By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer

December 4 -- Mayor, from its Latin root, maior, means "larger" or "greater." And although a Santa Monica mayor’s powers are widely seen as ceremonial, the post is still a political asset.

Santa Monica mayors still guide council agendas. They still act as diplomats for the City. And, some say, the position may even mean the difference between winning and losing a hotly contested election, such as the one that took place a month ago.

As such, this "greater" among equal ceremonial post is still highly sought after, and, in some years, can trigger serious negotiations among factions within the council.

This is one of those years.

At this Tuesday's City Council meeting, all seven council members will lay down their picks for Santa Monica's next mayor.

With four of the seven council members belonging to Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR), it should be a shoo in for the powerful tenants group that has controlled local politics for most of the past quarter century. But who will be tapped is still up in the air.

"When I was a council member, we often didn't know who would become mayor and were frequently surprised by the outcome," said Dennis Zane, a former mayor and co-founder of SMRR.

Although SMRR does not officially back anyone, Zane’s personal pick for mayor would be Council member Kevin McKeown, who has never held the post in his eight years on the council.

Ken Genser – an 18-year member on the council – said he would vote for McKeown, the top voter-getter in the November 7 race for three open council seats.

"I think Kevin deserves it, and I think the strong support from voters shows that," Genser said.

But given the antagonism between McKeown and fellow SMRR Council member Pam O'Connor, his selection is far from obvious. O'Connor, who could perhaps act as a swing vote on the item, is not saying much.

"I haven't really thought about it much to tell you the truth," O'Connor told The Lookout last week.

Given her past voting history – O’Connor was the swing vote in 2002 that made long-time SMRR opponent Bob Holbrook mayor – anything could happen.

"That was a compromise Pam played a key role in," Zane said.

Asked whether SMRR members had resented O'Connor’s move, Zane responded: "It certainly has been an issue."

Genser, too, said it was something he didn't see coming.

"It came as a complete surprise when she worked something out with the other side," Genser said.

Holbrook would like to see Herb Katz, who has served 14 years on the council over three separate decades without being mayor, picked for the post.

"I think he would be a great mayor, and he hasn't yet had a chance to serve," said Holbrook, who often votes with Katz on such key issues as growth and development.

Bobby Shriver – the only other non-SMRR council member – may follow Holbrooks' lead in selecting Katz, but nothing is certain.

Some political observers are putting their money on SMRR Council member Richard Bloom -- who has already served two years as mayor -- as a compromise choice if McKeown and Katz fail to win the necessary four votes, a likely scenario.

One other rub in the high-stakes vote is the Brown Act, which prohibits a council member from discussing an item with more than two colleagues before a meeting.

Still, many agree that there is usually an unspoken consensus reached before voting time.

How do they know who to vote for without violating the Brown Act?

"You've got to use a lot of intuition and keep your ear to the ground." Genser said.

Come Tuesday, that intuition will come in handy, as the council will once again decide who will be greater among equals.