How to Vote on Nov. 8, 2022 in CA!
Here is my list of recommendations for California’s midterm election on Nov. 8, 2022.
First, I’d like to briefly share how/where to vote and highlight the following races, where I happen to know the candidates: my friend Mia Livas Porter is running for CA State Assembly (District 52) and Dr. Rocío Rivas is running for LAUSD’s School Board (District 2). Both of them are amazing women, please vote for them!
HOW TO CAST YOUR BALLOT
In California…
1) You can vote by mail.
After you seal and sign your ballot, you can put it in the mail (no postage is required). Just make sure it’s postmarked on or by Nov. 8, 2022.
2) You can vote via Drop Box.
After you seal and sign your ballot, you can deposit it in any official drop box before 8 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2022. To find your nearest one, go to www.vote.org/dropbox-locator.
2) You can vote in person.
You can vote early and, like LAist says, "At vote centers, you'll be able to get help in multiple languages, use accessible voting machines, register to vote, make changes to your voter registration, and more.” To find your nearest vote center and their hours, go here: www.vote.org/polling-place-locator.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VOTING GUIDES
My guide favors Southern California, specifically Los Angeles, where I live. For more information (since I wasn’t able to cover every race), here are some excellent voting guides. For additional resources, please scroll to the bottom (or if you’re at your computer, you can click here.)
Blue Voter Guide (a blue guide for any election in the U.S.)
Cal Matters (a blue guide for any election in CA)
LAist (a non-partisan guide for any election in Los Angeles)
Voters Edge (a non-partisan guide for any election in CA, IL, and NY)
MY VOTING RECOMMENDATIONS
I start by providing a quick cheat sheet / list of endorsements. For more detailed explanations of why I support these candidates, alternative suggestions, and my sources, keep scrolling. (Or, if you’re at a computer, you can click on the links in the headers.) As always, I welcome input. Let me know if you disagree! One asterisk indicates a race where I’ve changed my mind. Two asterisks indicates that my endorsement has caveats. Again, you will need to scroll down (or click on the links) to see why.
U.S. SENATE
U.S. SENATOR: ALEX PADILLA
(VOTE TWICE: FOR SHORT & LONG TERM POSITIONS)
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DISTRICT 27: CHRISTY SMITH
DISTRICT 29: TONY CARDENAS
DISTRICT 30: ADAM SCHIFF
DISTRICT 34: JIMMY GOMEZ
DISTRICT 47: KATIE PORTER
DISTRICT 49: MIKE LEVIN
STATE
GOVERNOR: GAVIN NEWSOM
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: ELENI KOUNALAKIS
SECRETARY OF STATE: SHIRLEY WEBER
CONTROLLER: MALIA COHEN
TREASURER: FIONA MA
ATTORNEY GENERAL: ROB BONTA
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER: RICARDO LARA
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, DISTRICT 3: TONY VAZQUEZ
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION: TONY THURMOND
STATE SENATE & ASSEMBLY
CA STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 26: MARIA ELENA DURAZO
CA STATE ASSEMBLY, DISTRICT 52: MIA LIVAS PORTER
PROPOSITIONS
MEASURE 1: YES
MEASURE 26: YES
MEASURE 27: NO
MEASURE 28: YES
MEASURE 29: YES*
MEASURE 30: YES*
MEASURE 31: YES
LOS ANGELES (CITY & COUNTY)
L.A. MAYOR: KAREN RUTH BASS
L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF: ROBERT LUNA
L.A. COUNTY SUPERVISOR, DISTRICT 3: LINDSEY HORVATH
L.A. CITY ATTORNEY: HYDEE FELDSTEIN SOTO
L.A. CITY CONTROLLER: KENNETH MEJIA
LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD
LOS ANGELES SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 2: ROCIO RIVAS
LOS ANGELES SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 6: MARVIN RODRIGUEZ
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 5: KATY YOUNG YAROSLAVSKY
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 11: ERIN DARLING
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 13: HUGO SOTO-MARTINEZ
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 15: *DANIELLE SANDOVAL*
LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 2): STEVEN VERES
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 4): SARA HERNANDEZ
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 6): GABRIEL BUELNA
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 7): KELSEY IINO
LOS ANGELES CITY & COUNTY MEASURES
LA COUNTY MEASURE A: YES
LA COUNTY MEASURE C: NO*
LA CITY MEASURE LH: YES
LA CITY MEASURE SP: NO
LA CITY MEASURE ULA: YES
LA CITY MEASURE LA: *YES*
SUPERIOR COURT
OFFICE NO. 060: ANNA SLOTKY REITANO
OFFICE NO. 67: ELIZABETH LASHLEY-HAYNES*
OFFICE NO. 70: HOLLY HANCOCK
OFFICE NO. 90: MELISSA LYONS
OFFICE NO. 118: CAROLYN “JIYOUNG” PARK
OFFICE NO. 151: PATRICK HARE
VOTE YES ON ALL SUPREME COURT, PRESIDING & ASSOCIATE JUSTICES
PATRICIA GUERRERO
GOODWIN LIU
MARTIN J. JENKINS
JOSHUA P. GROBAN
FRANCES ROTHSCHILD
LAURENCE D. RUBIN
MARIA E. STRATTON
JUDITH M. ASHMANN
LUIS A. LAVIN
AUDREY B. COLLINS
BRIAN S. CURREY
LAMAR W. BAKER
HERNALDO J. BALTODANO
JOHN L. SEGAL
JOHN SHEPARD WILEY
ELIZABETH ANNETTE GRIMES
WHY I RECOMMEND THESE CANDIDATES
I find it much easier to choose candidates in the general election, because by now most of the hard decisions have already been made in the primary. In many cases, I’ve simply re-shared the same sources I used here: “How to Vote on June 7, 2022 in CA!” However, in some cases, we still have to choose between equally viable Democrats. Whenever possible, I’ve tried to include some of the alternative options, using multiple voting guides along the left-wing spectrum. Feel free to check my sources and draw your own conclusions!
MY BACKGROUND / QUALIFICATIONS
To be clear, I do not claim to be a political expert or journalist. I am simply a concerned mother / voter who started doing this research years ago, to fill out my own ballots. Then I started sharing my recommendations with others, who said they found my research helpful.
In addition to voting guides, I also occasionally write about political candidates or issues, like this piece I wrote about the UTLA strike in late 2018 that went semi-viral: “What More Do Teachers Want? Why are They Striking?”
As for my political beliefs, I describe them as such in my bio: “I’m a lifelong Democrat, feminist, pro-choice, pro-universal health care, pro-environment, pro-public education, and anti-racist. I believe in VOTING BLUE.”
That said, I will never blindly vote for a blue slate, regardless of whether it’s recommended by the Democratic Party, DSA, or anyone else. I research every single candidate on the left and judge them each by their own merit.
U.S. SENATOR: ALEX PADILLA
(VOTE TWICE: FOR SHORT & LONG TERM POSITIONS)
“Sen. Alex Padilla, appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom when Kamala Harris left the Senate to become vice president, will appear on the November ballot — twice. He’s running to complete Harris’ term through Jan. 3 as well as for a full six-year stint. In both elections, he is facing off against GOP attorney Mark Meuser.”
“Sitting U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat, got more than 54% of the vote in the June 7 primary. Republican Mark Meuser finished second... You'll see both of them on your Nov. 8 ballot… The son of two Mexican immigrants who settled in Pacoima, Padilla graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then made the unlikely jump into politics in his mid-20s… Since then, Padilla has steadily climbed the ranks of California political power.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-united-states-senator)
“Padilla’s… long political resume as secretary of state, as state senator representing the San Fernando Valley and as Los Angeles City Council president made it clear he was among the few ready to step up to the Senate seat on short notice. He did that with ease, and now, just slightly over a year since he took office, Padilla has proven that he is as capable, as honorable, as skilled a lawmaker as we expected.”
(Source: www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-05-08/alex-padilla-for-u-s-senate)
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DISTRICT 27: CHRISTY SMITH
“Incumbent GOP Rep. Mike Garcia is seeking reelection after a term in office in which he proved to be a Trump enabler and a threat to democracy. He was among the Republican extremists who, outrageously, tried to throw out the votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania by voting against certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election. And even though Trump incited violent mobs who attacked the Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification process, Garcia voted against impeaching Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection…. The good news is that voters in this northern Los Angeles County district have the chance this year to get rid of Garcia and replace him with a representative who will respect the sanctity of the vote… Democrat Christy Smith is a longtime resident of Santa Clarita who has represented the area in the state Assembly and served on the Newhall School District board… In the Assembly, she championed passage of important charter school regulations. Her voting record on abortion issues earned her a top rating from Planned Parenthood. In Congress, she wants to strengthen voting rights, make college and trade schools more affordable and carry legislation to put a social worker in every school that serves low-income children… When Smith ran for this office in 2020… she lost to Garcia by just 333 votes, a margin so small that the official tally calls it a 50%-50% vote…With a more active campaign this year… Smith makes a strong case that she’s prepared to defeat Garcia. Voters should have her back.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-05-16/endorsement-christy-smith-for-congress)
DISTRICT 29: TONY CARDENAS
“Rep. Cárdenas was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012... [He now] sits on the prestigious House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In addition to being a member of Congress’s most established committee, Rep. Cárdenas is a member of House Democratic Leadership, elected by the entire Democratic Caucus to serve as the Caucus Leadership Representative, a voice for members who have served five terms or less. Before representing California’s 29th district in Congress, Rep. Cárdenas was first elected to the California State Assembly in 1996. He went on to serve three terms in the assembly and was later elected to the Los Angeles City Council, in 2003. Having served over 20 years in public office, Rep. Tony Cárdenas made history, becoming the first Latino elected to represent the San Fernando Valley in the United States Congress. In Washington he continues his passionate commitment to his community. Born in Pacoima, Rep. Cárdenas was raised with ten brothers and sisters and still resides in the San Fernando Valley with his wife, Norma, and their children.”
(Source: https://chci.org/staff-member/rep-tony-cardenas/)
DISTRICT 30: ADAM SCHIFF
“Adam Schiff was born June 22, 1960… in Framingham, Massachusetts. His father was a salesman [then moved to] California, purchasing a lumber yard where his two sons worked growing up. Schiff majored in political science and pre-med at Stanford University, from which he graduated in 1982. He went on to study law at Harvard University, earning his degree in 1985. As an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, Schiff gained recognition for his successful prosecution of Richard Miller, an FBI agent who was passing documents to what was then the Soviet Union. He… won a seat in the State Senate in 1996, and in 2000 [a seat] in Congress…. Schiff has emerged as a Democratic hero as the ranking member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, on which he has served since 2008, using his skills as a prosecutor to raise concerns about Donald Trump's presidential campaign's possible collusion with Russia.”
DISTRICT 34: JIMMY GOMEZ
There is some disagreement on the left regarding who to support in this race. I’m personally in favor of re-electing incumbent Jimmy Gomez because he has accrued some really valuable experience in Congress and is on several key committees. I understand the appeal of supporting his challenger David Kim, but I’m not convinced he is the right person for the job.
JIMMY GOMEZ: “Housing is a human right and Jimmy has a long history and voting record to back up his conviction that everyone deserves access to affordable housing. In 2021, he helped extend the eviction moratorium by protesting & sleeping on the Capitol steps. As a son of immigrants, Jimmy knows that immigration and diversity contributes to the fabric of this country and makes us better. In 2022 alone, Jimmy secured $20 million in federal funding for citizenship programs, a 100% increase. Climate change poses an imminent existential threat to humanity and that bold legislative actions are required. Jimmy is a cosponsor of the Green New Deal with Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and is the only candidate endorsed by CA EnviroVoters.”
JIMMY GOMEZ: I also heard from a woman named Suzy Gold, who says: “If you live in CD-34, I want to recommend voting for Jimmy Gomez for Congress. His upbringing as a child of immigrants can be seen everywhere in his policymaking. As a kid, Jimmy was hospitalized with pneumonia and his parents were told one of them would have to stay by his bedside, but both of his parents worked and missing days meant missing wages and the threat of being fired. This relatively small medical issue nearly bankrupted his family. In the CA Assembly, Jimmy authored the largest expansion of state-level Paid Family Leave which meant CA workers earned more when they had to take time off to care for loved ones. Obama called Jimmy’s expansion a model for federal paid family leave. In Congress, Jimmy helped craft the expansion of the Child Tax Credit which brought millions of kids out of poverty in 2021. He’s been on the forefront of tenant protections and joined Cori Bush in her incredible protest on the steps of Congress to extend the eviction moratorium. Jimmy Gomez is a special combo of policy wonk who knows how to get stuff done. I hope you’ll vote for him in the midterms!”
