Crowded field for state Assembly vacancy; only two vie for Senate seat

The fields of candidates are set for two special legislative elections to be held on Sept. 17, and it looks like only one of them is likely to require a runoff election.

The elections are being held to fill vacancies created when Democrats Sen. Curren Price and Assemblyman Robert Blumenfield won election to the Los Angeles City Council.

There are only two candidate’s for Price’s 26^th Senate District, Assemblywoman Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) and perennial candidate Mervin Evans, an author/management consultant who is also a Democrat.

That election will increase to 28 the number of Democrats in the state Senate, one more than is needed for a supermajority capable of raising taxes and overriding vetoes.

The race to fill the 45^th Assembly District in the San Fernando Valley features 11 candidates, including seven Democrats and three Republicans.

Democratic candidates are CEO/business owner Elizabeth Badger, council policy analyst Damian Carroll, congressional chief deputy Matt Dababneh, businessman/financial consultant Dennis De Young, councilmember’s staffer Jeff Ebenstein, California government teacher Andra Hoffman and businessman Dan McCrory.

The Republicans in the contest are accountant/political consultant Armineh Chelebian, professional engineer/educator Chris Kolski and author/publisher Susan Shelley. Neighborhood Council President Eric Lewis, who lists no party preference, is also a candidate.

If no candidate receives a majority vote on Sept. 17, a runoff election will be held Nov. 19 with a ballot featuring the two candidates who received the most votes in the primary, regardless of party preference.

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patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com