By 2UrbanGirls
Contributing Writer
COMPTON — With less than a week to vote in the city’s municipal election, only 3,216 ballots have been returned to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s office, officials said this week.
That’s about a 6% turnout.
Three City Council incumbents are seeking new four-year terms and one councilwoman is seeking to replace outgoing Mayor Aja Brown, who declined to seek a third term.
The posts of city attorney, city clerk and city treasurer also are up for election.
Alita Godwin has worked in the city clerk’s office since the age of 18 and was mentored and trained by former City Clerk Charles Davis, who is the longest serving elected official in the city’s 100-plus year history.
“She has the experience needed to run the office, worked for me for 21 years, and is committed to always putting the community first,” said Davis who is steadfast in his support of Godwin.
Godwin believes she is the right candidate to continue serving Compton residents with the same integrity and tenacity she has done for the last 38 years.
“The city clerk plays a pivotal role to the stability of city government and the credibility of a city clerk is essential to the functions of the City Clerk’s Office,” Godwin said. “I have over 38 years of government experience. The credible core values of a city clerk are trust, character, integrity and competence, which I have demonstrated over the past 17 years as the city clerk.”
Godwin also points to her taking outside education courses to obtain certification as a master’s municipal clerk to increase her skills to perform her duties.
Godwin is facing community activist Lynn Boone.
Godwin isn’t the only incumbent who previously served as a city employee, prior to her election.
Tana McCoy previously worked with the city’s elected officials as their liaison and after retirement, was appointed to represent Council District 3 after the 2016 resignation of former Councilwoman Yvonne Arceneaux.
McCoy has demonstrated she puts the needs of her constituents first and became involved supporting a local nonprofit to re-establish the Woodlawn Cemetery after it fell into disrepair under the care of its registered owners.
Assemblyman Mike Gipson has supported McCoy and the city’s efforts to work towards making One Section At A Time, the official caregiver of the nearly 11-acre property.
“During my tenure, I have voted in favor of $5.9 million of infrastructure improvements, business development and upcoming housing developments but there is still work to be done,” McCoy said. “I believe that I am on the right track to accomplishing the necessary improvements to improve the quality of life for our community. I will diligently work to complete infrastructure improvements, protect the public’s health and re-open parks and businesses.”
McCoy also points to representing Compton residents with respect, dignity and professionalism during her 40-year career serving them.
McCoy is facing challengers Jonathan Bowers, Tomas Carlos, Jennifer Flores, Harrieth Robinson-Blue and Renard Smith.
Councilwoman Emma Sharif has served residents in Council District 4 since 2015 and won re-election in 2019. She previously served on the Compton school board from 2001-2015.
Sharif is looking to become the next mayor of Compton and believes she has the experience to move the city forward on day one.
“I am the only candidate running who can hit the ground running on day one,” Sharif said. “My experience and training have prepared me for such a time as this. I have served the community as an elected school board member and I am currently in the middle of my second term on the city council,” said Sharif.
She points to a long list of accomplishments that have helped move the city forward under her leadership.
“We have invested $5.9 million in street repairs, approved $45 million in revenue bonds to fund additional street repairs, fought to address homelessness, illegal dumping, graffiti and opened COVID-19 testing sites for Compton residents,” Shariff said. “I also worked with Congresswoman Nanette Barragan to rename the Compton Post Office for the nation’s first African-American Marine Medal of Honor winter, PFC James Anderson Jr.”
Sharif joins a long list of residents seeking to become the city’s next mayor, including James Hayes, Rodney Lister, Christian Reynaga, Lamar Willis, Mike Willie, Janet Ortega, and Elias Acevedo.
Longtime City Treasurer Doug Sanders is running for another term and campaigning on improvements his office was forced to make when his subordinate walked out with close to $4 million of taxpayer funds.
Sanders is facing Compton school board member Satra Zurita and Brandon Mims.
Incumbent City Attorney Damon Brown was the only candidate to qualify for the ballot and embattled City Councilman Isaac Galvan has not responded to numerous interview requests on his re-election.
Galvan is running against former Compton school board member Skyy Fisher, Jace Dawson, Andre Spicer, and Alin Hamade.
Voters have until April 20 to cast their ballot at either the ballot boxes located throughout the city, by U.S. mail or by bringing the ballot to the County Recorder’s office in the city of Norwalk.
2 Urban Girls is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers the Compton and Inglewood areas. She can be reached at 2urbangirls@gmail.com.