DAVID KIM: “Kim, a 36-year-old immigration attorney, is among a new crop of progressive, first-time candidates who are challenging Democratic incumbents... An archetypal Millennial, he’s driven for Uber and Lyft to make ends meet… and is really good at making YouTube videos… His political idols include former Democratic presidential candidates Marianne Williamson and Andrew Yang, both of whom have given him their endorsements in an uphill race against Gomez.”
(Source: https://thelandmag.com/voter-guide/david-kim-congressional-race-jimmy-gomez-progressive-challenger/)
DAVID KIM: “Progressive challenger David Kim seeks to finish what he began in 2020, when he came up just short of knocking off the incumbent congressmember [Gomez]. Kim offers a bold and detailed perspective on what Congress needs to do, including building 12 million new social/publicly funded housing units over the next 10 years, passing a national tenant bill of rights, increasing federal spending on local public education, and forgiving all student debt. David Kim is endorsed by Ground Game LA.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
DISTRICT 47: KATIE PORTER
“Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California could be in danger of losing her House seat as the race has shifted in the GOP's direction... The Cook Political Report on Tuesday released a new analysis that moved [her] district from a "lean Democratic" rating to a "toss-up," showing signs that Porter might not cruise to reelection. Porter, a progressive Democrat seeking a third term, has become a breakout star within her party in recent years, attracting widespread support. She's often gone viral on social media for using a whiteboard during committee hearings to grill witnesses on a variety of issues, from healthcare to COVID-19 to jobs. Porter currently represents the 45th congressional district, a longtime Republican stronghold that she flipped blue in 2018. The area was redistricted after the 2020 cycle to the 47th congressional district, which covers a large swath of Orange County, an affluent area that includes Irvine, where Porter resides, along with the coastal cities of Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach. “
(Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/katie-porter-could-lose-california-seat-race-rated-toss-up-2022-11)
DISTRICT 49: MIKE LEVIN
“Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) was first elected to Congress in 2018 as part of the blue wave that flipped control of the U.S. House to Democrats. He replaced Republican Darrell Issa, who decided not to seek reelection after the politics of the district, which includes parts of Orange and San Diego counties, shifted left. (Two years later, Issa returned to Congress by winning in a neighboring district that still had a conservative majority.) Levin, an environmental attorney and Southern California native, is seeking a third term representing the 49th District, which stretches from Laguna Nigel to Del Mar. And it’s in the best interest of the voters in this coastal district to send him back to Congress. Levin has proved to be an effective champion and protector of the natural resources that make this district one of the most desirable places to live in the country, if not the world. As a member of the Progressive Democratic Caucus, he’s among the vanguard pushing for more robust federal action to combat climate change, but he has still found opportunities to work on legislation with Republican colleagues on veterans issues and coastal habitat, among other things. He’s led the effort to ban offshore drilling and to clean up pollution in the Tijuana River Valley that has dumped millions of gallons of sewage into the ocean. Levin also supports protecting abortion access…Voters in the 49th District have a qualified and effective representative in Levin. They should reelect him.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-07/editorial-re-elect-congressman-levin-orange-county)
STATE
GOVERNOR: GAVIN NEWSOM
“Gavin Newsom for governor: Voters should elect Gov. Gavin Newsom to another term and hold him accountable for turning his progressive vision into reality.”
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: ELENI KOUNALAKIS
“This typically quiet race is even quieter than usual this year. Democrat Eleni Kounalakis won an intraparty battle in 2018, with millions of dollars in help from her father, Sacramento real estate developer Angelo Tsakoplous. She’s made few headlines since, apart from becoming the first woman in California to sign a bill into law, while Gov. Gavin Newsom was on spring break with his family. Absent any real challengers, Kounalakis has a clear path to victory for a second and final term. But she’ll need to make more noise over the next four years if she still has her eye on the governor’s office next.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/lieutenant-governor/)
SECRETARY OF STATE: SHIRLEY WEBER
“Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom went on a promotion spree. After U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris [became] vice president, Newsom chose… then-Secretary of State Alex Padilla [to replace her]. That left Padilla’s old job open; Newsom tapped San Diego Assemblymember Shirley Weber. As with many of Newsom’s appointments, Weber made history. The daughter of Arkansas sharecroppers, she is the state’s first Black top election administrator. With voting rights, electoral integrity and racial inequality in the headlines, Weber took the job vowing to boost civic education and voter participation.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/secretary-of-state/)
CONTROLLER: MALIA COHEN
“Malia Cohen is a member of the Board of Equalization and a progressive. As the first Black woman elected to the oversight board of the state tax collection agency, the San Francisco native describes herself as an advocate for equity. Before winning election to the Board of Equalization in 2019, Cohen served eight years on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Cohen takes on Chen with the support of the California Democratic Party and labor unions, but she trails behind her GOP rival in fundraising.”
TREASURER: FIONA MA
“When it comes to the top tasks of the office, incumbent Fiona Ma has done a fine job. The treasurer is the state’s banker, managing its financial assets, and serves on powerful boards and committees that oversee the state employee pension systems and award state financing for affordable housing and infrastructure projects. Ma, a Democrat who has served in the Legislature and on the Board of Equalization, is regarded as a hardworking, innovative elected official who takes seriously the office’s responsibilities and opportunities.
But Ma made some troubling missteps during her first term… [including] getting hit by a sexual harassment and wrongful-termination lawsuit last year by a former employee that stemmed from Ma sharing hotel rooms and a rental house with employees as a way to “save money for the state.” Ma has denied the allegations and plans to fight the lawsuit. These incidents may not be reflections of her job performance, but they do raise questions about her judgment. To her credit, Ma has made some improvements to the state’s byzantine system of financing affordable housing projects, including combining two agencies to make funding more efficient. But it can still take developers two years to navigate the various applications and approval for state funding, which is a waste of time, money and effort that delays the construction of much-needed affordable and homeless housing.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-09-18/endorsement-fiona-ma-for-treasurer)
ATTORNEY GENERAL: ROB BONTA
“Public safety is job number one, two and three.” [Rob Bonta] emphasized programs to reduce gun violence by prosecuting street gangs, investing in violence intervention programs and enforcing the state’s strict gun laws. He also pledged to continue focusing on violent crime and putting more resources toward prosecution and victim services.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/attorney-general/)
“Rob Bonta for California attorney general: Bonta is the one candidate of the bunch prepared to uphold and defend the laws that Californians have repeatedly supported. He should be elected to a full term as attorney general.”
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER: RICARDO LARA
“In 2018, Democratic state Sen. Ricardo Lara defeated Steve Poizner, who ran as an independent but was a Republican when he served as the insurance commissioner from 2007 to 2011. Lara became the California’s first openly gay statewide officeholder. In 2020, the pandemic kept many Californians off the road, reducing accident claims for auto insurers. Lara directed the companies to refund some premiums, saving customers more than $2.4 billion, according to the insurance department. Advocacy group Consumer Watchdog estimates that drivers are still owed more — $5.5 billion according to their analysis — from overcharges during 2020. Lara also temporarily blocked companies from dropping home insurance policies in fire-prone areas, backed an unsuccessful bill to force insurance companies to cover homes in those areas that are protected up to state standards, and proposed rules to require companies to offer discounts to homeowners who protect their homes. Lara has also generated some scandal. First, it was for accepting campaign donations from people in the insurance industry after pledging not to, including from an executive of a company that had a case pending before the department. Then, it was for renting a second residence in Sacramento, where his work as commissioner often takes him, and sticking taxpayers with the bill.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-primary-california-insurance-commissioner)
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, DISTRICT 3: TONY VAZQUEZ
“The Board of Equalization is an obscure state agency that handles several specialized areas of tax assessment. The incumbent from Los Angeles County, Tony Vazquez, is a former Santa Monica mayor who was one of the early endorsers of Bernie Sanders for president in the summer of 2019… Because no scandals have arisen during Vazquez’s tenure in office — in contrast to the BOE’s past — Knock LA recommends voting for him.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION: TONY THURMOND
“The CFT [California Federation of Teachers] is proud to endorse Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond for his re-election campaign. Superintendent Thurmond has been a champion for public schools and our school communities and has proved to be an unwavering fighter for students, teachers, and classified professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
(Source: https://www.cft.org/endorsements)
CA STATE SENATE & ASSEMBLY
CA STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT 26: MARIA ELENA DURAZO
“María Elena Durazo attended St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, and graduated in 1975. In college, she was active in the Chicano Movement and eventually became an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. Durazo attended People’s College of Law and earned her degree in 1985. She was chosen as national co-chair of the Barack Obama presidential campaign. María Elena Durazo has also served as the vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee. From 2006 through 2014, she served as secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and served on the National AFL-CIO Executive Council. Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley appointed her to the Los Angeles Commission on Airports, Mayor Richard Riordan appointed her to the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Committee, and she has also served on the California State Coastal Commission.”
(Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Maria_Elena_Durazo)
CA STATE ASSEMBLY, DISTRICT 52: MIA LIVAS PORTER
I met Mia years ago, possibly in 2018 or earlier? All I remember is that we were both volunteering with a fantastic organization called Momtivist, which would meet up regularly to help turn out the vote — by writing postcards, phone banking, and knocking on doors — but usually with our kids in tow, because who could afford to hire a babysitter every time we wanted to volunteer? It was great to see Mia in action, with her two young boys by her side. She seemed inexhaustible and always had a smile on her face. I think it is also worth mentioning that she has a beautiful singing voice (she tells the story of how she reclaimed it, in this wonderful episode of the Mothering Heights podcast!) But most importantly, she is a highly principled person, who has spent years advocating for gun control, public schools, and other progressives issues that are dear to my heart.
“Mia Livas Porter’s [district] covers most of NELA, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Glendale and East Los Angeles. It is Los Angeles’ most progressive electoral district bar none, and is due for a candidate that is legitimately reflective of its constituents. Mia Livas Porter has been an organizer with Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, working on gun violence prevention after losing her brother to suicide following his lengthy battle with schizophrenia. She supported UTLA during the teachers’ strike, and is campaigning on a Green New Deal for California, single-payer healthcare, and reimagining public safety by reinvesting in affordable housing, education, healthcare, and public transit. Porter has not taken any money from police associations, insurance companies, medical or pharmaceutical interests, charter schools, or energy companies.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
“Mia Livas Porter was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. The daughter of Filipino Immigrant healthcare providers, Mia’s parents instilled in her a sense of public service by routinely providing free healthcare to at-need community members. She graduated with a theater degree and spent several years acting in Chicago [then] moved to Los Angeles in 1999 as an actor… At one point, Mia held 5 jobs at once just to make ends meet. [Then she decided to get] her Masters in Interior Architecture at UCLA. During her studies, Mia became a new mom and would graduate 8 months pregnant with her second child. After earning her degree, Mia had to stay home with her two kids due to a lack of affordable childcare… She became a full-time activist in 2016, working to elect progressive champions up and down the ballot. In 2019, she would serve as a Parent-Teacher Liaison in support of the 2019 UTLA Strike.
Mia is a survivor of gun violence and has been heavily involved with Mom’s Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety. She would serve as a CA Statewide Event’s Lead and a Everytown for Gun Safety National Spokesperson. In these roles, she helped plan survivor support events across the state, designed mental health programs at the State level, and spoke before Congress and before the State Legislature in Sacramento.”
PROPOSITIONS
MEASURE 1 (RIGHT TO REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM): YES
Everyone on the left who is pro-choice is in agreement that Prop 1 is good.
“The ballot measure will ask voters to change the California Constitution to declare that “the state shall not deny or interfere with an individual’s reproductive freedom in their most intimate decisions, which includes their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives…If this ballot measure passes, California will be barred from interfering with or denying a person’s right to an abortion or contraceptives.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-proposition-1-abortion)
MEASURE 26 (LEGALIZE SPORTS BETTING ON AMERICAN INDIAN LANDS): YES
There is some disagreement on Prop 26. I’ve presented both sides below.
