Will Los Angeles set a new low for voter turnout in today's election?

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Supporter Pedro Carrillo, left, cheers as Council District 6 incumbent Nury Martinez, with daughter Isabelle, enters her headquarters. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Incumbent City Councilman Jose Huizar acknowledges his wife, Richelle Rios, at the election headquarters. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Supporters cheer as City Council District 6 incumbent Nury Martinez, with daughter Isabelle, enters her headquarters in Sun Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Incumbent L.A. City Councilman Jose Huizar thanks his supporters. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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L.A. Unified incumbent Richard Vladovic, right, is greeted by Councilman Joe Buscaino. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times )

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Los Angeles City Council District 6 challenger Cindy Montanez, middle, works the phones with volunteers three hours before the polls close at her headquarters in Van Nuys. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Council District 6 challenger Cindy Montanez, right, hugs her cousin Flor Avendano. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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A lone voter casts his ballot at the First Mexican Baptist Church in Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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People wait in line to vote at the Hermosa Beach Community Center gymnasium. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at the Hermosa Beach Community Center gymnasium. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Election troubleshooter David Franco mans a lonely table overlooked by Hindi deities at the Malibu Hindu Temple polling place in Calabasas. As of 10:30 a.m., only one person had voted. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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No voters were present the first three hours of business for the Los Angeles County Consolidated Election at the Los Angeles County Registrar office in Norwalk. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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An arrow fashioned with painter’s tape on the floor of the fellowship hall at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in West Hills guides voters to voting booths. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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A voter leaves the Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in West Hills after voting. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

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Voters cast their ballots at Sierra Vista Elementary School in El Sereno on Tuesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Poll worker Janice Cummings waits for voters at the Wilshire Vista Manor in Los Angeles, where more than 30 candidates vying for City Council seats in seven races. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

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Jim McShane is the sole voter at the Angels Gate Cultural Center polling place in San Pedro before 7:15 a.m. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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An election worker prepares to greet voters before 7 a.m. at the Angels Gate Cultural Center polling place in San Pedro. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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Jose Huizar and his wife Richelle walk out after casting their votes at Sheridan Street School in Los Angeles Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Gloria Molina, right, greets 99-year-old volunteer poll worker Cayetana Arvizu after casting her ballot at Sierra Vista Elementary School in El Sereno. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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City Council candidate Gloria Molina casts her ballot at Sierra Vista Elementary School in El Sereno. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

By Los Angeles Times staff

March 3, 2015 9:30 AM PT

Just under 21% of registered Los Angeles voters marked ballots in the 2013 primary election, a race that featured an open mayoral seat and several contested city council seats.

Voter turnout has been declining rapidly over the last few decades, and city officials have debated what to do about it.

In a bid to increase turnout, two city charter amendments will ask voters to approve shifting city and school district elections from odd- to even-numbered years so they coincide with state and national races. Backers believe the change will draw more voters, especially those who are young, black or Latino, and reduce the power of special interests. Opponents argue it would actually increase the sway of special interests and force local candidates to raise more money. The measures would also give some elected officials an extra 1½ years in office.

It's an issue that goes beyond the city of L.A.

Los Angeles County is the largest in the nation and has 4.8 million registered voters. But its turnout was the lowest in the state in last November's general election. Statewide turnout of registered voters was 42%, but in Los Angeles County only 31% of registered voters cast ballots. Turnout was particularly low among Latino voters, at only 23%, and Asian and black voters, at 26%, according to a report by the bipartisan firm Political Data Inc.

The number of people eligible to vote — citizens 18 and older — who cast ballots was even lower: 31% statewide and 25% in Los Angeles County.

At a recent state hearing, academic experts and community organizers suggested a number of potential remedies: increase the amount of money the state gives to counties for voter outreach, expand early voting and create dispersed "community voting centers" to replace assigned polling places, do more targeted outreach to ethnic communities and infrequent voters who are often overlooked by political campaigns — and even require people to vote, like Australia.

Will Los Angeles set a new low for voter turnout in today’s election?

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