Voter Turnout In Culver City Increases With Election Cycle Switch

CULVER CITY, CA — Average voter turnout tripled in 35 cities in Los Angeles County, including Culver City, following a 2015 state law that mandated local elections be moved to days of national or state elections if a city's voter turnout was 25% or lower than the previous four statewide elections, according to a study released Monday.

The report, released by the nonprofit California Common Cause, examined elections between 2012 and 2020, finding that 54 California cities that moved from off-cycle elections in 2016, 2018 and 2020 had significant voter turnout increases.

The voter data in Los Angeles County showed significant gains in voter turnout.

After making the switch and synchronizing city, state and federal elections, registered voter turnout increased by 57.6% in Culver City, according to the report.

For other nearby cities in Los Angeles County, registered voter turnout increased by:

• 60.4% in Agoura Hills
• 42.2% in Artesia
• 46.9% in Baldwin Park
• 40.5% in Bell Gardens
• 62.7% in Bellflower
• 61.8% in Beverly Hills
• 64.6% in Burbank
• 53.5% in Calabasas
• 44.1% in Carson
• 55.4% in Claremont
• 36.7% in Cudahy
• 57% in Diamond Bar
• 45.3% in El Monte
• 43.3% in Hawaiian Gardens
• 53.7% in Hawthorne
• 46.7% in La Puente
• 54.4% in Lawndale
• 49.9% in Lomita
• 47% in Lynwood
• 42.9% in Malibu
• 59.1% in Manhattan Beach
• 49.3% in Montebello
• 61.3% in Palos Verdes Estates
• 54.6% in Pico Rivera
• 59.6% in Rancho Palos Verdes
• 43.6% in Rolling Hills
• 47.4% in San Fernando
• 57.2% in Santa Clarita
• 46.7 in Santa Fe Springs
• 59.1% in Signal Hill
• 56.3% in South El Monte
• 45% in Walnut
• 54.9% in West Hollywood
• 58.1% in Westlake Village

Cities across California and in Los Angeles County that "are home to historically underrepresented communities saw a dramatic increase in voter turnout when they switched from off-cycle election to an on-cycle election," according to the report by authors Alvin Valverde Meneses and Eric Spencer with the nonprofit that seeks to expand democratic participation.

“One of the greatest barometers for civic engagement in American politics is voter turnout,” said Valverde Meneses. “When it comes to turnout, timing is everything.”

Pico Rivera, Diamond Bar and San Fernando previously had local turnout rates under 16%, but each had a substantial increase in voter turnout after the cities switched to on-cycle elections.

On average, California cities' previous elections had 25.54% registered voter turnout during off-cycle elections. After the switch, registered voter turnout increased to about 75.81%, according to Common Cause.

"There are other variables that may play a role in voter participation in California elections, including changes in voter registration, laws, competitive races and demographic changes," according to the report. "Although other variables could impact voter turnout, the raw data from these 54 cities indicates a dramatic increase in voter turnout in municipal elections when those elections are moved from off-cycle to on-cycle."

Based on their findings, California Common Cause recommends that cities move to on-cycle elections.

"Greater turnout makes for a stronger democracy," the report stated.

- City News Service and Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.