YES ON 26: “Knock LA Recommendation: YES. Proposition 26 would allow in-person commercial sports betting at racetracks and existing highly regulated Native American casinos for adults 21 and up. It would also allow the casinos to offer other ways to gamble, such as roulette and dice games. It includes an additional safeguard that would allow anyone to sue an entity they suspect is conducting illegal gambling activities. The California Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that this measure would generate tens of millions of dollars annually in revenue for vital services and state priorities, such as education. Part of that money would be made available to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, which is made available to non-gaming tribes.
The important thing to note here is that Prop 26 would legalize in-person sports betting, which is much easier to regulate than online gambling in terms of preventing underage gambling and ensuring protections against problem gambling. It would also allow California tribes to continue to benefit from casinos as their primary economic engine, which is partly why it is strongly supported by a coalition of 42 member tribes at the California Nations Indian Gaming Association.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
YES ON 26: “Who is behind the campaigns surrounding Proposition 26? The Yes on 26, No on 27 — Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming is leading the campaign in support of the ballot initiative. The coalition is supported by several American Indian tribes, including the top donors to the campaign — the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and the Barona Band of Mission Indians. The campaign had raised nearly $123.4 million.
No on 26 — Taxpayers Against Special Interest Monopolies is leading the campaign against the proposal. The campaign, along with a terminated PAC No on the Gambling Power Grab, raised $43.1 million. The top donors to the opposition were gambling-related companies, including the California Commerce Club, Inc, Hawaiian Gardens Casino, and Knighted Ventures LLC.”
NO ON 26: “Proposition 26 would allow sports betting in person at four privately owned horse-racing tracks and at tribal casinos that reach agreements with the state. The measure amounts to a toxic brew of industry interests designed not only to enrich the funders but also to push away their competitors. If California ever decides to embrace sports betting, it should be with a framework that is as evenhanded as possible, and not one that so blatantly picks winners and losers.”
MEASURE 27 (LEGALIZE SPORTS BETTING & REVENUE FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION FUND): NO
Almost everyone on the left seems to agree that Prop 27 is bad.
“Knock LA Recommendation: NO. Proposition 27 would allow online and mobile sports betting and is backed by major online sports books corporations, like DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel, collectively contributing over $169 million to support the measure. If this online gambling measure passes, you will be able to wager on sports from any device anywhere in California. Though the measure would create a new state unit to regulate online sports wagering, the nature of online platforms make it much more difficult to prevent minors from gambling illegally and provide support for gaming addiction problems.
Prop 27 technically requires gaming companies to partner with a tribe in order to participate in online gambling. It also allows tribes to create their own platforms, with certain branding limits. And while it reduces the license fee from $100 million to $10 million for tribes, that remains a prohibitive cost for many tribes to create their own platforms. As such, groups like the California Nations Indian Gaming Association fear that under Prop 27 online gambling corporations would take near total control of the sports wagering market in California, disrupting tribal revenues.
Prop 27 has been heavily branded as an anti-homelessness measure. However, only 8.5% of the revenue generated by Prop 27 would be dedicated to “solving” homelessness, and the proposition does not include a specific plan on how that money should be used. Overall, corporate gambling operators would pay a paltry 10% tax rate on revenues, while for comparison the same sports betting operators pay a 51% tax rate in New York State.
Ninety percent of revenues, which could be hundreds of millions of dollars, would go to enrich out-of-state corporations. This begs the question, is this measure really meant to help end homelessness, or are these out-of-state corporations just using the state’s hottest issue to advertise a measure that will fill their pockets?”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
“Who supports and opposes Proposition 27? Yes on 27 — Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support is leading the campaign in support of Proposition 27. As of September 24, the campaign had raised over $169.2 million. Its top three donors include BetMGM LLC, Betfair Interactive US LLC (FanDuel Sportsbook), and Crown Gaming, Inc. (DraftKings). Nathan Click, a spokesman for the campaign, said, “Our measure is the only one that would guarantee hundreds of millions each year in solutions to homelessness and mental health support. We have found Californians are enthusiastic about it and the housing and mental health solutions it would provide the state.”
No on 27: Californians for Tribal Sovereignty and Safe Gaming and Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming are leading campaigns in opposition to the initiative. Together the committees have raised $214.6 million. The top three donors include the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, and the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. Chairman James Siva of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association said, “Don’t be fooled. These measures are not a fix to homelessness, but rather a massive explosion of gaming that will directly undercut tribal sovereignty and self-sufficiency.”
MEASURE 28 (ART & MUSIC K-12 EDUCATION FUNDING): YES
Everyone on the left who wants to fund the arts in school is in agreement that Prop 28 is good.
“When school budgets tighten, programs like music, dance, theater and art are often the first to be cut. Proposition 28 will guarantee an ongoing source of funding to support arts and music education in all public and charter schools, from preschool to 12th grade.”
“Knock LA Recommendation: YES. Proposition 28 would require the state to spend an amount equal to at least 1% of the total revenues of Prop 98 (which allocates around 41% of General Fund revenues to K–14 education) on funding for arts and music programs at K–12 public schools. In plain English, this means that a portion of the state’s general fund would be earmarked for arts education every year.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates that the initiative would cost roughly $800 million to $1 billion annually. To be clear, this money would be in addition to the current funding. Prop 28 would require the majority of the new funds be spent on hiring teachers and staff, with priority given to schools that serve “economically disadvantaged students.” Currently, only one in five public schools in California currently have a full-time teacher for arts or music. Prop 28 would be a step toward closing that gap and making sure that all of California’s students have the same opportunities for success. With the state’s coffers flushed with a whopping $97 billion surplus, there’s no reason not to set aside a billion to give our kids a better future.”
MEASURE 29 (DIALYSIS CLINIC REQUIREMENTS): YES*
There is some disagreement on the left regarding Prop 29. When I first posted this, I made an error and incorrectly stated Knock LA’s position. This forced me to investigate it further. In the end, I decided that I agree with them that voting YES is the right choice, but I found some strong arguments in favor of voting NO, which I’ve also included below.
YES ON 29: “Knock LA Recommendation: YES. If you are scratching your head wondering why dialysis seems to be on the ballot election cycle, you’re not alone. This is the third such ballot measure in four years, and they’ve all seemed complicated. So, what’s the problem that this measure intends to solve?
Two companies, DaVita Dialysis and Fresenius, make up about 80% of the dialysis clinics in California and nationwide. They have a monopoly on a procedure that mimics the function of healthy kidneys for people with renal failure, and is medically necessary anywhere from several times a week to several times a day.
Because of this monopoly, they can charge exorbitant rates for people with private insurance (in some cases over $1,000 per treatment). To make matters worse, these for-profit companies with enormous power and little oversight are often accused of using shoddy practices to increase their profits at the expense of patient care. They’re also often accused of dangerous understaffing and using aggressive anti-union tactics against their healthcare worker employees.
Prop 29 prevents these companies from discriminating against patients who are supported by less-profitable Medicare insurance, implements minimum staffing requirements, and creates broad new disclosure requirements for what might be the biggest scam going in modern medicine. Voting yes would bring much-needed regulation to a vital procedure.”
YES ON 29: “Proposition 29 would help ensure that patients receive safe treatment in dialysis clinics under the care of a trained clinician. California’s dialysis treatment industry makes billions in revenue each year, yet a lack of onsite staffing requirements leaves patients vulnerable to complications during the treatment process. Proposition 29 would require each dialysis clinic to have at least one physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner onsite at the clinic during the hours that patients are treated. This proposition has appeared on the ballot twice before and was rejected by voters both times after dialysis clinics poured millions of dollars into defeating the measures… The measure was placed on the ballot by Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare West… Notable supporters of Proposition 29 include the California Democratic Party and the California Labor Federation… The top funders of the ballot measure committee opposing Proposition 29 are DaVita, Fresenius Medical Care, and U.S. Renal Care. As of August 1, the No on 29 committee has raised $36 million… Notable opposition to Proposition 29 includes the California Chamber of Commerce and the California Republican Party.“
(Source: https://couragecaliforniainstitute.org/prop-29/)
NO ON 29: “On the ballot for a third time, Prop. 29 is a tired retread that could hurt dialysis patients. [It] would set new requirements for all of the state’s dialysis centers, including forcing the clinics to hire unnecessary medical staff. If this proposal seems familiar that’s because it’s virtually the same as two previous measures on the 2018 and 2020 ballots. Voters correctly rejected the last two propositions, and they should do so a third time.”
NO ON 29: I also heard from a woman named Jan Cole, whose spouse is a dialysis patient. She says, “Please consider changing your recommendation for Prop 29. This is one of those things that looks great in theory but will be highly detrimental to dialysis patients in the implementation. Simply put, it won't work the way they try to sell it, and many centers will have to close their doors. Patients are already struggling to find centers that are both nearby and with schedules that fit their needs. If more than a few centers close, patients may not be able to get the care they need and will either become even sicker, or overwhelm local emergency rooms (or both). I speak as the spouse of a dialysis patient, with no other tie to the issue. It is imperative that she and other patients maintain their ability to receive care. The changes that the "yes" group would like to see cannot be manipulated in this way. I don't disagree that monopolizing a health care system is a problem, but it cannot be solved by adding more stress.”
MEASURE 30 (TAX ON INCOME ABOVE $2 MILLION FOR ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLES & WILDFIRE PREVENTION): YES*
After researching this issue more carefully, I’ve decided to change my recommendation to a YES. As much as I hate the fact that Lyft is a major supporter of this proposition, I think it is really important to protect our environment, like this aims to do. However, I’ve presented both sides below, so that you can draw your own conclusion.
YES ON 30: “One critique is that Lyft is the major funder of the Prop 30 campaign. And that’s true. Lyft and Uber have mandates to massively increase the proportion of electric cars in their fleets and this measure will help them reach that goal. But Lyft didn’t design this proposition — environmental groups and firefighters did. And just because Lyft sees supporting Prop 30 as in their self interest doesn’t mean that progressives should oppose it. Politics sometimes creates strange coalitions and this is one of those times. We don’t have years to waste as global warming accelerates and this ballot measure will do a lot of good immediately, keeping California in the lead on climate action above and beyond recent federal legislation… we believe that the air pollution, climate and fire resilience benefits outweigh the potential downsides. We support a YES vote on Prop. 30.”
(Source: https://www.laforward.org/la-progressive-voter-guide)
YES ON 30: “Prop. 30 would impose a 1.75% personal income tax increase on the top-earning Californians — for the share of their income above $2 million — per year to fund a suite of climate programs. The goal is to clean up the state’s dirty air and help meet ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets… Supporters say Prop. 30 would generate much-needed funding to address the state’s two leading causes of air pollution: Gasoline-powered vehicles and wildfires. They say the money would help accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, beef up the state’s charging infrastructure and provide more resources to firefighters, who must now work year-round to fight and prevent deadly wildfires. They argue that these investments will better put the state on track to meet its ambitious climate goals.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/propositions/prop-30-income-tax-electric-cars/)
NO ON 30: “While it may be tempting to put the burden on the rich — again — for one of California’s top priorities, voters should say no. Proposition 30 has too many flaws. It’s bankrolled by one special interest and it doubles down on an unsustainable funding model.”
NO ON 30: “Knock LA Recommendation: NO. Proposition 30 sounds really good on its surface. It would impose an additional annual 1.75% tax on individual income over $2 million, with 80% of the resulting revenue to go toward funding zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) programs (like state-funded electric vehicle charging stations and funding for households to buy ZEVs), and 20% toward wildfire prevention and response programs. The state estimates that Prop 30 would generate $3.5–$5 billion annually.
The catch? While this proposition is supported by several environmental and public health groups, its largest proponent by far is tech mega-giant Lyft. Lyft has spent $25 million in support of the proposition, as highlighted by Governor Newsom in his aggressive “No on Prop 30” campaign. Currently, Lyft reimburses drivers for charging EVs out of its own pocket. And since the state will require Lyft to transition 90% of its fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2030, the cost of that reimbursement will only go up.
