By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — City Councilwoman Gloria Gray was defeated in her reelection bid Nov. 3 in the West Basin Municipal Water District.
Gray had managed to run for the seat, without opposition for more than a decade, but this year she faced two challengers and was defeated by Tyron Turner.
The most recent election results published to the county’s website show Turner with 41% of the vote, followed by Gray follows with 36% and Carol Raines-Brown with 23%.
More than 2,600 votes separate Turner and Gray and Turner has declared victory over the longtime incumbent.
“I’m grateful, humbled, and honestly a little emotional,” Turner said. “I’m proud to announce our victory in the race for West Basin Municipal Water District, Division 2.
“When I decided to run, I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I was going up against the political establishment, powerful people and relationships that had been in place for years. Some people didn’t think I had a chance. But I believed in myself, and more importantly, I believed in the people of our communities.
“This journey came with long days, late nights, sacrifices and disappointments,” Turner added. “There were moments that tested me, but I never gave up. To my family, friends, supporters, and everyone who encouraged me along the way, thank you!”
Turner was supported by former county Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke, former Assemblywoman Autumn Burke, Inglewood Mayor James Butts and a host of other elected officials and community members.
He campaigned on a platform of: providing clean and safe drinking water for families, affordable water rates and securing the water supply so future generations never run dry.
Once she was elected to the City Council in March 2022 runoff, Gray faced scrutiny for holding two seats which have been ruled to be incompatible. Despite warnings from West Basin’s general counsel about Gray potentially breaking the law by holding two incompatible seats, Gray had declined multiple calls for her to step down from the seat.
That resulted in a quo warranto application being filed with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, by Inglewood resident Daniel Bookman and Conner Everts of the Southern California Watershed Alliance, seeking permission to sue her to remove her from the West Basin seat.
Bonta published his opinion Oct. 7, granting the pair permission to file the “quo warranto” lawsuit.
“The proposed lawsuit meets all three of the attorney general’s criteria to grant leave to sue: it is correctly brought through the quo warranto process, it raises a significant legal issue warranting judicial resolution, and such resolution would serve the public interest,” Bonta said in the opinion.
“An attorney general opinion published in 2002 concludes that two offices just like those in question — membership on a city council and a municipal water district — are incompatible,” Bonta said. “Given a city council’s power to obtain water for its constituents and a water board’s power to supply that water, the opinion reasons that a person serving in both offices could face divided loyalties from being on opposite sides of water-supply transactions.”
Gray didn’t show for two scheduled court hearings on the matter.
Although Turner called on Gray to step down after the lawsuit was announced, he states this victory isn’t about “getting even”.
“This victory isn’t about getting even with anyone,” he said. “It’s about moving forward, bringing people together, and doing the work our communities deserve. I’m proud of what we accomplished, but I know the real work is just beginning.”
Turner will be sworn in after the Nov. 3 election results are certified by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
State law requires the Los Angeles County Registrar and Recorder’s Office to complete and certify election results within 30 days.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
