Voting slow in 6th District L.A. City Council election
Only a small fraction of the 89,118 eligible voters have turned out so far in Tuesday’s special Los Angeles City Council election in the east San Fernando Valley’s 6th District.
To some, the low turnout comes as no surprise because the stand-alone election -- to replace Councilman Tony Cardenas, now a congressman -- comes just two months after city voters went to the polls to pick a new mayor, controller, city attorney and six new council members.
But even turnout in that May general election was low, as it was in the March primary, when only 16% of registered voters turned out citywide.
Voters in the 6th District will be deciding between Nury Martinez, 40, a former school board member, and Cindy Montañez, 39, an executive with the Department of Water and Power and former state legislator.
Whichever candidate wins will become the only woman on the 15-member City Council.
Tuesday morning, voters seemed to shy away from the polls and some polling places were eerily empty.
Polls opened at 7 a.m. and about five hours later, one poll worker, who declined to give a name because the workers were not authorized to speak to reporters, said, “I’ve been going around precinct to precinct and it’s been very low numbers.”
Only about 36 people had voted at the polling place at the Church on the Way -- and that was combining two precincts, the poll worker said.
When asked if anyone had to wait in line to vote, another poll worker chuckled and said no.
It was unclear whether, or how much, the pace would pick up Tuesday afternoon. Sunny Cho, who works with the office of the City Clerk-Election Division, would say only that election officials “don’t predict voter turnouts.”
Polls will be open utill 8 p.m.
Voters in the district can find their polling place on the city’s website, lacity.org, or by calling (888) 873-1000 or (213) 978-0444.
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