Wave Staff and Wire Reports
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — For the first time in more than 60 years, the 9th District will be represented by a non-Black council member come December when Councilman Curren Price’s replacement is sworn into office.
Jose Ugarte, a former top deputy to Price, was the leading vote-getter in the June 2 primary to replace his former boss.
Price is nearing the end of his third term and not eligible to seek a fourth term under the city’s term limit requirements.
In the race for the 9th District seat, Ugarte led a field of six candidates with 41.46% of the vote. He needs more than 50% to avoid a November runoff.
Estuardo Mazariegos, co-director of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, was second at 21.82%. Candidates Elmer Roldan, executive director of Communities in Schools of Los Angeles; Martha Sánchez, a professor at Los Angeles Mission College and therapist; and educator and therapist Jorge Hernandez Rosas each received about 10% of the vote.
The district encompasses downtown and South L.A. neighborhoods, including landmarks such as L.A. Live and the Los Angeles Convention Center, Exposition Park, USC, Vermont Square, Central-Alameda and Green Meadows.
Incumbents Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martinez, who represent the 1st and 13th Council Districts, respectively, were facing tough battles for re-election, but both seemed on their way to more than 50% of the vote.
In the 1st District, Hernandez received 52.19%. Maria Lou Calanche, a former member of the Los Angeles Police Commission and founder of the nonprofit Legacy LA, held second place with 17.58%, and Raul Claros, chief executive of UNO Partners, a government relations consulting firm, was in third with 11.42%.
The district stretches from Highland Park to University Park, and covers parts of Mount Washington, Montecito Heights, Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, Solano Canyon, Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown, Koreantown, Westlake, MacArthur Park and Pico-Union.
Soto-Martinez was ahead of his three challengers with 64.32%. Dylan Kendall, founder of Dylan Kendall Home, held second place with 13.52%. Rich Sarian, vice president of downtown’s South Park Social District, was third with 12.71%.
The 13th District encompasses Hollywood, East Hollywood and Silver Lake.
On the westside of L.A., City Councilwoman Traci Park held a substantial early lead over lone challenger Faizah Malik. Park had 65.92% of the vote in District 11, which includes Venice, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Del Mar, Playa Vista, and other coastal neighborhoods.
In the neighboring 5th Council District, City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky also led against two challengers in her bid for re-election to represent neighborhoods such as Bel-Air, Westwood, Palms, Pico-Robertson, Beverly Grove, Miracle Mile, and the Fairfax district, among others.
Yaroslavsky had 67.97% of the vote. She is the daughter-in-law of former 5th District City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who also served on the county Board of Supervisors.
Councilman Tim McOsker, who represents the 15th Council District, held a substantial lead over 22-year-old community organizer Jordan Rivers. The district encompasses Wilmington, San Pedro, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway and Watts.
McOsker had received 77.33% of the vote.
