VOTER’S GUIDE 2022: Los Angeles & California — Primary

Context and recommendations for your ballot.

I know, I know. The 2020 General Election was thirty-five seconds ago. This voting thing really doesn’t stop. This year’s elections aren’t as high-profile. Less money will be spent. Turnout will be lower. It’s harder to stay informed.

That means that your voice matters more. When there’s less attention, destructive legislation and you-must-be-kidding candidates sneak in all too often. Now is the time to remind the government that we don’t hibernate between presidential elections.

A couple quick notes before we walk through the ballot:

• This is a guide to the CA Statewide and Los Angeles County Primary Elections being held on June 7th, 2022. Depending on where you live, your ballot will be slightly different.
• If you’re not registered, you can do so quickly at LAVote.org.
• If you are registered, you’ve received a mail-in ballot. Convenient! You can return it by mail, drop it at a Ballot Box, or vote in person on June 7th. As long as you’re not reading this on June 8th, you’re fine to mail back your ballot. All ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted.
• You can track your ballot at california.ballottrax.net.

Wait — what is this even about? It’s like… May. This is a Primary: an election that narrows down each race to the top two vote-getters regardless of political party affiliation. We’ll have the general election for the races in November… UNLESS a candidate receives more than 50% of votes in this primary. That results in a direct win. No general election needed. Many races will be decided in this primary because of that rule.

Note: this rule applies only to LA City and County races, not State or Federal elections.

Let’s walk through each race. You can also skim the below infographic for an overview of who has my vote in each race:

U.S. Senator: Alex Padilla

This is a slightly weird one: VP Kamala Harris was a Senator when she took on her new gig in January of 2021. Her seat was filled by Alex Padilla, former CA Secretary of State, when he was specially appointed by Governor Newsom. That makes this election a two-parter.

First, you’re voting for a candidate to serve out the remainder of the current term that was originally Harris’ and is now Padilla’s. That term ends soon: January of 2023.

And, you’re also voting for the next term, which does not end soon. It lasts for six more years.

My recommendation is less complicated than all of that: Alex Padilla has been a longtime California politician with a respectable record. He’s focused on immigration and affordable housing. I’m looking forward to seeing what he does with the brief remainder of this term and a full term afterwards. He has my vote in both races.

Mayor, Los Angeles: Karen Bass

This is the hot item on the ballot! As Mayor Eric Garcetti hits his term limit, the mayoral position is up for the taking. Enter: billionaire Rick Caruso. He’s spent $20M+ on his campaign. You’ve seen his ads. He markets himself as a builder of communities and a philanthropist who will combat crime, corruption, and homelessness.

The highlights: Caruso is a real estate developer with a legal background who became fabulously wealthy by developing properties like The Grove and the Palisades Village. He’s served as a commissioner of the LADWP and, notably, the president of the LA Board of Police Commissioners. He’s strolled the spectrum of party affiliations and, as of 2022, is registered as a Democrat.

Let’s be cynical — why not? Caruso stinks of metropolitan politics: hoarding wealth by making spaces used primarily by the city’s richest residents, funneling that money into a glitzy campaign, and promising to save us from crime. His son is a DJ! It’s a parody of LA.

Let’s also be fair: this is a candidate with significant experience in housing and law enforcement. LA’s most pressing issue is the astronomical number of unhoused people. Caruso’s plan for homelessness hits the right notes: expanding shelter beds, developing housing, focusing on mental health and addiction services, auditing current construction projects. It also has a vaguely authoritarian tilt: he plans to call an immediate State of Emergency that grants him additional power and promises to get “City Council politics out of the way.”

Caruso is a palatable, if frustrating, choice. He currently holds a slight lead in polls over his closest competitor, Karen Bass.

Bass is a longtime CA politician who has served in the CA State Assembly, including as Speaker, and is currently in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her district includes Inglewood, Culver City, and the Century City area.

Ultimately, the two candidates share the same priorities. The Bass campaign doesn’t shine as brightly as Caruso and his polished marketing materials, but the candidate herself presents a stronger case. Her experiences in elected office and, beforehand, in community organizing are a stronger fit for Los Angeles: a community that juggles both city and county politics while asking our mayor to work in tandem with one of the nation’s most powerful city councils.

