Commuters looking to escape rush hour gridlock on Thursday,...

San Fernando Valley Man Gets 5 Years for Beverly Hills Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Federal Prison for ID Thief Who Raided Beverly Hills Mailboxes for Millions A North Hills man was sentenced Monday to...

Santa Monica Police to Target Impaired Drivers at DUI Checkpoint 

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Officers Will Be On Alert for Alcohol and Drug Impairment The Santa Monica Police Department announced plans to conduct a...

Academy Announces Major Changes for 98th Oscars, Including AI Rules and New Casting Award

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Academy Now Requires Viewing All Nominees to Cast Final Ballots The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled...

Pepper Spray and Panic: LA Homeowners Targeted in Nighttime Burglaries

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

LAPD Hunts Suspects After One Resident Attacked in Beverly Grove Two separate home invasions late Friday night in Beverly Grove...

“We’re Better Than This”: Tour Business Owner Pleads for Protection After Third Burglary

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Thieves hit Again, Stealing E-Bikes and Leaving a Wake of Damage in South La Cienega The frustrated owner of a...

Lawsuits Allege Insurance Giants Conspired to Undercut California Fire Victims

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Two Lawsuits Accuse Top Carriers of Price-Fixing and Violating Antitrust Laws Attorneys representing homeowners impacted by California’s January wildfires have...

Cali Camp Welcomes Los Angeles Campers

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

By Susan Payne Roam streams, meadows and oak trees in the heart of rock-lined Topanga Canyon this summer at Cali...

Culver City Closes Streets for Earth Day to Encourage Green School Commutes

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Pedal, Walk, or Roll: Culver City Schools Go Car-Free for Earth Day Culver City is taking its Earth Day celebration...

Mayor Karen Bass’ Budget Plan Proposes 1,647 Layoffs Amid $300M Liability Surge

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Civilian LAPD Staff, Transportation, and Sanitation Departments Among Hardest Hit Mayor Karen Bass’ proposed city budget for the upcoming fiscal...