With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Tuesday Is The Last Day To Vote In The Special Election To Replace LA Councilmember Nury Martinez
Topline:
Tuesday is the last day to vote in the special election to replace former L.A. City Councilmember Nury Martinez, who resigned after being heard on secret audio recordings making racist, homophobic, and anti-Indigenous remarks. City Council District 6 stretches nearly 20 miles from Sun Valley west to Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley.
Why it matters: There are only 15 seats on the council. Each member represents more than 260,000 people and wields enormous power over issues such as land development, street services, and how to deal with homelessness in their respective districts.
Who’s running: Seven people are on the ballot. There also are four write-in candidates. If no candidate wins a majority of votes, the top two finishers will face each other in a June runoff. You can learn everything you need to know about all the candidates in our comprehensive voter guide.
How to vote: Each registered voter should have received a mail-in ballot by now. It must be postmarked by the end of Election Day April 4 and received within seven days to count. You also may vote in-person at a vote center. We’ve got everything you need to know about how to vote here.
The backstory: Martinez was the powerful city council president when she resigned in disgrace last October. She was heard on the audio recordings talking to Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin De Leon, and Ron Herrera, the head of the L.A. County Federation of Labor. Cedillo lost his reelection bid. De Leon is still a councilmember, despite calls for him to resign. Herrera resigned.
Go deeper:
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.
-
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
-
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight.
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious.
-
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress.
-
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.