It's election day in Los Angeles, and registered voters will hit the polls to choose their favorites in races for mayor, city council, city attorney, city controller.
Voters will also decide the fate of two propositions — one of which would raise the city sales tax to 9.5 percent and another that would allow Department of General Services officers to shift their pensions to the police and firefighter retirement systems, if they join those departments.
Seats on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education are also on the ballot, as are openings on the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees.
In the mayor's race, polls show Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel to be the frontrunners, with businessman Kevin James running third and Councilwoman Jan Perry fourth.
If the top vote-getter in any of the races for city offices falls short of a majority, the top two leaders will face each other in a runoff on May 21.
Eight city council seats—more than half of the city's 15-member lawmaking body—are also up for grabs. Voters in the eight districts from the Westside to the San Fernando Valley will choose representatives from candidate fields as small as two and as large as 12.
Voters will also choose their preference for city attorney from a field consisting of the incumbent, Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich; former Assemblyman Mike Feuer; prosecutor Greg Smith; and attorney Noel Weiss.
Voters will also decide on a new city controller. The candidates include business owner Jeff Bornstein, businessman Cary Brazeman, student and labor organizer Ankur Patel, efficiency commissioner and businessman Ron Galperin; Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, and disability advocate/teacher Analilia Joya.
There are two propositions on the ballot. Proposition A would hike the half-cent sales tax in the city to 9.5 percent, raising $216 million for city coffers. Proposition B would allow police who are transferred from the Department of General Service, where duties include guarding the civic center and city facilities like zoos, to the police department to move their pension funds.
Seats are also open on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education and the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees.
Be sure to return to Patch Tuesday night for live coverage and live results of the races.
The polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To look up your polling place and find a sample ballot, visit the city clerk's website. You may also call (888) 873-1000 or (213) 978-0444.
— This article was compiled with information from City News Service.
