About the vote count
As you watch these results, keep in mind:
- As of Friday, Nov. 15, L.A. election officials said more than 3.73 million ballots had been returned so far.
- An estimated 79,400 remained to be counted.
- There are more than 5.7 million registered voters in L.A. County
- 2.1 million of those registered votes live in the City of L.A.
Get full results:
Keep in mind that in tight races the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after Election Day. This is normal. Here's why.
In L.A. County, additional results, which includes mail-in votes received on or after Election Day as well as provisional ballots, will be released following this schedule:
Mon, Nov. 18 | Tues, Nov. 19 | Fri, Nov. 22 | Tues, Nov. 26
In California, ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 5 are counted toward the results as long as they arrive within seven days of the election. County election officials must certify the results by Dec. 5, and the California Secretary of State's Office must certify the statewide vote by Dec. 13.
What is at stake in these races
A community college's board of trustees sets the vision and goals for the district.
The Los Angeles Community College District's seven-member elected board is accountable for how money gets spent and for making changes needed to help students succeed; hires and fires the district’s top executive; pushes for new policies; and makes sure community members’ needs are reflected in district priorities.
LACCD is huge. Its boundaries cover 882 square miles, including the city of L.A. and dozens of other incorporated cities, such as Culver City, Montebello, and San Fernando. In 2023-24, the district had a $10.4 billion budget.
The current chancellor, Francisco Rodriguez, recently announced that he will retire this fall, after a decade in the role — and after a vote of no confidence against Rodriguez and the Board of Trustees earlier this year. Recent notable lawsuits against the district include accusations of corruption in building a new performing arts center at Valley College and failure to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The district has also been enmeshed in sexual harassment lawsuits.
Like other community college districts in California, its enrollment fell dramatically during the pandemic, and still hasn’t recovered.
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Scott Schmerelson was unanimously elected Tuesday to lead the LAUSD board after defeating a well-funded challenger in November’s election. -
Nguyen was able to take office weeks early to fill the vacancy caused Do’s resignation. -
Nathan Hochman succeeds George Gascón, known as the godfather of progressive prosecutors.
Why these races mattered
Board members oversee huge district budgets (made up of your tax dollars), which go toward all kinds of projects beyond academics. Think: new buildings, land development, and construction, all of which affect the surrounding community. Community colleges also offer events and other opportunities that are open to the public.
These colleges are a blue-collar educational engine for the region. Students are often the first in their families to pursue higher education, and more than half of them earn an income at or below the poverty line. Roughly three-fourths of LACCD students are people of color. The colleges can also serve as a place to launch a career change or learn another language.
If you think social mobility and an educated workforce are good for the country, then you care about community colleges.
Go deeper on the issues
- What is the LACCD Board of Trustees?
- Leader of L.A.'s community colleges announces early retirement
- Financial aid applications from undocumented California students plunged this year
