Pacific Palisades Election: Local Races, Early Voting

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — With the election just a day away, it's time to make a voting plan and study up on local elections.

Come Tuesday, Pacific Palisades voters will elect civil rights attorney Erin Darling or municipal law attorney Traci Park to the Los Angeles City Council District 11. One of the contenders will replace Mike Bonin covering much of the west side and beach cities.

Karen Bass and Rick Caruso fought for the Eric Garcetti's mayoral seat which will be decided Tuesday. Read more about that election here.

As of Oct. 24, 2,110,327 people were registered to vote in Los Angeles. 1,223,664 people were registered Democratic compared to 273,989 registered Republican. Some 480,586 voters were registered without party preference, according to Los Angeles County Registrar data.

Where to Vote

Through Tuesday, residents can vote at multiple sites near Pacific Palisades:

• Rustic Canyon Recreation Center; 601 Latimer Rd; 11/5 - 11/7: 10AM - 7PM11/8: 7AM - 8PM.
• Roosevelt Elementary School; 801 Montana Ave; 11/5 - 11/7: 10AM - 7PM11/8: 7AM - 8PM.
• Palisades Branch Library; 861 Alma Real Dr; 11/5 - 11/7: 10AM - 7PM11/8: 7AM - 8PM.
• Paul Revere Middle School; 1450 Allenford Ave; 11/5 - 11/7: 10AM - 7PM11/8: 7AM - 8PM.

In-person voting locations will offer same-day voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance for those who need it.

Find a polling place near you using this tool.

Ballot Drop Boxes

Every registered voter in California received an election ballot in the mail, and there are plenty of ballot drop boxes throughout the state in which to deposit them.

• Palisades Branch Library; 861 Alma Real Dr.
• Montana Avenue Library; 1704 Montana Ave.
• Donald Bruce Kaufman - Brentwood Branch Library; 11820 San Vicente Blvd.

LA County Elections

Pacific Palisades voters will elect a new representative to Sheila Kuehl's seat representing the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors' 3rd District. The district covers covers much of the San Fernando Valley and communities from Malibu to Hollywood.

State senator Bob Hertzberg and West Hollywood City Council member Lindsey Horvath took the top two spots in June's primary, pushing them forward to Tuesday's election. The two have participated in a number of public forums, which you can watch here:

• How To Watch Tonight's Debate: LA Co. Board Of Supervisors, District 3
• Anti-Mask And Vaccine Protesters Take On Malibu Candidate Forum
• Candidate Forum Before June Primary

Incumbent Alex Villanueva will fight for his spot as Los Angeles County Sheriff, running against Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna. More about that race here.

Voters will weigh in on a ballot measure for county authorities to be able to remove a sheriff and a cannabis business tax. Visit this link for a full list of ballot measures in LA County.

Statewide Races

Millions of Californians will be called back to the ballot boxes this year to decide who will occupy the governor’s seat as well as a slew of other important statewide positions. Golden Staters will be asked to vote on candidates for:

Governor

Gov. Gavin Newsom is up for re-election in 2022, and he’s likely to sail to another victory with ease after surviving a recall election last year and managing and dominating in the primary election.

Nonetheless, he will face opponent state Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), whom he beat by nearly 40 points in the June primary.

Dahle’s campaign has raised just $2 million, while Newsom’s campaign has raised more than $23 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Newsom leads Dahle by a 27-point margin — 58 to 31 percent — among likely voters, according to a September Public Policy Institute of California survey.

READ MORE: Rumors Of Presidential Run Swirl As Newsom Seeks Re-election

Attorney General

Attorney General Rob Bonta was appointed after Xavier Becerra became the first Latino to hold the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services seat.

Bonta, a Democrat and former state lawmaker, will face off against Republican Nathan Hochman, a former assistant U.S. attorney general and a criminal attorney. Hochman says the state needs a new attorney general who will combat rising crime.

Hochman got 18 percent of the vote in the June 7 primary, while Bonta won 54.8 percent.

Insurance Commissioner

Incumbent Democrat Ricardo Lara will run for a second term as insurance commissioner, a seat that is tasked with regulating the state insurance industry. Republican cybersecurity equipment manufacturer Robert Howell will challenge Lara in the general election.