Bass’ plan on homelessness sounds very similar to Caruso’s platform. Its major difference is in posture: promoting collaboration between existing organizations and overlapping political jurisdictions, rather than Caruso’s “Get behind me. I’ve got this.” messaging.

Bass gets my vote because of her experience and fit for the position. The most likely outcome here is that the race will continue in the General Election.

City Attorney, Los Angeles: Faisal M. Gill

Cities get sued a lot. The LA City Attorney is responsible for directing the 500+ lawyers who handle the many suits that LA finds itself involved in, along with setting directives for how to handle misdemeanor crimes and writing laws.

The position is also a stepping stone for higher office: incumbent Mike Feuer doesn’t appear in this race… because he’s running for LA Mayor. This race may attract headlines due to the recent LADWP scandal, which saw high ranking officials in the City Attorney’s Office plead guilty to extortion and bribery. Not good.

The lack of big names or a powerful incumbent makes a run-off in the General Election likely here.

Faisal Gill is a veteran and a civil rights attorney whose campaign messaging is focused on housing rights and police accountability. His background feels well-suited to the challenges of the office and, in this primary, he has my vote. I hope and expect to hear more from him in the run-off.

Controller, Los Angeles: Reid Lidow

Controllers are fancy accountants: they audit the city and prepare financial reports. They’re essential to uncovering wrongdoing and financial mismanagement. Like many of the positions on your ballot, this is also an opportunity for enterprising politicians to slingshot to higher office.

Paul Koretz is the big name in this race. He’s a longtime member of the LA City Council and the West Hollywood City Council. In my experience, he’s been a respectable councilperson and I have no complaints about his performance. He appears to be a by-the-books candidate with a focus on corruption and affordable housing.

Whenever I see a race with a heavy favorite, especially one who isn’t particularly inspiring, I try to look for a candidate that could force a run-off and help us learn more about them. In this race, that’s Reid Lidow: a communications staffer and Executive Officer in Mayor Garcetti’s office. He’s younger and relatively inexperienced, but his background in communications is well-suited to an office that ought to be more transparent with the public. I’d like to see Koretz and Lidow debate their plans in the coming months.

Member of the LA City Council, 5th District: Katy Young Yaroslavsky

The 5th District covers areas in the Westside, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Monica area. Paul Koretz (see: the previous LA Controller election) is the current councilperson and will not seek re-election. Quick reminder that the LA City Council is the most powerful in the nation and these officials hold more influence and represent more people than most mayors. Check out a map of your district and information on all District races here.

All candidates have platforms focused on housing and crime reduction. Sam Yebri is the most recognizable name in this race: he’s a non-profit leader and an attorney. Scott Epstein is also a standout: another non-profit founder and a former member of the Mid City West Neighborhood Council whose focus includes public transit.

My vote will be cast for Katy Young Yaroslavsky, another attorney whose has spent time working on urban planning and environmental policy. She has been endorsed by the LA Times. She wins my vote because of her experience and emphasis on sustainability and her history of navigating both non-profits and city agencies during her work in the LA County Supervisor’s office.

LA Unified School District, Member of the Board (District 4): Nick Melvoin

Disclaimer: I have a close friend who works in Melvoin’s office and she is, unsurprisingly, a strong advocate of his work.

The LAUSD operates independently from the Mayor’s office — an usual system for a large metropolitan city — and holds tremendous power. They manage the school budget and hire the superintendent. The current members are tasked with navigating under enrollment, universal Pre-K, and school security.

Incumbent Nick Melvoin has been a respectable member since 2017 and will have my vote for re-election. If you do not live in District 4, you can learn more about your race from the LAist here.

State Senator, 24th District: Ben Allen

Shoutout to my people in the 24th! This district includes the Highland Park, Elysian Valley, and East Hollywood areas. Not much to be said here: there are no primary challengers for incumbent Democrat Ben Allen.

Member of the State Assembly, 55th District: Isaac G. Bryan

Isaac Bryan is a current member of the State Assembly whose “focus in his professional life has been justice reform.” His challenger, a Republican, is neither compelling nor likely to receive many votes.

