LaBonge, Garfield Face Runoff in 4th District

After a final tally, the city clerk declared Friday that Tom LaBonge and Beth Garfield were the top vote-getters in Tuesday’s election for the 4th District seat on the Los Angeles City Council. The two will face each other in an Oct. 23 runoff.

After counting 600 provisional ballots not tallied on election night, Deputy City Clerk Arleen Taylor said LaBonge, a former council aide, received 6,873 votes, or 31.96% of the ballots cast, and Garfield, a labor lawyer, got 3,994 votes, or 18.57%.

Former state Sen. David Roberti received 3,769 votes, or 17.53%. Roberti lost to Garfield by just 225 votes but said he would not ask for a recount.

“I’m disappointed,” he said. “It should be an interesting race between Tom LaBonge and Beth Garfield.”

Before leaving for a short vacation, LaBonge issued a statement Friday voicing appreciation for the election outcome.

“I am honored to have received the support from many voters in the 4th District that share my concerns and hopes for all of our families,” LaBonge said.

He also said he was suspending campaigning through the weekend, “in honor and in memory of the fallen heroes, victims and families” of the terrorist attacks in the East.

Garfield predicted a spirited campaign with a good debate on the issues.

Ten candidates competed Tuesday, with most getting a small percentage of the vote. The fourth-place finisher was Fares Wehbe, who got 2,828 votes, or 13.5%.

The runoff will decide who fills the seat held by Councilman John Ferraro for 35 years until his death in April.

The district includes parts of North Hollywood, Studio City, Toluca Lake, the Cahuenga Pass, Windsor Square, Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Koreatown.

LaBonge is a former chief field deputy for Ferraro and was an advisor to ex-Mayor Richard Riordan.

Garfield is a partner in a law firm and a former elected president of the Los Angeles Community College District board.