If this proposition passes, Lyft will pass that cost on to state-funded charging stations, allowing it to pay drivers less and make more money. Proposition 30 is, in essence, a corporate cash grab disguised in the trappings of environmental activism. California, and the rest of the country, badly need to reduce their emissions to keep our planet livable. This, however, is not the way to do it.”
MEASURE 31 (FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS BAN REFERENDUM): YES
Everyone on the left who wants to ban flavored tobacco is in agreement that Prop 31 is good.
“Proposition 31 would allow a ban on sales of most flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, to take effect. Flavors in tobacco products are uniquely harmful because they mask the unappealingly harsh taste of tobacco and can lure in new and often young users and get them hooked.”
“Knock LA Recommendation: YES. Cotton Candy. Mango. Menthol. These are some of the flavors that Big Tobacco is using to hook young people on their deadly product. Nearly 9 of 10 adults who smoke cigarettes daily first try smoking by age 18, and their first cigarette was likely flavored. According to the CDC, 80% of high school students and 75% of middle school students who smoked reported using a flavored tobacco product in the past 30 days. Over 130 cities and counties in California have already banned flavored tobacco products, including the city of LA this year.
California passed a statewide ban on flavored tobacco in 2020, but tobacco and vape companies gathered enough signatures to suspend the bill until voters weighed in. Since that time, tobacco and vape companies have cynically portrayed the ban as an attack on Black Californians, because 85% of African American smokers smoke menthol cigarettes, far higher than other groups. Yet this preference, cultivated by decades of targeted advertising by Big Tobacco, has led to a health disparity whereby African Americans are more likely to die of smoking-related diseases, despite smoking less than other racial and ethnic groups. Studies confirm that menthol cigarettes lead to increased smoking initiation among youth and young adults, greater addiction, and decreased success in quitting smoking.
Unfortunately, approving this ballot measure will not ban flavored disposable vaping devices, which have surged in popularity in the past three years. We hope the state legislature acts swiftly to ban these devices once voters approve Prop 31. The ballot measure also excludes flavored hookah and premium cigars.”
CITY & COUNTY
LOS ANGELES MAYOR: KAREN RUTH BASS
“Los Angeles desperately needs, and will soon get, new leadership. No elected office is more important than mayor; this is the person Angelenos look to in a crisis, who can set the tone of the political discourse and should act as the moral compass for city policy. It’s never an easy job, but this is an especially challenging moment for L.A.’s next mayor… There is frustration over homelessness policy, fear about rising crime rates, and now an ugly scandal that has rocked City Hall and damaged decades of hard-fought progress in building racial solidarity… This is a time and a job that calls for the skills of Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), who has spent her career working to bring people together, bridge racial divides and work for the betterment of communities. For the June primary, The Times endorsed Bass because she is an extraordinarily qualified and mission-driven leader. She is the still the best choice to be L.A.’s next mayor.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-13/endorsement-karen-bass-for-los-angeles-mayor)
“Voters upset over crime and a seemingly limitless geyser of cash have propelled Rick Caruso to the front of the race for mayor, reshaping the contest and offering Los Angeles a stark contrast between the billionaire developer and his chief rival, Rep. Karen Bass… Caruso has frequently hyped the scale of crime in the city, saying at a recent debate, for example, that the city was experiencing some of the worst crime in its history. That is not true, but the poll clearly shows the role the crime issue has played in allowing Caruso, a former Republican who only recently switched his registration to Democrat, to compete in heavily Democratic Los Angeles.”
(Source: www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-04-11/karen-bass-rick-caruso-in-dead-heat-mayoral-poll)
“Los Angeles folks: I believe that we all need to be a LOT more worried about Rick Caruso’s candidacy. We’re on the verge of allowing a Trumpian, anti-abortion billionaire buy our city government... Caruso has flooded LA with ads… Add to that a rejuvenated right wing, which is fired up about mask and vaccine mandates, a (largely fictional) spike in crime, and hatred for Biden. They know that Caruso is their guy. Result: Masses of right wingers may turn out who never have before in a mayoral election.”
(Source:
LA COUNTY SHERIFF: ROBERT LUNA
“Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who campaigned as a reformer and defeated incumbent Jim McDonnell in 2018 with the help of the LA Democratic establishment, has turned out instead to be vicious, corrupt, and toxically reactionary. His gross misconduct has led the Civilian Oversight Commission and the LA County Democratic Party to call on him to resign. In January 2021, former State Attorney General Xavier Becerra launched a civil rights investigation into the LA County Sheriff’s Department. This investigation sought to determine whether LASD is engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing... Most recently, Villanueva launched blatantly political raids on the homes of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Civilian Oversight Commission member Patti Giggans. These raids were payback for their willingness to demand actual accountability from him and the rotten department he leads…
He refuses to comply with subpoenas by the Civilian Oversight Commission and the LASD inspector general. His obsession with his media coverage and penchant for damaging, and even illegal, PR stunts mirror that of former President Trump. He refuses to enforce the COVID vaccine and mask mandates for his department, and went on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show to protest vaccine mandates. Villanueva has displayed a consistent pattern of misogynistic language, such as when he said “the [all female] board of supervisors need to be taken to the shed and beat until they do their job.” He created a special task force to harass his political enemies. He is willing to let his deputies do despicable things without discipline.
Refusing to vote for sheriff does not stop or undo the damage of Villanueva. It’s also important to note that, under current law, the person elected sheriff must have law enforcement experience. Voting in the LA County sheriff election is thus all about harm reduction.
In the current race, that harm reduction comes in the person of Robert Luna, former chief of the Long Beach Police Department. Luna meets the bare minimum requirements for a viable alternative to Villanueva as sheriff — he has demonstrated that he is capable of interacting with other elected officials in a functional, constructive fashion; he sees the role of sheriff as existing to fulfill a public purpose beyond pursuit of personal grievances and political witch hunts; and he is not dedicated to using his platform to amplify the most disgusting right-wing conspiracy theories and extremist positions. It’s an embarrassingly low bar, but he clears it.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
L.A. COUNTY SUPERVISOR, DISTRICT 3: LINDSEY HORVATH
“With [Sheila] Kuehl leaving the board in December, the county is at a crossroads. The shortest and easiest path is backward into failed policies — including bigger jails… Voters have a chance on Nov. 8 to continue the momentum by choosing Lindsey Horvath to replace Kuehl… Horvath was elected by the West Hollywood City Council in 2009 to fill a vacancy. Although voters decided against electing her to a full term in 2011, she remained a tireless advocate for her community, armed with creative solutions to complex problems. A knack for building coalitions helped her win election to the council in 2015 and she has continued to serve there since, including a stint as mayor in 2015-16 and another in 2020-21, a tumultuous period amid pandemic lockdowns and nationwide protests after the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis… Horvath successfully urged the city to modestly reduce the size of its contract with the [police] department — 56 deputies instead of 60 — and invest the savings in services provided by unarmed civilians. It was seen as a controversial move, branded by some local critics as “defunding,” when in fact it was thoughtful and responsible civilian oversight, accountability and budgeting, and a model of Care First service. Where other contract cities complained, Horvath and a majority of her West Hollywood council colleagues acted.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-09-21/horvath-for-board-of-supervisors)
LOS ANGELES CITY ATTORNEY: HYDEE FELDSTEIN SOTO
This is a race that quite honestly has me baffled, because so many people on the left have endorsed Hydee Feldstein Soto’s opponent Faisal Gil, even though he has an extremely problematic, homophobic, Republican past. I understand that he has disavowed his bigotry and switched parties, but I’m personally not satisfied with his apologies and justifications. However, please feel free to read the extensive quotes I’ve provided below, and see if you reach the same conclusion.
“Hydee Feldstein Soto… would bring deep legal expertise, independence and intellectual curiosity to the job. Retired for the last decade, Feldstein Soto was a longtime partner in corporate law firms with specialties in bankruptcy and acquisitions, and she managed teams of lawyers with different disciplines. It was complex work that required collaboration and problem-solving to finalize deals that worked for clients. It was good training for managing the 500-plus lawyers in the city attorney’s office and navigating City Hall, which is full of difficult challenges and competing priorities. Her top priorities include helping departments streamline approvals for affordable housing, reviewing agreements with the county to ensure the city is receiving its fair share of public and mental health services, and scrutinizing the city’s contracting to understand why homeless housing is costing so much to build. She wants to ramp up enforcement of city ordinances by using the administrative penalty system to issue fines for offenses like illegal vacation rentals and building code violations. As for the prosecution of misdemeanors, she believes offenders should face consequences for crimes but that penalties or interventions should include diversion to treatment, community services or restorative justice programs. Feldstein Soto understands the possibilities and limitations of the office. The city attorney is not a policymaker. That’s important…Among the candidates, Feldstein Soto stands out for her experience, legal acumen and problem-solving skills, and The Times recommends her for city attorney.
Faisal Gill [is a] former Republican, now Democrat, [who has] made major ideological shifts over [his] career… Gill worked in the George W. Bush administration and advocated against gay marriage.”
“Hydee Feldstein Soto [is] hardly a household name. I met her back in the day, somewhere in the 2000’s, as a neighborhood council and community advocate who kept us abreast of proposed legislation in Sacramento and city hall. She regularly showed up at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Coalition or LANCC, and other community events to update us on land use issues, often legislation, especially bills or proposed bills which would favor speculators and screw Angelenos… The reason I wholeheartedly support her is simple. In running she is a neighborhood council person, small ‘d’ democrat, grassroots advocate, used to drawing LANCC’s diverse members into a consensus on land use issues (no small feat), effective in Sacramento helping us fight bad legislation... We would be lucky to have [her] working as our city attorney. She is not, however, winner of the political contributions race. For that, we’ll take a look at the top contenders there, I think in order of money raised…Faisal Gill…
I never heard of Faisal Gill before this race, so I did a little digging. Mostly I think he was never on my radar because he is not from around here. Up until 2007 he was a registered Republican, and ran for the Virginia House of Delegates. In 2016 he shows up in Vermont as the Democratic Candidate for Vermont State Senate, and when he lost that race as well, he became the Interim Vermont Democratic Party Chair. He moved to LA sometime in 2019… He lists himself as a civil rights attorney, although he spent decades working for the Republican Party, and arguing that the 2nd Amendment protects an individual’s concealed carry of firearms into a K-12 school. You can see it here. He also spearheaded the unsuccessful push [in 2006] for a constitutional amendment against marriage equality in Virginia with particular venom.
(Source: https://www.randomlengthsnews.com/archives/2022/04/07/la-city-attorney-race/38950)
“Civil rights attorney Faisal Gill, who served as a senior Homeland Security official under President George W. Bush, is jumping into the race for Los Angeles City Attorney — and running as a progressive Democrat…A native of Pakistan who moved with his family to the United States as a child, Gill, 48, served as the policy director for the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence division from 2003 to 2005. More recently, he’s worked as an attorney in private practice… How a former Republican raised in Northern Virginia and with reputed ties to Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist wound up running for L.A. City Attorney — and has already snagged endorsements from Karen Bass, Ilhan Omar, and Ro Khanna — is quite a tale. In 2004, Gill was embroiled in controversy after the FBI discovered he had failed to list on security clearance documents his work in 2001 with the American Muslim Council, a now-defunct lobby whose founder, Abdurahman Alamoudi, was indicted in 2003 on terrorism-related money laundering charges. He was briefly removed from his job but was ultimately reinstated after a department investigation found no reason to deny him a top-secret security clearance. Gill stepped down the following year. The Navy veteran ran as a Republican for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2007, lost, and then changed political parties the same year.
In an interview, Gill says the experience of being targeted by prominent Republicans like Congressman Peter King over his Muslim faith, his nationality, and his liberal views on immigration soured him on the GOP. A relative newcomer to L.A., Gill says he is running for City Attorney to hold the LAPD more accountable, to stop the practice of ticketing homeless people for things like vagrancy and trespassing, and to target slumlords who ignore city ordinances set in place to protect tenants. He and his wife and the couple’s three children moved to Porter Ranch in 2018 from Burlington, Vermont, where he was the first Muslim chair of the state Democratic Party. He said they relocated in part to be closer to Gill’s three children from a previous marriage, who live in L.A. He also lived in L.A. from 2008 to 2014. “You go through a pretty big transformation when you face hatred,” he said of switching from Republican to Democrat. “I realized the Republican Party is OK with Muslims donating money, but that the minute a Muslim wants a seat at the table it’s a different story.” He said the experience of fighting with the city attorney’s office to release body cam footage from the Austin arrest motivated him to run for city attorney. For years, Gill has served as an advisor for the Council on Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil liberties group, and for the Democracy in the Arab World Now, an advocacy group founded by Khashoggi. In July 2014, journalist Glenn Greenwald reported that Gill was one of five prominent Muslim U.S. citizens that were under National Security Agency surveillance, according to documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.”
