Special election: Voters cast ballots to fill Nury Martinez's LA city council seat
"I think if there's one thing we need around here it's representation," said one voter.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The election to replace former Los Angeles City Council president Nury Martinez - who represented the city's 6th District - kicked off Tuesday nearly six months after she resigned for making racist comments in a meeting that was secretly recorded and leaked to the public.
"I think if there's one thing we need around here it's representation," said Brian Chilo. He and others visited the polls to cast their ballots in the Valley district that spans from Van Nuys to Panorama City. In total, there are seven candidates hoping to take the open seat.
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"I am looking forward to voting, it did kind of sneak up on me, but I tried doing the research and I'm happy to participate," said Chilo.
Meanwhile, there are changes in another seat after Mark Ridley Thomas was found guilty of bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges. The question is what happens to his city council seat in the 10th District now?
Jasmyne Cannick, who happens to live in the 10th District, said "With that conviction, it cemented the fact that he will not be coming back to city council."
City Council appointed Heather Hutt to serve as interim council member for the 10th District, but some want a special election. A coalition of leaders held a news conference Tuesday, saying they don't want a special election. They feel after months of upheaval, the district needs continuity and a special election would cost $8 million.
They want Hutt to stay until the regular 2024 election.
"We are under represented in government," said Lori Condinus with National Action Network LA. "We need her voice, we need her hard work. She's done extraordinary things in six months time."
After the racism scandal, Martinez resigned but Councilman Kevin De León decided to stay.
There was an effort to recall him. The campaign had until last Friday to get about 21,000 signatures, but organizers only received about half.
"We may have lost the battle, but we're still fighting the war," said Paula Adkins, who acknowledges the recall failed but she and other organizers plan to fight De León in the courts. They are currently going through his public documents.
"We have a team of people kind of weeding through it. Going through it's good and bad and I think that this is a small part of it," said Adkins.
If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the special election in the 6th District, there will be a runoff in June with the top two finishers.
