Feuer Unopposed for April 8 Council Election

Mike Feuer, the newest member of the Los Angeles City Council, will have another four years in office because no one has filed papers to challenge him in the April 8 municipal elections.

Elijah Rosenberg, the only other candidate who had filed a declaration of intent to run for the 5th District seat representing the Westside and the San Fernando Valley, failed to return a nominating petition with the signatures required to get his name on the ballot by Monday’s deadline, according to records at the city clerk’s office.

About 30 others who took out papers for various races never brought them back, leaving 63 candidates for mayor, city attorney, controller, eight city council seats, three slots on the Los Angeles Unified School District board and three trusteeships of the Los Angeles Community College District. City officials must still verify the signatures, to make sure they belong to registered voters, before the names get placed on the April ballot.

School board member Victoria Castro is also running unopposed.

Mayor Richard J. Riordan and state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles) will be joined by eight gadflies and perennial candidates in their quest for the city’s top job. Otherwise, the most contested seats are in the two education districts: Eight people are vying for school board’s 4th District slot, and six candidates are in both the 4th District and 6th District community college board races.

Other fields, though, have thinned out.

The open seat on the City Council--representing Brentwood and portions of the Valley--has only five candidates left, down from eight who filed declarations of intent. Councilwomen Laura Chick and Jackie Goldberg each face only one opponent.