(Source: https://www.lamag.com/citythin.../faisal-gill-city-attorney/)
“Gill, who was 8 when his family emigrated from Pakistan, went to law school in Washington, D.C., and then joined the U.S. Navy as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. After his military career, he got involved with Muslim interest groups and did a stint as a senior policy advisor in the Department of Homeland Security under President George W. Bush. Amid debate over a marriage amendment in Virginia in 2006, Gill was quoted in a local newspaper as saying, “I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman.” The next year, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates as a Republican. While campaigning, Gill said he noticed potential voters often wrote him off before he opened his mouth. “When you experience that level of hatred, it really makes you question your views,” he said. “I turned away from the Republican Party and became a very staunch Democrat.” He reflected on the ways he, too, had perpetuated discrimination — “I was wrong then, absolutely wrong,” he said of his onetime opposition to same-sex marriage — and says he has worked since then to show his dedication to the Democratic Party. Before moving to California in 2018, Gill lived in Vermont, where he made an unsuccessful bid for a state Senate seat in 2016 and served as chairman of the state’s Democratic Party for several months in 2017. His decision to run for city attorney, Gill said, was born out of his experience litigating against the office on behalf of one of his clients, Antone Austin, a Black man arrested by Los Angeles police during a search for a white suspect in 2019. A few years earlier, through information leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, Gill learned he was being spied on by the U.S. government. It was surreal, he said, to hear people call him a mole when, in reality, he was simply a politically active American Muslim. “I understand government overreach and how it can ruin your life.”
LOS ANGELES CITY CONTROLLER: KENNETH MEJIA
“Kenneth Mejia for L.A. city controller: For this job, government outsider Kenneth Mejia is particularly impressive because the 31-year-old certified public accountant and auditor has used his campaign to demonstrate the kind of transparency-and-data-driven controller he would be — and that’s why The Times is endorsing him.”
“Kenneth Mejia has run a trailblazing campaign for this office, using a combination of accounting expertise, social media savvy, enthusiastic public engagement, and a community organizing mentality. His run for office is a working demonstration of how he would perform the job itself as an independent watchdog and public information resource. He’s endorsed by Ground Game LA. A longtime organizer with the LA Tenants Union, Mejia is a certified public accountant (CPA) with 11 years of accounting and auditing experience. Not only is he the only CPA in the race for city controller — an office responsible for auditing city finances — but he would, astonishingly, be the first CPA in Los Angeles history to serve in this office. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley by his single mother, a first-generation Filipina, Mejia and his campaign have already used the race as a platform for progressive values by providing an unprecedented level of financial analysis, transparency, and resources to Angelenos, using city data. These resources include a map of affordable housing units, a heat map and analysis of LAPD traffic and pedestrian stops, and a map of the most frequently ticketed parking spots in LA. He has even broken important news stories, such as his discovery that half of LA’s American Rescue Plan funds for COVID-19 relief went to the LAPD. Mejia’s qualifications and outsider perspective has earned him endorsements from the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Melina Abdullah (co-founder of Black Lives Matter–LA), former LA Deputy Mayor Rick Cole, Sunrise Movement LA, Ground Game LA, and many other progressive organizations and community members. The Mejia campaign has the most grassroots support in the city controller race, raising more money in small-dollar donations than all of the other campaigns combined.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD
DISTRICT 2: DR. ROCIO RIVAS
I first learned about Dr. Rocío Rivas in 2019, when she ran against Jackie Goldberg for a seat on the School Board. I thought she was an extremely impressive candidate at the time and I particularly valued the fact that she was Latina running in a predominantly Latinx district, but as I said in a piece I wrote called “Why Jackie Goldberg? Because the Fight Continues!”: “Jackie [is] clearly, the strongest candidate when it comes to experience [and] endorsements.” Since then, however, Rocío has become a trusted part of Jackie’s team, gained invaluable experience, and earned the endorsements of heavyweights like UTLA and Parents Supporting Teachers. I’ve met her several times over the years and we are now friends on social media, and in every interaction we’ve ever had, I’ve been impressed by her integrity, decency, and commitment to public education.
“Dr. Rocío Rivas is LAUSD trustee Jackie Goldberg’s policy deputy. The United Teachers Los Angeles union endorses Dr. Rivas. She calls for a Green New Deal for Public Schools — which would turn them into accessible areas of green space and convert all LAUSD schools to renewable energy, reimagine school safety, and fully staff schools with counselors, psychiatric social workers, librarians, nurses, and aides. She also supports reallocating money from school police to educational programs.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
“Rivas is a parent activist and deputy to current District 5 board member Jackie Goldberg. She has the support of the teachers union. Important to improving the district’s enrollment, Rivas tells LAist, is building a trusting and welcome environment. Not only have many parents been concerned about their children’s health, Rivas says, but “LAUSD schools have facilities issues that need to be addressed, coupled with necessity for shade, greening, and gardens. She wants to see LAUSD schools “become sanctuaries of welcoming, nurturing, and understanding … compassionate environments for students to feel understood and validated.” Rivas proposes the development of a social-emotional toolkit that combines curriculum, programs, services, and videos, capable of adapting to whatever scenario. She also wants more resources to address parent mental health. Rivas is blunt about sharing resources between district-run schools and charter schools. “Co-location is another instrument to drain resources from neighborhood public schools … The sharing of school space is not conducive for either school as it disrupts the school’s day-to-day schedule and routine.” Until the state legislature changes policy to end co-location rights, she wants the district to be active participants in co-location, helping principals ensure the least disruption possible. On law enforcement, Rivas says there is “a role for policing, but not directly inside schools,” and that all stakeholders must have an “honest and clear discussion on school safety, criminalization of students, school-to-prison pipeline, not enough after school programs and having too many accessible guns. Website: drrivasforschoolboard.com”
DISTRICT 6: MARVIN RODRIGUEZ
“Teacher, Iraq War veteran, and immigrant Marvin A. Rodríguez says privatizing interests can no longer be “left to weaponize charter schools to undermine our public education system by creating conditions which force our schools to compete for funding and resources.” As a teacher and parent of LAUSD kids, Rodríguez wants to increase the opportunities for parents to engage in schools. By contrast, incumbent Kelly Gonez shut down Parent Engagement and Special Education committees during the pandemic.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
“Rodriguez has been a teacher since 2005, and has been teaching Spanish at Cleveland High School since 2014… In a statement on his website, Rodriguez says “we must fight to create the conditions in public education which restore faith in our public schools’ ability to deliver equitable opportunities for all our students.”… Rodriquez says he wants to see increased funding for mental health and for curriculum that “[supports] the cultural backgrounds of our students and strengthen their cultural and racial identities.” He also wants to move the time of board meetings “to meet the needs of parents and teachers, who are unable to leave work early enough to attend meetings where decisions affecting them directly are made. Website: marvinrodriguez2022.com “
CITY COUNCIL
L.A. CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 5: KATY YOUNG YAROSLAVSKY
“A UCLA-trained attorney and LA native, Katy Young Yaroslavsky has been the architect of environmental policies that have made real differences in the fight against climate catastrophe. Her work with the Climate Action Reserve, the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl (particularly on Measure W: The Safe, Clean Water Program), and the Clean Power Alliancehas been instrumental in carrying out Green New Deal actions for a just transition away from fossil fuels. Challenging existing systems and infrastructure takes a relentless nature, a sharp eye for policy detail, and a steady focus on long-term goals. Young Yaroslavsky has proven herself to be ably suited to the work, and we have no doubt she will carry those skills to City Council.
Young Yaroslavksy has also demonstrated a genuine interest in engagement with community and activist groups, even when such engagement offers little in the way of short-term political gain. This augurs well for building co-governance relationships in office, which is good because Young Yaroslavsky is far from perfect. Knock LA disagrees with some of Young Yaroslavsky’s statements on LA municipal ordinance 41.18, which brutally criminalizes unhoused people and discourages long term solutions to homelessness. She is on the record saying both “it’s not going to solve homelessness,” and “if it’s paired with deep social work and street engagement, it could be a helpful tool.” If she is elected, community engagement and pressure will be needed to push her in a progressive direction.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
L.A. CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 11: ERIN DARLING
“Darling, who was born and raised in Venice, has been a public interest attorney for over a decade, working for nonprofit organizations like the Eviction Defense Network and Public Counsel. He also spent time as a federal public defender. He’s been operating his own legal practice in civil rights law since 2017. Darling also serves as a commissioner for the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors. Darling says he’s running because of the lack of a “real progressive” in the race.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-los-angeles-city-council#darling)
L.A. CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 13: HUGO SOTO-MARTINEZ
“Hugo Soto-Martinez is an exciting, progressive candidate for a district whose governance has, for too long, been at odds with its constituents. By presidential vote, it is one of the most progressive districts in the city. By housing type, it is one of the most renter-heavy. And yet, for almost a decade, it’s been misrepresented by Mitch O’Farrell, an alumnus of Eric Garcetti’s office who has been on the wrong side of just about every issue that’s come before him. While some of his colleagues sought to pass a true pandemic eviction protection for renters, O’Farrell cast a deciding vote to defeat it, forcing City Council to pass a weaker proposal instead. When his colleagues introduced legislation to improve LA’s homelessness response and provide more services, O’Farrell gutted the motion and turned it into a handout for the sanitation department…All told, his work to gentrify CD 13 has made it one of the few districts in the city to actually shrink in population between 2010 and 2020 censuses, as low-income and nonwhite residents were pushed out. It’s all of a piece with O’Farrell’s career as a diligent servant to his district’s major property owners and developers and small cliques of well-organized homeowners, and with his callous disregard for the rest of his district and the city…
Born and raised in Los Angeles by Mexican immigrant parents, Hugo Soto-Martinez is an experienced union organizer with UNITE HERE! Local 11 (the hotel and restaurant workers’ union), who has also organized as a member of DSA-LA and NOlympics — and even has localist chops with service on the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council. He bridges the worlds of labor and left activism, worlds which have frequently lined up on opposite sides in Los Angeles — to the detriment of both… He’s endorsed by Dolores Huerta, two sitting progressive councilmembers, a former CD 13 councilmember, DSA, Ground Game LA, and a host of unions, including the teachers’ union. Not only will Soto-Martinez be an enormous improvement over the incumbent, we think his experience and values will make him a crucial component of the emerging progressive bloc on City Council.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022/)
L.A. CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 15: *DANIELLE SANDOVAL*
I originally endorsed Danielle in the June primary because she is a friend of friends, a strong Latina, and a community organizer. However, since then, I’ve learned that she’s been accused of wage theft by former restaurant employees. According to the LA Times, “Sandoval, in an interview, denied engaging in wage theft. Last week, she said she was unaware of the four employees’ claims. She said the restaurant had a company that handled payroll. “I did not submit any hours. I did not write the schedules. We had supervisors that did all of that. We had a bookkeeper that sent out the bills.” She is running against Tim McOsker, who has raised over $1.6 million (compared to her $115,000).
DANIELLE SANDOVAL: “Sandoval is the former president of the Harbor City Neighborhood Council. She’s been active in union work, previously serving as treasurer and president for the ILWU Federated Auxiliary 8. The L.A. Times rescinded its endorsement of Sandoval on Oct. 11, 2022, based on reporting that four of her former employees had filed wage theft claims against her.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-los-angeles-city-council#sandoval)
TIM MCOSKER: “McOsker is the CEO of AltaSea, a non-profit that focuses on ocean sustainability. He has also served as Chief of Staff for former L.A. Mayor James K. Hahn and as a lobbyist for the LAPD union.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-los-angeles-city-council#sandoval)
LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 2): STEVEN VERES
“Steven Veres is the LACCD Board Seat 2 incumbent. He has served two terms in this seat. He’s currently on staff with California State Sen. María Elena Durazo and has worked for L.A. area politicians Cindy Montañez and Kevin de León. Veres grew up in L.A. and completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UCLA. He tells LAist he’s supported policies that help undocumented LACCD students, as well as programs to increase basic needs help.”
