[EL] If it were a World Cup of Democracy....

[David Ely]

There was a run-off for LA County assessor on the Nov 2010 Ballot. Not a race that generated a lot of media attention or public interest.  Participation was 36.4 % within the City of LA.  The last time a LA City mayoral race got that high a turnout was the 2001 runoff between Hahn and Villaraigosa (37.7%).  The 2005 rematch runoff only managed 34%, and last year’s runoff only got 23.3%.

 

I don’t mean to advocate for any particular position here, but I think it is clear that the facts indicate that timing of elections is far more important to participation than local media coverage or interest in particular contests, at least in Los Angeles County. 

 

From: law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu [mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu] On Behalf Of David Ely
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2014 11:41 AM
Cc: Law-election at department-lists.uci.edu
Subject: Re: [EL] If it were a World Cup of Democracy....

 

I have looked at municipal elections in many different jurisdictions, and cities with council and mayoral races consolidated with even year November elections in LA County have had far higher participation in those contests in recent years than LA City has in its municipal elections. For example, Pomona had 3 council races on the Nov 2010 ballot. Contest participation ranged from 36.4% to 48.5%. A municipal ballot measure had 42% participation. Inglewood Mayoral race on the same ballot had 46.8% participation. Countywide turnout in that election was 53.8%. Even Long Beach, which holds its own even year April primary gets better participation for the June runoff which is held concurrently with the Statewide primary (same polling places, different ballots, limited drop-off). In Long Beach Council District 4 in 2012 turnout was 15.5% in April, 21% in June Municipal election and 24.4% in Statewide Primary.

 

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