Long-time Challengers Get Luck of the Draw

By Lookout Staff

August 18 -- Challengers in the race for four open City Council seats landed the top three spots on the November 4 ballot, while other local races drew so few candidates that ballot placement likely won’t matter.

Jerry Rubin, who made unsuccessful council bids in 2000 and 2002, will top the crowded council ballot. Although the City Clerk once again rejected Rubin’s request to use “peace activist” as a ballot designation, the moniker will appear as part of his full legal name, Jerry Peace Activist Rubin.

Jonathan Mann, who is running for the ninth time, won the second spot in the Secretary of State’s random drawing, followed by Recreation and Parks Commissioner Ted Winterer.

Winterer, who failed to win the endorsement of Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR) earlier this month, is a staunch supporter of the Residents Initiative to Fight Traffic (RIFT), which would cap most commercial development at 75,000 square feet a year for the next 15 years.

The first incumbent on the ballot is Council member Bobby Shriver, who drew the fourth spot among 13 candidates. Council member Richard Bloom drew the last spot, which is considered one of the best placements on a crowded ballot.

In the race for two open seats on the Rent Control Board, Robert Kronovet, a realtor who is the only non-SMRR candidate, topped the ballot, which will have only three names.

As is the case with the race for Rent Board, the races for School and College Board drew so few candidates ballot order likely will be insignificant.

Following is the November 4 ballot:

City Council

Jerry Peace Activist Rubin
Jon Louis Mann
Ted Winterer
Bobby Shriver
Herbert Silverstein
Susan Hartley
Linda Armstrong
Ken Genser
Herb Katz
Michael Kovac
Linda M. Piera-Ávila
John Blakely
Richard Bloom

Rent Control Board

Robert Kronovet
Joel C. Koury
Christopher Braun

School Board
2-year term

Ralph Mechur

4-year term

Maria Leon-Vazquez
Ben Allen
Jose Escarce
Chris Bley

College Board

Robert Greenstein Rader
Heidi Hoeck
Susan Aminoff
Margaret Quinones-Perez