April Elections Seen as Way for Torrance to Boost Turnout

Suppose they gave an election and nobody came.

That was not quite the case on Tuesday in Torrance, but it was close. Only 15% of the city’s registered voters went to the polls.

It cost all Torrance taxpayers at least $105,000 to hold the election.

That amounts to $10.36 for each of the 10,133 votes cast.

The high cost and low turnout upset city election officials. They suggested that moving the election from March to April--when most other cities vote--could sharply reduce the cost and possibly boost the turnout.

Torrance City Clerk Donald Wilson favors such a change. “I can’t see any good reason why the election shouldn’t be held in April,” he said. “Frankly, I don’t see any justification for the additional expense.”

Deputy City Clerk Dora Hong was more blunt about changing the date. “It would be significantly cheaper,” she said. “Obviously, it is a lot more expensive to do it ourselves.”

Lower Costs for April Date

Hong said Torrance could save money on ballots, voting machines and equipment, consulting fees and computer expenses if the election were held in April as in most cities. Certain services would be provided by the county in April, and other costs would be lower because they would be shared with municipalities.

Torrance was the only city in Los Angeles County to hold a City Council election this week, although Redondo Beach held a special election to fill a vacant council seat. More than 60 of the county’s 85 cities will hold elections April 12.

“This just seems to be very inefficient,” Hong said.

Like other election workers who labored long hours on Tuesday, she is dismayed by the lack of voter interest in the election.

“I think it’s a terrible turnout. When you consider only 15% of the people really care enough to get out there and vote, it’s terrible,” Hong said. “It’s really a shame.”

Torrance held its city elections in April until 1974, when voters approved a charter amendment changing the date to March.

Before the change, voter turnout ranged from a high point of 39.6% in April, 1970, to a low of 19.7% in April, 1974.

After hitting a high point of 24.1% in March 1976, immediately after the change, voter turnout has been on a slide, reaching 20% only once in the past 10 years.

Mayor Katy Geissert, who was not up for reelection this week, called it unfortunate that 85% of the voters stayed away from the polls.

“They’ve totally given away the right to influence decisions,” Geissert said, blaming the low turnout on “a general indifference” on the part of the electorate.

Geissert said she would favor a charter amendment changing election day.

“I like the idea of having the election in April,” she said. “Most cities in the South Bay area have elections in April.”

She said part of the rationale for moving the election to March was to give Torrance council candidates a better chance at receiving newspaper attention since it is the only election in the area. But this year, she noted, the Super Tuesday presidential primaries overwhelmed the local race.

Geissert also noted that a March election allows council candidates to win or lose and then declare their candidacy for the Legislature or other higher office. That could not happen in an April election because the filing deadline is in March.

City Councilman George Nakano, the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s balloting, said he does not believe changing the date of the election will have any impact on voter turnout.

TORRANCE VOTER TURNOUT

All vote totals are for municipal elections.

Date Votes Percent April 1970 23,624 39.6 1972 19,006 29.1 1974 13,735 19.7 March 1976 13,982 24.1 1978 13,296 20.0 1980 7,439 11.8 1982 13,489 19.8 1984 12,266 18.0 1986 9,864 14.0 March 1988 10,133 15.0