As with other regional races, I encourage you to visit the LAist to learn more about the candidates in your race.

U.S. Representative, 30th District: Adam Schiff

You may see some unfamiliar names in this race. That’s because this primary is the first time that we’re voting within our new districts. Fresh districts are drawn every 10 years after the taking of the census. This is a huge, complicated issue that we are… not going to discuss! In CA, an independent redistricting commission creates the new borders and gerrymandering is not rampant.

In my case, I was previously represented by Brad Sherman (D) and will now fall under the area currently represented by Adam Schiff (D). Schiff gained national attention for his rebukes of Donald Trump and his eventual role as the Lead Impeachment Manager in the Senate trial. He’s served on a number of influential committees, including the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committee. He’ll have my vote in this election.

City Charter Amendment BB: YES

This measure would amend the City Charter to allow special preference to be given to locals when awarding contracts. Los Angeles spends millions of dollars on public safety, health, transportation, recreation, and those little carts that people drive around in to give you parking tickets. Much of that work is handled by private businesses who apply for contract work, often through a bidding process.

Currently, the City Charter already provides a preference for “local” businesses. Conducting business in LA is expensive and our government should buy from its citizens. This amendment is on the ballot because “local” is currently defined as the County of Los Angeles or the State of California… but not the City of Los Angeles. This is a weird semantical issue and a YES vote fixes it.

Supervisor, 3rd District: Henry Stern

LA County overlaps with the City of Los Angeles. Here’s a weird and charming map describing the system. Much like the City Council, the County Board of Supervisors is very powerful: five officials administer a budget of almost $40M. Incumbent Sheila Kuehl is not running, which makes this race competitive and important.

The three major candidates are Henry Stern, Bob Hertzberg, and Lindsey Horvath. The first two have served as State Senators and the third is a West Hollywood councilmember. You can watch a an hourlong debate with those candidates here if you are some sort of like-minded freak. In my view, Stern articulates the clearest vision for a Los Angeles that focuses on affordable housing, common-sense fire management, and encourages the development of natural spaces. These three candidates are generally aligned in their priorities and, in a perfect world, I’d like to see Stern and Horvath compete in the General Election.

Sheriff, LA County: Robert Luna

The LA County Sheriff is in charge of the largest sheriff’s department in the United States: 16,000+ employees that serve as police officers and security guards, manage jails, and work in forensics. The Sheriff is perhaps the single most important person in Los Angeles when it comes to policing homelessness and mental health.

Incumbent Alex Villanueva appears on the ballot. His record over the past four years is marred by inadequate internal oversight, aggressive policing of homeless encampments, and a strange sensitivity to criticism. He doesn’t have my vote. Polling current has Villanueva as the favorite in this race.

Robert Luna, who touts himself as the lone candidate without connections to the existing sheriff’s department, will have my vote. Luna is the former Long Beach Chief of Police, the second largest department in the county. His focus is on reducing crime, ending the homelessness-incarceration pipeline, and restoring trust in the department following the scandals of the last four years. He has been endorsed by the LA Times and represents the best chance at forcing a runoff.

Assessor: Jeffrey Prang

The Assessor is tasked with determining the value of property in LA, which has a direct implication on the taxes paid for both commercial and residential buildings.

Jeffrey Prang, the current Assessor is running for re-election, and is heavily favored to win. His office faces an ongoing lawsuit that challenges whether favorable assessments were given to owners who had political connections. Mike Campbell, a Deputy Assessor, represents the strongest potential challenge. He says that he plans to ensure fair treatment of all property owners. Unfortunately, he’s short on specifics. Prang receives my vote on the strength of his direct experience and, save for a handful of questionable issues, his sound management of the office.

Governor: Gavin Newsom

Gov. Gavin Newsom has had a difficult first term: a failed recall effort, middling approval ratings, and a COVID-related scandal. Despite that, he remains a reliable candidate with significant experience and clear priorities. He continues to have my trust and, in this primary, he has my vote.