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 4): SARA HERNANDEZ
SARA HERNANDEZ: “Hernandez is listed as a community college teacher, although her day job is as a land use and environmental attorney for the law firm DLA Piper. She teaches constitutional law at Valley College, one of LACCD’s campuses. She tells LAist that she’d like to use her professional experience helping developers of affordable housing to guide LACCD to build housing for students. She was a middle school teacher in L.A. for three years, beginning as a Teach For America member. Turning around declining enrollment is a big deal for the board’s next term, she says.”
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 6): GABRIEL BUELNA
“Gabriel Buelna is the LACCD Board Seat 6 incumbent. Buelna was a leader in the Chicano student movement in Southern California in the 1990s. He’s a practicing attorney and teaches Chicana and Chicano studies at CSU Northridge.He’s also a YouTuber whose topics include Chicano foodies. Buelna believes that increasing programs such as ethnic studies classes that reflect the life experiences of LACCD’s people of color will go a long way toward bringing students back to campuses.”
L.A. COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (SEAT 7): KELSEY IINO
“Kelsey Iino is the LACCD Board Seat 7 incumbent in this race — sort of. The LACCD board appointed Iino to Seat 7 earlier this year after board member Mike Fong’s election to the state assembly. Iino has a doctorate in higher educational leadership from USC. She works full time at El Camino College, which is not in the LACCD district, as a counselor. She leads a program on campus that counsels Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.”
CITY & COUNTY MEASURES
LA COUNTY MEASURE A: YES
“The July 12 motion by Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Hilda Solis argues that people should not have to wait for the next election or mount a costly recall campaign to remove a corrupt sheriff, nor should they have to wait for a sheriff to be indicted. The motion states a “lack of accountability has been an enduring feature of county sheriffs” but makes it clear it was the actions of the current sheriff, Alex Villanueva, that led them to propose a charter amendment. Mitchell and Solis say the board “has been limited in its ability to serve as a sufficient check against the Sheriff’s flagrant disregard of lawful oversight and accountability.” Right now, the board only controls the sheriff’s budget. “The current Sheriff has been openly hostile to oversight and transparency and has tested the functionality of existing oversight structures by consistently resisting and obstructing these systems of checks and balances,” the motion says.”
LA COUNTY MEASURE C: NO
There is some disagreement on the left regarding Measure C. When I first posted this, I made an error and incorrectly stated Knock LA’s position. This forced me to investigate it further. In the end, I decided that I agree with them that voting NO is the right choice, but I found some strong arguments in favor of voting YES, which I’ve also included below.
NO ON C: “Knock LA Recommendation: NO. This ballot measure would allow LA County to tax cannabis businesses in unincorporated areas of the County, like East Los Angeles. Marijuana businesses are currently prohibited in unincorporated LA County, with the county promising to roll out a permitting process for legal cannabis businesses sometime in 2023. We see this as completely backwards. California has so far failed to prevent big corporations from taking over the legal weed business. LA County must do better. Voters should be able to evaluate whether the county permitting process will be a corporate give-away, or a true equity program, before approving secondary issues like tax rates. The vague language of this proposition could also give the trigger-happy LA County Sheriff’s Department additional justification to “crack down” on illegal grow operations for the sake of photo ops. The county needs to achieve legalization through incentives, not failed criminalization policies.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
YES ON C: “Measure C is a general tax measure that would empower Los Angeles County to tax cannabis businesses in unincorporated areas of the County. In other words, this tax measure would not apply to incorporated cities, like Santa Monica, Alhambra, South Gate, or Los Angeles (City) and would apply to neighborhoods like East LA and Avocado Heights where 1 out of every 10 county residents live. We know what you’re thinking – aren’t cannabis businesses in Los Angeles already taxed? Well, yes, but only those that operate in incorporated cities. Technically, cannabis businesses in unincorporated Los Angeles are still prohibited, and this tax measure lays the groundwork for the County’s overall cannabis legalization and regulation program. The proposed rates are relatively low, especially when compared to LA City’s 10% rate for all sales related to adult recreational use. This was by design, according to County officials, as their intent was to “support the viability of the legal cannabis business” so that illegal sales (and the criminal activity that follows) don’t continue to proliferate like they have in cities with higher taxes.”
(Source: https://www.laforward.org/la-progressive-voter-guide)
YES ON C: “The measure would impose a relatively low 4% tax on retail cannabis sales in unincorporated L.A. County. Every voter in the county gets to weigh in… The Times recommends a “yes” vote. Authorizing cannabis sales in the first place will still have to be approved by the Board of Supervisors and is not on the ballot... Measure C just covers the tax, including some enforcement provisions. It may seem odd that every voter in the county will be able to weigh in on a tax that will apply only in the unincorporated areas. But L.A. County is the local government for places that don’t have city councils or mayors, and L.A. County voters have the ultimate say on most taxes that go to the county’s general fund, which is where the cannabis taxes will go…The county plans to launch its commercial cannabis licensing program next year. It could do it without a tax, but then all the costs would have to come from licensing fees, which would necessarily be so high that only the large commercial operations could get in the game. Costly licenses would undermine a principal and worthy goal of the program: to provide access to retailers who have historically been excluded from business opportunities or who have disproportionately been undermined by criminal sanctions for growing, selling, using or possessing a substance that is now legal. The relatively low tax is an attempt to keep customers in unincorporated areas from continuing to patronize black market sellers.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-16/endorsement-county-measure-c-marijuana-tax)
L.A. CITY MEASURE LH: YES
“A “yes” vote would give L.A. the authority to put preexisting streams of public funding toward the construction or acquisition of up to 75,000 new housing units across the city for struggling low-income renters and people experiencing homelessness… In their statement in favor of Measure LH, Los Feliz Neighborhood Council president Jon Deutsch and Southern California Association of Non-Profit Housing executive director Alan Greenlee write: “Los Angeles’ housing crisis grows worse every day, with more and more Angelenos facing housing insecurity and homelessness. The City of Los Angeles has not authorized additional affordable housing since 2008. We need to get serious about tackling the crisis of our time.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-los-angeles-measure-lh)
L.A. CITY MEASURE SP: NO
“Proposition SP would impose a parcel tax of 8.4 cents per square foot on residential and commercial buildings in the city of L.A. The tax would generate an estimated $227 million a year, which would be spent on the improvement, development, acquisition, and maintenance of public spaces such as parks, museums, and waterways like the L.A. River.
Opponents of Proposition SP point out that taxpayers already help maintain the parks. They also say that this is a tax to improve facilities ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in L.A., a claim supporters say is untrue. Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and former L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich signed the ballot argument against the measure. The L.A. Times editorial board also opposes Proposition SP on the basis that it was written with very little community input and that it lacks a guarantee that the funds generated will actually be spent on parks (it could be used on anything that fits into the following categories: open space, recreation venues, waterways). The editorial board encourages voters to reject Proposition SP and pressure leaders to gather community input and include a guarantee to use the money for parks before bringing it back to the ballot in 2024.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-los-angeles-measure-sp)
L.A. CITY MEASURE ULA: YES
“A “yes” vote means: You want to levy a new tax on the sale of properties valued at $5 million or more in order to fund affordable housing and homelessness programs… Measure ULA is backed by groups including homeless service providers, labor unions, renters rights groups and affordable housing developers. In their official L.A. voter guide argument in favor of the measure, supporters write, “Millionaires and billionaires cashing in on mega properties can afford to pay the ‘mansion tax,’ and we’ll all benefit from reduced homelessness when they chip in and pay their fair share.” Implementation of Measure ULA will be overseen by an appointed “Citizen Oversight Committee.”
(Source: https://laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-los-angeles-measure-ula)
L.A. CITY MEASURE LA: *YES*
It was hard for me to decide on this one, because there are good arguments for and against this measure.
YES ON LA: “A “yes” vote supports authorizing the Los Angeles Community College District to issue $5.3 billion in bonds to fund facility renovations and job training programs and authorizing the district to levy a tax at a rate of $25 per $100,000 of assessed value to repay the bonds.”
YES ON LA: “Steve Veres, a trustee since 2011, said the projects covered under the current proposal target precise needs. Students’ learning experiences will be boosted by improving aging buildings, including campus health centers and student unions, he said.”
NO ON LA: “Knock LA Recommendation: NO. The Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Community College District are seeking approval of a new bond to upgrade campus facilities. However, a similar $3.3 billion construction bond program approved by voters in 2016 has faced repeated accusations of corruption and fraud, including recent accusations related to a new theater at LA Valley College, which is four years behind schedule. The Board of Trustees of LACCD needs to root out the fraud, waste, and corruption for good before asking voters for any more money.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
SUPERIOR COURT
OFFICE NO. 060: ANNA SLOTKY REITANO
We have two great candidates running for this position. Of the two, I prefer Anna Slotky Reitano, but I also very much admire Abby Baron, who admittedly gets a higher ranking from the LA County Bar Association.
ANNA SLOTKY REITANO: “Public Defender Anna Slotky Reitano is a dedicated felony trial attorney with significant experience in the juvenile courts and a deep commitment to ensuring that people suffering from mental illness are treated with dignity and compassion. Reitano is on the Defenders of Justice slate, a group of four progressive women running for judge seats, and endorsed by Ground Game LA.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022)
“Reitano is “Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
ABBY BARON: “Office 60: Abby Baron: Prosecutor Abby Baron has received praise not just from police and crime victims’ advocates but also from defense attorneys, who cite her fairness and desire for a just result rather than a conviction at all costs.”
“Baron is “Well Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
OFFICE NO. 67: ELIZABETH LASHLEY-HAYNES
We have two great candidates running for this position. I actually originally encouraged people to vote for Fernanda Maria Barreto in the primary, because I wanted to see more diversity on the court. But the more I’ve read about Lashley-Haynes, the more I prefer her, even though Barreto gets a higher rating from the LA County Bar Association. Still, I’ve included information about both candidates below, so that you can make your own decision.
ELIZABETH LASHLEY-HAYNES: “Office №067: Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes is a highly experienced and respected public defender. Most recently, Lashley-Haynes has been chosen to lead her office’s Racial Justice Act unit, researching and litigating the application of new laws intended to prevent racial bias in prosecution and sentencing. She’s on the Defenders of Justice slate and endorsed by Ground Game LA.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022)
“Lashley-Haynes is “Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
FERNANDA MARIA BARRETO: “Office No. 67: Fernanda Maria Barreto: Deputy Dist. Atty. Fernanda Maria Barreto is a standout prosecutor, assigned to deal with particularly sensitive cases in the Victim Impact Program, working closely with the alleged victims of domestic abuse, elder abuse, trafficking and child molestation. She also has brief experience in a civil law practice. Importantly, she is respected by defense counsel as well as judges. Running against Barreto is Deputy Public Defender Elizabeth Lashley-Haynes. She has the qualities to be a good judge. Between the two candidates, however, Barreto excels.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-07/judicial-endorsements-los-angeles)
“Barreto is “Well Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
OFFICE NO. 70: HOLLY HANCOCK
Almost everyone on the left seems to agree that Hancock is the better choice, even though her opponent Renee Yolande Chang got a higher ranking from the LA County Bar Association.
“Office №070: Holly L. Hancock: We recommended Holly Hancock when she first ran for judge in 2018, and we recommend her again. As a public defender, Hancock has faced some of the most difficult courtrooms in the county, and headed the office’s efforts to expunge old convictions and assist the formerly incarcerated to reenter society. She held leadership positions with the Association of Flight Attendants Local 12, a form of advocacy that led her to a legal career. She’s on the Defenders of Justice slate and endorsed by Ground Game LA.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-june-primary-election-2022)
“Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Holly Hancock is an experienced and accomplished criminal defense lawyer who had an earlier career as a flight attendant and labor union leader, in which she helped to lead efforts to protect aircraft security after the 9/11 attacks. She has an impressive record of courtroom accomplishment, winning her clients reduced charges or outright acquittals in the majority of her cases.