He has described himself as a “Reagan Republican,” who says he’s committed to helping wildfire victims and insurance premiums that are “abusively inflated,” CalMatters reported.

Secretary of State

Incumbent Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, was appointed by Newsom after Alex Padilla ascended to his seat as a senator. She will face Republican Rob Bernosky, who describes himself as a “practical conservative.”

Bernosky, the chief financial officer of a tech company, is a longtime activist and former Hollister school board member. He previously ran for state Assembly in 2010 and in 2012 but was unsuccessful.

If reelected, Weber said she plans to change the state’s recall system after the attempted recall of Newsom last year. Democrats argue that the recall process was abused.

“Very little conversation occurred about: Does this man need to be recalled? Has he done something so egregious that we want to remove him from office?” Weber told CalMatters.

READ MORE: What Would Shirley Weber Do Next As California Secretary Of State?

Controller

The race for controller in a California general election doesn't typically generate much interest, but June’s primary was among the most interesting races statewide. That’s because a Republican, Lanhee Chen, was able to advance. Chen opened the door for a Republican to have a shot at their first statewide office since 2006.

The state’s fiscal officer typically facilitates audits and serves on some 70 state boards and commissions.

In November, Chen will face Malia Cohen, a Democrat and member of the state Board of Equalization. Chen is a Stanford instructor and former top Republican adviser.

READ MORE: Chen Advances To Runoff For CA Controller

State Treasurer

Democratic incumbent Fiona Ma will face Republican Jack Guerrero in November. Guerrero is a certified public accountant serving on the Cudahy City Council in Los Angeles County.

If re-elected, Ma said her priority would be to meet Newsom’s goal of building 3.5 million homes by 2025, she told CalMatters.

Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican Angela Underwood Jacobs, a bank manager who has experience serving as a member of the Lancaster City Council.

Kounalakis is the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor of California and said she wants to ensure a woman succeeds to the governor’s seat in 2026, hinting at a run herself.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Unlike the other statewide races, this competition is a nonpartisan one. In November, Lance Ray Christensen, an education policy executive, will try to unseat incumbent Tony Thurmond.

Propositions

Proposition 1

This measure would codify the rights to abortions and birth control within the California’s constitution. Read more about it here.

Proposition 26

California does not currently allow sports betting, but since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door to legalized sports wagering three years ago, California has become the jackpot for the gambling industry since it has the most professional and college teams in the nation in addition to the largest population and concentration of wealth.

Prop. 26 is a constitutional amendment that would allow it in tribal casinos and racetracks. Read more about it here.

Proposition 27

Prop. 26 seeks to allow it in tribal casinos only and racetracks while Prop. 27 is a constitutional amendment that would allow some tribes and gambling companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings to operate online or mobile sports betting outside of tribal lands.

The dueling propositions present a political cage match between gambling entities battling for control over the future of the billion-dollar sports betting industry in California. Because both propositions are diametrically opposed, the passage of both would likely trigger legal battles. Read more about it here.

Proposition 28

Prop. 28 seeks to set aside funding every year for arts and music education in California’s K-12 public schools. Read more about it here.Proposition 29Prop. 29 would require clinics to have at least one physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant on site when patients are being treated and to report infections related to dialysis treatment. Read more about it here.

Proposition 30

Prop. 30 would increase the tax on personal income above $2 million by 1.75% and dedicate the revenue to zero-emission vehicle subsidies, building charging stations and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, reducing greenhouse gasses and hiring and training firefighters to help combat wildfires. Read more about it here.

Proposition 31

A California law banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in stores and vending machines passed in 2020 but was placed on hold when a referendum initiated by the tobacco industry qualified for the 2022 ballot. Now, the issue is being put to the voters. Proposition 31 essentially asks voters: should the ban go into effect? A yes vote would uphold the ban. A no-vote would kill it. Read more about it here.

Prop 1: California's Abortion Rights Amendment Explained

Prop 26: CA’s Tribal Legalized Sports Betting Measure Explained

Prop 27: CA’s Legalized Online Sports Betting Measure Explained

Prop 28: CA’s K-12 Art and Music Education Initiative Explained

Prop 29: CA’s Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative Explained

Prop 30: CA’s Clean Cars And Clean Air Act Explained

Prop 31: CA’s Flavored Tobacco Ban Referendum Explained