Lieutenant Governor: Eleni Kounalakis

Incumbent Eleni Kounalakis is seeking her second term as Gov. Newsom’s second-in-command. The Lt. Governor role itself is not a very meaningful position… but you can bet that Kounalakis will be making a run for Governor afterwards. She is the daughter of a wealthy real estate developer, who funded her first race, and she previously served as the ambassador to Hungary after helping fundraise for President Obama. Smells like cash in here.

Notably, Kounalakis was the first woman to sign a bill into law in California when Gov. Newsom was on vacation. In this race, there are no meaningful challengers. This position probably doesn’t need to exist; Kounalakis gets my vote by default.

Secretary of State: Shirley Weber

The Secretary of State is responsible for administering elections across California and managing the many related lawsuits. Alex Padilla, currently a U.S. Senator, held this position before being appointed to his shiny new gig by Gov. Newsom. Dr. Shirley Weber, a former Assemblymember, was appointed to backfill the role and is now running for re-election.

Weber’s doing a great job and we don’t mess with success. She should keep her position.

Controller, CA: Lanhee Chen

The State Controller is an accountant on steroids: they’re responsible for managing the state’s payroll and auditing other agencies. In practice, they have a voice when it comes to how the state spends its money by bringing attention to poor fiscal policy. Incumbent Betty Yee has reached her term limit and this race appears to be quite competitive.

A very interesting wrinkle here: Dr. Lanhee Chen, a public policy researcher and professor, is attracting significant attention… and he’s a Republican! He was policy director for Mitt Romney, for crying out loud! This is California. We’re generally not in the habit of voting for Republicans, but Chen may be a worthwhile exception for two reasons:

(1) His bona fides speak for themselves. He served on President Obama’s Social Security Advisory Board and has significant experience advising on public policy. He’s endorsed by Republicans — obviously — along with the LA Times.

(2) The Controller is a check on government spending. The office doesn’t pass laws or roll back budgets. Whether Chen agrees with the Democrat-led government doesn’t matter. They are a watchdog that evaluates and reports to the public on how our money is spent. I don’t have an issue with a conservative voice here. It may even be for the best.

LA City Controller Ron Galperin, State Senator Steve Glazer, and Board of Equalization Member Malia M. Cohen are the most compelling other candidates. They’re all Democrats and respectable candidates who I believe would do a good job. I want to see their views come into conversation with Chen’s less-typical background in the General Election. For that reason, Chen has my vote.

Treasurer, CA: Jack Guerrero

The State Treasurer is tasked with monitoring expenditure of public works projects and managing the state’s massive investment portfolio. Send the office your hottest new crypto tokens and we may all be living in luxury soon enough.

Incumbent Fiona Ma faced a number of scandals in her first term including giving favorable treatment to a campaign donor, misusing taxpayer money for travel expenses, and sexually harassing a staffer. Very disappointing. Her top challenger is Republican Andrew Do… who also has allegations of financial misconduct. Ugh.

The other candidates are not exactly standouts: Jack Guerrero, a former Mayor of his small CA town, and Meghann Adams, a member of the Peace & Freedom party.

Guerrero gets my begrudging vote here, if only to avoid voting for the disappointing frontrunner. Does his website have a list titled ‘Great Works of Influence’ that starts with The Wealth of Nations? Sure does. Life is complicated. We’re all out here trying our best.

Attorney General, CA: Rob Bonta

The State Attorney General is responsible for directing 4,000+ employees and ensuring that the state’s laws are adequately enforced. In practice, they play a role is setting the legal agenda: where to focus prosecutorial resources, how to handle emerging issues like internet regulation, and navigating longtime challenges like gun control.

Incumbent Rob Bonta was appointed by Gov. Newsom in 2021. He’s a Democrat who focuses on gun violence, consumer protections, and healthcare. Importantly, he’s also been quick to use his office’s power to enforce housing laws: stopping communities from skirting their responsibilities with dubious legal arguments.

There are two challengers of note here: Anne Marie Schubert, an independent District Attorney, and Nathan Hochman, a former U.S. Assistant Attorney General. They are both painting themselves as tougher on crime than Bonta. Neither presents a sufficiently compelling case that they’re a better alternative.

A weird twist here: Bonta supporters are running ads for Republican candidates, who they see as easier to beat in a General Election than the more moderate Schubert. Tricky!