Her opponent is Deputy Dist. Atty. Renee Yolande Chang. She is a well-regarded trial attorney, but of the two candidates, Hancock is the better choice.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-07/judicial-endorsements-los-angeles)
“Hancock is “Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
“Chang is “Well Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
OFFICE NO. 90: MELISSA LYONS
Almost everyone on the left seems to agree that Lyons is the better choice, and she also happens to get a higher ranking than her opponent from the LA County Bar Association.
“Judge Seat 90: Melissa Lyons. This is a prosecutor-on-prosecutor contest. Melissa Lyons has sought out and earned the endorsement of Democratic Party clubs and labor. Her opponent, Leslie Gutierrez, is endorsed by 11 police unions, including the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs and the LA Police Protective League.”
“Melissa Lyons has been a deputy district attorney for 16 years, most notably in the Sex Crimes Division. Outside the office she has volunteered with the Summer Night Lights Program sponsored by Los Angeles’ Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development.”
“Lyons is “Well Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
“Gutierrez is “Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
OFFICE NO. 118: CAROLYN “JIYOUNG” PARK
It is important to mention here that Park is ranked “Not Qualified” by the the LA County Bar Association. To their credit, the LA Times acknowledges that this may not be a fair assessment of her capabilities. Nevertheless, they have chosen to endorse her opponent, Melissa Hammond, instead.
“Carolyn “Jiyoung” Park has represented public employees in front of disciplinary boards and practices labor and civil rights law. She argues that her “Not Qualified” rating from the Los Angeles County Bar Assn. (as compared with Hammond’s “Well Qualified” rating) is a reflection of the legal establishment’s preference for a status quo dominated by prosecutors and big-firm lawyers, and she makes a point that’s well worth further examination. Bar association ratings aside, Hammond is the better choice.”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-07/judicial-endorsements-los-angeles)
“Carolyn “Jiyoung” Park is a former union staff attorney who has litigated civil rights, labor, and tenant cases, and represented union members in arbitrations and collective bargaining, experience that is sadly lacking on the bench. It’s safe to say that only a tiny fraction of the judges ruling on eviction cases have even once represented a tenant. Park is also a committed local and environmental advocate as the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council liaison to the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance. She would bring real diversity to a bench long dominated by former prosecutors. She’s on the Defenders of Justice slateand endorsed by Ground Game LA.
While the other candidate, Melissa Hammond, has experience as a public defender, she has worked in the district attorney’s office since 2008. She is endorsed by LA County Supervisor Hahn and several police unions.”
“Carolyn “Jiyoung” Park is “Not Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
OFFICE NO. 151: PATRICK HARE
Almost everyone on the left seems to agree that Hare is the better choice, and he also happens to get a higher ranking than his opponent from the LA County Bar Association.
“Office №151: Patrick Hare: Deputy Public Defender Patrick Hare is a highly accomplished criminal defense attorney who enjoys the unusual distinction of being endorsed by dozens of Superior Court judges in a race in which his opponent is a prosecutor. He is widely lauded for his skill, trial experience and integrity..”
(Source: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-07/judicial-endorsements-los-angeles)
“Judge Seat 151: Patrick Hare: Patrick Hare, a deputy public defender with more than three decades of experience, is the clear progressive choice in his race against a career prosecutor.”
(Source: https://knock-la.com/los-angeles-progressive-voter-guide-november-midterm-election-2022/)
“Patrick Hare is “Well Qualified” to be a judge.”
(Source: LA County Bar Association)
VOTE YES ON ALL SUPREME COURT, PRESIDING & ASSOCIATE JUSTICES
CHIEF JUSTICE OF CALIFORNIA (PATRICIA GUERRERO): YES
“Patricia Guererro, appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Supreme Court earlier this year, is a daughter of immigrants and the first Latina on California’s high court. Now, she’s asking voters to add the first Latina chief justice to her long list of accomplishments. A native of the Imperial Valley, Guerrero worked to help pay her way through the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford Law School. She was a federal prosecutor and a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, before serving four years as a local court judge in San Diego County. In 2017, then-Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her to a state appeals court. Guererro’s time on the bench is not marked with any sweeping opinions or rulings, according to a recent analysis by the San Diego Union-Tribune.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/supreme-court/patricia-guerrero/)
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT (GOODWIN LIU): YES
“Associate Justice Goodwin Liu was nominated to the high court in 2011 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, and has won one retention election. Now, he’s up for another term. Liu, a former law professor and associate law school dean at the UC Berkeley School of Law, specializes in constitutional, education law and policy and diversity in the legal profession. Liu once clerked for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In 2011, he was tapped for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, but then-President Barack Obama withdrew Liu’s nomination after Senate Republicans filibustered. According to news reports at the time, many senators took issue with Liu’s 2006 testimony against the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito. Liu said that Alito’s pro-law enforcement record “envisions an America where police may shoot and kill an unarmed boy to stop him from running away with a stolen purse…. This is not the America we know. Nor is it the America we aspire to be.”
A son of Taiwanese immigrants, Liu grew up in Sacramento, where he attended Rio Americano High School. Liu is a graduate of Stanford University, where he earned a degree in biology. He attended Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, and he received his law degree from Yale Law School.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/supreme-court/goodwin-liu/)
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT (MARTIN J. JENKINS): YES
“Martin J. Jenkins was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020. Jenkins is California’s first openly gay high court justice. Jenkins began his legal career as a local prosecutor and went on to work as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and as a corporate attorney. He has been put on the bench by both Democrats and Republicans: President Bill Clinton made him a federal district judge, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him to a state appeals court. A San Francisco native, Jenkins grew up cleaning office buildings and churches with his father. Jenkins graduated from Santa Clara University and the University of San Francisco Law School.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/supreme-court/martin-j-jenkins/)
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT (JOSHUA P. GROBAN): YES
“Joshua P. Groban was sworn onto the bench in early 2019, after being confirmed in December 2018. It was his first time working sitting on the other side of the bench. A native of San Diego and a product of San Diego public schools, Groban graduated from Stanford and Harvard Law. He worked at multiple law firms early in his career, where he specialized in civil litigation, focusing on antitrust, internal investigations and intellectual property. He later joined former Gov. Jerry Brown’s administration, advising the governor on more than 600 judicial appointments and on high-profile litigation and policy issues. Brown appointed Groban to the Supreme Court.”
(Source: https://calmatters.org/california-voter-guide-2022/supreme-court/joshua-groban/)
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION ONE (FRANCES ROTHSCHILD): YES
“Frances Rothschild is running for re-election for the 2nd District Division 1 judge of the California Court of Appeal… She was appointed to the court by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on February 10, 2005, and took her oath of office on April 4, 2005. She was retained in 2006. On June 28, 2014, she was appointed presiding justice of Division One, and was confirmed by the California Commission on Judicial Appointments in July. She successfully ran for retention in 2014.”
(Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Frances_Rothschild)
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION FIVE (LAURENCE D. RUBIN): YES
“Laurence D. Rubin was confirmed as the Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Five, in December 2018. He served as an Associate Justice in Division Eight beginning October 2001. Prior to his appointment, Presiding Justice Rubin was a trial judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court and Santa Monica Municipal Court for 19 years, handling felony, misdemeanor, and civil trials. While a trial court judge, he sat on assignment with the Court of Appeal in 1985, 1992, 1995, and 2000.
During his 32 years on the trial and appellate courts, Justice Rubin has been active in a number of judicial activities. Since 2005, he has been a member of the California Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on the Code of Judicial Ethics. The Committee advises the Supreme Court on ethics matters and on amendments to the Code of Judicial Ethics. Effective January 2013, the Supreme Court amended the Code in a comprehensive manner based on recommendations of its Advisory Committee. Justice Rubin has also chaired the California Judges Association’s Committee on Judicial Ethics and served as the Association’s Vice President in 1996. For seven years, Justice Rubin was a member of the Judicial Council’s Trial Court Coordination Advisory Committee. The work of the Committee eventually produced a series of recommendations that led to the passage of an amendment to the California Constitution and companion legislation that unified the state’s trial courts, resulting in significant savings of financial and judicial resources.
Justice Rubin has long been active in judicial and legal education, teaching ethics, technology, and appellate practice to various associations of judges and attorneys throughout the state. He has served as a mock trial judge and taught legal classes at UCLA and USC, and was President of the UCLA Law Alumni Association. He has also participated in a number of community activities during his legal career. Justice Rubin was previously a member of the Beverly Hills and Santa Monica Bar Association Board of Governors, and served as the former’s Barristers (Young Lawyers) President.
Justice Rubin is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, having graduated UCLA as an undergraduate (B.A. 1968) and law school (J.D. 1971). Following law school, he was a law clerk for California Supreme Court Justice Stanley Mosk. He then joined the firm of Kaplan, Livingston Goodwin Berkowitz and Selvin, and later Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp, before his appointment to the bench. Justice Rubin is married to Susan Grinel and is the father of two adult sons.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION EIGHT (MARIA E. STRATTON): YES
“Justice Maria E. Stratton is the Presiding Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Eight. Justice Stratton was born in Santa Monica, California and raised in San Diego, her father’s last duty station in the United States Navy. She graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Southern California and received her law degree from Boalt Hall at the University of California, Berkeley (now Berkeley Law)…
In 2018, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. appointed Justice Stratton as an Associate Justice to the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Eight. She is presently a member of the Judicial Council’s Probate Curriculum Advisory Committee and Appellate Indigent Defense Oversight Advisory Committee and a former member of the Judicial Council’s Task Force for Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues and the Mental Health Issues Implementation Task force.
In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Justice Stratton to be Presiding Justice. After receiving an “exceptionally well qualified” rating from the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation, she was unanimously confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.
Justice Stratton is the recipient of the 2016 Ernestine Stahlhut Award from the Women Lawyer’s Association of Los Angeles, the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Services from the State Bar of California, and the Mort Herbert Service Award from the Los Angeles Criminal Courts Bar Association. During her career as a trial lawyer, she was recognized by the Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of the Top 75 Women Litigators in California and one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in California; by the Los Angeles County Bar Association Criminal Justice Section as Defense Attorney of the Year; and by the Women Lawyer’s Association of Los Angeles as one of the “First Women of L.A. Law.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION TWO (JUDITH M. ASHMANN): YES
“Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst received a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA in 1965. While working as a Deputy Probation Officer, she enrolled in Whittier Law School and graduated magna cum laude in 1972. She began her legal career working for the State Attorney General’s Office in Los Angeles, where she handled women’s rights, civil rights and consumer fraud issues…
She was appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1981, and elected to the Superior Court in 1986. For 18 years, Justice Ashmann-Gerst primarily handled criminal matters in the San Fernando Valley, serving as the Supervising Judge of the North Valley District of the Superior Court. She then transferred downtown, presiding over a fast track civil caseload. She was elevated to the Court of Appeal in December 2001.
Pursuing her interest in judicial education, Justice Ashmann-Gerst has taught ethics and computer use for judges, and has been an instructor at the California Judicial College and the Continuing Judicial Studies Program. She chaired the Judicial Technology Education Committee, and was a long-term member of the Court Technology Advisory Committee. Justice Ashmann-Gerst was appointed to the California Judicial Council in 2011, the policy-making body of the California courts, and serves on its internal committees for Technology and Rules and Projects. She was named San Fernando Valley Bar Association Judge of the Year in 1995; Los Angeles County Bar Association, Criminal Section, Judge of the Year in 1994; and the San Fernando Criminal Courts Bar Judge of the Year for 1990–1991.
Justice Ashmann-Gerst is active in the legal community, including the National Association of Women Judges, California Women Lawyers, and California Judges Association. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers.
Married to attorney Robert J. Gerst, with one son, two stepsons and four grandchildren, Justice Ashmann-Gerst enjoys travel, skiing, and playing golf.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION THREE (LUIS A. LAVIN): YES
“Luis A. Lavin is running for re-election for the 2nd District Division 3 judge of the California Court of Appeal. Lavin filled the vacancy created by the death of Judge Walter Croskey. He was previously a judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County from 2001 to 2015… Lavin received a B.S. from Cornell University and a J.D. from Harvard University.”
(Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Luis_A._Lavin)
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION FOUR (AUDREY B. COLLINS): YES
“Justice Collins was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to the California Court of Appeal in 2014. She received an “exceptionally well qualified” rating from the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation and was unanimously confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments. Justice Collins was appointed by President Clinton as a United States District Court Judge for the Central District of California in 1994. She served as Chief Judge of the Central District from 2009 through September 2012.
