Politics

(Los Angeles Times) Nearly 35 years ago, voters decided that Los Angeles City Hall needed a watchdog, one with the power to investigate illegal campaign donations, potential conflicts of interest and other ethics violations. Now, after a string of corruption scandals, Charter Amendment ER, a measure on the Nov. 5 ballot, would strengthen the Ethics … Read more

Laura Richardson and Michelle Chambers, both Democrats. (Laura Richardson; Daphne Smith) Two Democrats are running in the November election to succeed California state Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) in Senate District 35. Michelle Chambers and Laura Richardson emerged as the top two of eight candidates who ran in March’s all-party primary. Both experienced in public office, … Read more

Sade Elhawary, left, and Efren Martinez, both Democrats. (Brian van der Brug, Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Democratic Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer will be forced out of office this year due to term limits, and for the first time in more than a decade this South Los Angeles district has an open seat. Two … Read more

Sherlett Hendy Newbill and Kahllid Al-Alim. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) The contest for the District 1 seat on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education matches Sherlett Hendy Newbill, an educator with extensive high school experience, against Kahllid Al-Alim, a longtime community activist and parent. The winner will replace George McKenna, … Read more

(Los Angeles Times) The November election will give Los Angeles-area voters the opportunity to enact sweeping changes over who will have access to political power — through the process of how voter districts are shaped. The redesign of L.A. City Council districts through Charter Amendment DD is getting the most attention. But voters also will … Read more

Councilmember Heather Hutt, left, and challenger Grace Yoo. (Mel Melcon, Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) L.A. City Councilmember Heather Hutt is defending her seat in the Nov. 5 election against Grace Yoo, a longtime City Hall critic. Hutt was appointed to represent District 10, which stretches from Koreatown and Mid-City to Leimert Park, … Read more

Dan Chang, left, and board member Scott Schmerelson. (Terence Patrick; Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) The election for a west San Fernando Valley seat on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education pits two-term incumbent Scott Schmerelson, a retired principal, against middle school math teacher Dan Chang, who has served behind the … Read more

The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools complex in Koreatown is an example of a campus built with proceeds from previous Los Angeles Unified School District bonds. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Measure US would provide $9 billion in school construction bonds for the Los Angeles Unified School District. The dollars would pay for … Read more

Democrat Gil Cisneros, left, and Republican Daniel Martinez. (Gil Cisneros campaign; Daniel Martinez campaign ) For the first time in a generation, voters in the San Gabriel Valley will be choosing a new candidate to represent them in Congress, after longtime Democratic Rep. Grace F. Napolitano announced her retirement last summer. The district is a … Read more

Former Republican Assemblymember Suzette Valladares and Democrat Kipp Mueller. (Suzette Valladares campaign; Kipp Mueller campaign) Former Republican Assemblymember Suzette Valladares and Democratic attorney Kipp Mueller are vying for the Santa Clarita Valley’s state Senate seat, one of the most targeted in the November election. Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Saugus), who is terming out and cannot run … Read more