Insurance Commissioner: Marc Levine

The Insurance Commissioner leads the Department of Insurance and tries to protect consumers from predatory practices by insurance companies. They’re capable of rejecting rate increases and investigating fraud. Incumbent Ricardo Lara has attracted negative attention for accepting donations from the insurance industry. State Assembly member Marc Levine is the most likely challenger to sake Lara’s seat.

Levine’s point of emphasis is requiring insurers to cover homeowners who live in areas with significant fire risks. He also supports increasing transparency from insurance companies, particularly when it comes to their investments in fossil fuels. For his focus on at-risk Californians and the environment, he has my vote.

Member, State Board of Equalization (3rd District): Tony Vazquez

What is the ‘State Board of Equalization’? Not much! It’s a weak organization whose purpose is to to oversee the many county assessors. They were so bad at their job that Governor Jerry Brown stripped them of most powers in 2017. They stink.

Incumbent Tony Vazquez will win re-election. I encourage you to write-in a silly little name, if the mood strikes you.

Superintendent of Public Instruction: Marco Amaral

The Superintendent of Public Instruction leads the state’s school system and the 6M+ schoolchildren who rely on it during their most formative years.

Incumbent Tony Thurmond faces a soft challenge from Marco Amaral, a school board president in the South Bay. His emphasis is on students with disabilities and ensuring that underprivileged communities receive the educational resources that they deserve. He promises a minimum annual salary of $70K for all teachers.

Thurmond is outspending his opponents by a comical margin: 25x the size of any other candidate’s budget. Despite a tumultuous pandemic and heavy obstacles facing our school system, Thurmond is also brimming with endorsements from Democrats. I hope that Thurmond will face an opponent in the General Election and feel the pressure to be more communicative with parents. Amaral has my vote.

Okay, time for the judges! Cut yourself some slack here: it’s famously hard to make an informed decision on these races. You can find a list of the LA Times recommendations for all trial judges here and the LA County Bar Association’s ratings here. My thoughts, based mostly on those two sources, are below:

Judge of the Superior Court, №3: Sherilyn Peace Garnett

Weird one. Garnett is a current judge… who won’t be filling this position. She’s been appointed to a federal court. However, if she wins this race outright (>50% of the vote) then the governor will fill this seat. If not, there will be a runoff between the two other candidates for the position. Neither of them is compelling.

Judge of the Superior Court, №60: Abby Baron

Abby Baron and Sharon Ransom share the highest rating in this race, but Baron receives my vote based on the breadth of her endorsements.

Judge of the Superior Court, №67: Ryan Dibble

Fernanda Marisa Barreto and Ryan Dibble are the two standouts here. On the strength of his community service and experience in the DA’s Office, Dibble has my vote.

Judge of the Superior Court, №70: Holly Hancock

Renee Yolande Chang enters this race with a higher rating from the Bar Association, but lacks the impressive list of endorsements that Hancock has gathered from newspapers, organizations, and current officials.

Judge of the Superior Court, №90: Melissa Lyons

Melissa Lyons and Kevin Thomas McGurk are the two most highly qualified candidates here: Lyons is a Deputy DA and McGurk is a Deputy Public Defender. On the strength of her trial experience and community service, the LA Times gives Lyons their endorsement.

Judge of the Superior Court, №116: David Gelfound

Gelfound is rated as ‘Exceptionally Well Qualified’ by the Bar Association and his opponent is only rated as ‘Qualified.’

Judge of the Superior Court, №118: Melissa Hammond

Hammond is a Deputy DA and former public defender with an LA Times endorsement and a strong rating from the Bar Association.

Judge of the Superior Court, №151: Patrick Hare

Hare has the highest rating by the Bar Association among the four candidates listed.

Judge of the Superior Court, №156: Carol Elswick

Compared to her opponent’s rating of ‘Not Qualified,’ Elswick comes out miles ahead with her ultimate Bar Association label of… ‘Qualified.’

That’s it! Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram (@alecwinshel) or via my website with any questions or thoughts. This stuff is designed to be boring in order to keep us from caring: thank you for taking the time to carefully consider your choices. You rock, bud.