Justice Collins was born and raised near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her family had a strong tradition of public service, which inspired her to seek a career in the law. Justice Collins graduated from Howard University, where she was named Woman of the Year and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She subsequently received a Masters of Arts in Government and Public Administration from American University in 1979.
After moving to Los Angeles, Justice Collins worked for two years as the Director of the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund at the University of Southern California. She then attended U.C.L.A. Law School, where she was a member of the U.C.L.A. Law Review and Order of the Coif. During her second summer in law school, Justice Collins clerked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. After serving as a staff attorney for the Los Angeles Legal Aid Foundation, she joined the District Attorney’s Office in 1978. Justice Collins was the first African-American woman to become a Head Deputy, Assistant Bureau Director, and Assistant District Attorney in that office. She was elected President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys in 1984.
Justice Collins received the U.C.L.A. Alumni Association’s Professional Achievement Award in 1997 and was the UCLA Law School Distinguished Alumnae of the year in 2018. She was awarded the Ernestine Stahlhut Award from the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles (WLALA) in 1999. She received the Outstanding Jurist Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) and the Joan Dempsey Klein Distinguished Jurist Award from California Women Lawyers, both in 2012, and was a recipient of Loyola Law School Fidler Institute Award Judge of the Year in 2013. Justice Collins has also received both the Loren Miller Lawyer of the Year and the Bernard Jefferson Justice of the Year awards from the John M. Langston Bar Association. The City of Los Angeles presented Justice Collins with a Hall of Fame award during its African-American Heritage Month celebration in 2016, and she was the 2017 recipient of the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library’s Beacon of Justice Award. In 2019 she was the recipient of the Beverly Hills Bar Association’s Ronald M. George Award for Judicial Excellence.
In 1992, Justice Collins served as a Deputy General Counsel on the Webster-Williams Commission, appointed to investigate the LAPD’s response to the April 1992 civil disorder in Los Angeles. She chaired the LACBA Task Force on the State Criminal Justice System, which recommended improvements within the criminal justice system in the aftermath of the LAPD Rampart investigation, from 2002 through 2003.
Justice Collins has served on the WLALA Board of Governors and the Board of Directors of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. She previously chaired the LACBA Criminal Justice Section and served as a member of LACBA’s Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee of LACBA’s Litigation Section. Justice Collins also served on the State Bar Committee of Bar Examiners, and is a member of the National Association of Women Judges. She is a lifetime member of the WLALA, California Women Lawyers, National Bar Association, Association of African American California Judicial Officers (AAACJO), Langston Bar Association, and Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles.
Justice Collins is married to Timothy Collins, a native of Los Angeles. They have two adult children, both of whom reside in Los Angeles. Justice Collins enjoys spending time with her children, reading, walking and yoga.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION FOUR (BRIAN S. CURREY): YES
“Justice Currey attended the University of California, Davis, which recognized him as the outstanding male graduate, and the University of Virginia Law School, where he served on the Virginia Law Review.
He then spent nearly 30 years litigating complex cases at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where he served in various roles including vice-chair of the litigation department…
In 2014, Governor Brown appointed him as a Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. His assignments included presiding over a misdemeanor trial and calendar court, handling a wide variety of cases as the only civil judge at the Compton Courthouse, and serving as the asbestos Coordination Judge at the Complex Civil Litigation Court. He also served pro tem in Divisions 1 and 3 of the Second District Court of Appeal.
Governor Brown appointed him to the Court of Appeal in December 2018. The Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously confirmed his appointment after the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission bestowed an “exceptionally well qualified” rating.
Justice Currey serves as the sole representative of appellate justices on the Board and Executive Board of the California Judges Association (CJA). He also is the liaison between the CJA board and CJA’s Appellate and Civil committees. Justice Currey is the Chair of the California Civility Task Force, a joint project of CJA and the California Lawyers Association, in cooperation with the State Bar of California. The Task Force’s initial report contains meaningful proposals for improving civility in the practice of law in California and may be viewed at Caljudges.org/Civility. Justice Currey is a member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers’ Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Litigation Section. He also belongs to a number of other professional associations. He speaks and writes on legal issues, and has taught at the USC Gould School of Law.
In his spare time, he likes running, hiking, kayaking, fly-fishing, and enjoying life with family and friends.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION FIVE (LAMAR W. BAKER): YES
“The Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously confirmed Lamar Baker as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District in 2015.
Before his appointment to the bench, Justice Baker served as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Counsel to the President at the White House from 2014 to 2015, where he served as Associate Counsel from 2013 to 2014.
From 2012 to 2013, he served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Policy in Washington, D.C., where he was chief of staff from 2011 to 2012 and senior counsel from 2010 to 2011. During his tenure at the Justice Department, the Attorney General of the United States recognized Justice Baker with the Award for Distinguished Service, the second-highest award given by the Department for employee performance.
From 2005 to 2010, Justice Baker served as a Federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles where he handled public corruption cases and represented the government in criminal appeals. He worked in private practice at the law firm of Strumwasser and Woocher LLP from 2002 to 2005, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Dorothy W. Nelson at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2001 to 2002.
Justice Baker earned his law degree from Yale Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Political Science from Stanford University. He was born and raised in the San Francisco area.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION SIX (HERNALDO J. BALTODANO): YES
“Justice Hernaldo J. Baltodano is an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal. Justice Baltodano was born in Nicaragua, and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 15 months old. At the age of 19, his family received American citizenship. In 1999, Justice Baltodano graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a degree in sociology. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Berkeley Law at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2002.
Justice Baltodano began his legal career as an associate at various law firms in Los Angeles, including Hadsell & Stormer LLP, Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi LLP, and Sanchez & Amador LLP, where he practiced complex employment and class action litigation. He was recognized as Advocate of the Year by Public Counsel in 2009 for his pro bono work on behalf of special needs children. In 2011, Justice Baltodano relocated to San Luis Obispo, where he was a Founding Partner and Senior Litigation Partner at Baltodano & Baltodano LLP until 2017. The firm received the Access to Justice Advocate Award from the San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation for increasing access to justice.
In November 2017, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Justice Baltodano to the Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County, where he served in the criminal and civil departments. As the Supervising Criminal Judge from December 2020 to September 2021, Justice Baltodano was instrumental in creating pre-trial services, mental health diversion treatment, and misdemeanor diversion programs for San Luis Obispo County. Justice Baltodano is an active member of the California Judges Association (“CJA”), having served as a member of the Executive Board, the JetPAC (Judicial, Excellence, Together) Committee, and Vice Chair of the CJA Judicial Elections Committee. In addition, Justice Baltodano is an active member of the California Latino/a Judges Association, serves on Governor Gavin Newsom’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee for the Central Coast Region, regularly judges mock trial competitions for county middle school and high school students, and speaks to students of all ages about the judiciary.
In June 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Justice Baltodano as an Associate Justice to the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, in Division Six. The Commission on Judicial Appointments unanimously confirmed his appointment on August 3, 2022.
Justice Baltodano resides in San Luis Obispo with his wife of nearly 20 years and their two school-age children.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION SEVEN (JOHN L. SEGAL): YES
“Justice Segal has served as an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal since 2015.
In 2000 Justice Segal was appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he served as a trial judge until 2015 and presided over civil and criminal cases. His assignments on the Superior Court included 12 years in unlimited civil individual calendar courts in the Stanley Mosk, Santa Monica, and West Los Angeles courthouses. He also served as a justice pro tem in the Court of Appeal from January 2010 to June 2010, August 2012 to March 2013, and May 2013 to December 2014.
In May 2015 Justice Segal was nominated to the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Seven. The Commission on Judicial Appointments confirmed his nomination in July 2015.
Justice Segal is actively involved in state and local bar associations. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Section of Litigation of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Board of Governors of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, and as an advisor to the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of California. He is participates in the Los Angeles County Bar Association Litigation Trial Practice Inn of Court and the Beverly Hills Bar Association Southern California Business Litigation Inn of Court.
Justice Segal was born and raised in Los Angeles. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from Williams College in 1982, and his law degree from the University of Southern California School of Law in 1987. After law school he served as a law clerk for Judge Robert S. Vance of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from 1987 to 1988. He was an associate from 1988 to 1995, and then a partner from 1995 to 2000, with the law firm of Mitchell, Silberberg and Knupp, where he helped run the Appellate Practice Group.
Justice Segal is married to Chief United States Magistrate Judge Suzanne H. Segal of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. They have two adult children. Justice Segal teaches Remedies at the University of Southern California School of Law, sings tenor in a congregational choir, and plays third base for his softball team.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION EIGHT (JOHN SHEPARD WILEY): YES
“Justice John Shepard Wiley Jr. was appointed to the Superior Court in 2002 and to the Court of Appeal in 2018. He clerked for Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States and for Judge Frank Coffin of the First Circuit. Wiley has published in the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, University of Chicago Law Review, Virginia Law Review, Duke Law Review, Michigan Law Review, Columbia Law Review, and American Economics Review. Wiley was tenured at UCLA Law School, where he won UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and was a visiting professor at Harvard Law School. He was a federal prosecutor.”
PRESIDING JUSTICE, COURT OF APPEAL, 2ND DISTRICT, DIVISION EIGHT (ELIZABETH ANNETTE GRIMES): YES
“Elizabeth A. Grimes is running for re-election for the 2nd District Division 8 judge of the California Court of Appeal. She was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, unanimously confirmed and sworn in on April 5, 2010.[1] Grimes was retained by voters on November 2, 2010… Grimes is a graduate of Stanford Law School and the University of Texas at Austin. She was admitted to practice law in 1980.”
(Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_A._Grimes)
Make sure to vote! Remember, you can vote in person, or mail your ballot, or put it in a ballot drop box by Nov. 8th.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
For more information, as well as additional endorsements (since I wasn’t able to cover every single race), here are some excellent resources:
NATIONAL
Ballotpedia
A non-partisan site that tracks every single election in the U.S., as well as who is funding or endorsing every single candidate and measure on the ballot.
Blue Voter Guide
A blue guide that lets you enter your address anywhere in the U.S. and find the candidates/measures on your ballot, as well as who has endorsed them.
CALIFORNIA
Cal Matters
A blue guide that tracks every single election in California and explains who is funding what, whom and why.
Courage California
A blue guide that provides progressive endorsements for elections in California and tracks who else has endorsed these candidates/measures as well.
Supreme Court of CA
A non-partisan site that provides bios and information about every single justice on the Supreme Court of California.
Voters Edge
A non-partisan site that lets you enter your address anywhere in California and find the candidates/measures on your ballot, as well as who has endorsed them, their personal statements, links to their websites, and more.
LOS ANGELES
Action Cali
A progressive voting guide for Los Angeles that is really well designed and easy to navigate, but does not provide any explanations beyond endorsements.
East Area Progressive Democrats
A progressive voting guide created by an organization in Los Angeles that allows its members to vote on who/what they want to endorse, but does not provide any other explanations for these endorsements.
Knock LA
A progressive news site that provides detailed information and endorsements for everything on the ballot in Los Angeles. I rely on them more when it comes to local candidates and less so when it comes to federal or statewide ones, but I love that they provide enough information for me to make an informed choice.
LA Forward
A progressive voting guide that provides information and endorsements for most of the candidates/measures in Los Angeles. I don't always agree with them, but I love that they provide enough information for me to make an informed choice.
LAist: “How To Vote In Los Angeles For The Nov. 8 General Election”
A news site called LAist that provides non-partisan information for everyone in Los Angeles about how and where to vote, what is on the ballot, and who is funding what, whom and why.
LA Times
The paper of record for Los Angeles. I don't always agree with their endorsements because even though they skew blue, they tend to favor corporate interests more than I’d like. However, I love that they provide enough information for me to make an informed choice.
Los Angeles County Bar Association
A non-partisan organization that evaluates the qualifications of judges, and ranks them as “Exceptionally Well Qualified,” “Well Qualified,” “Qualified,” and “Not Qualified.”
Parents Supporting Teachers
An amazing organization in Los Angeles that advocates for public education and teachers. Their voting guide is really easy to navigate, but does not provide any explanations beyond endorsements.