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| Ballots Set for November Races | |
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By Lookout Staff August 18, 2010 – It is unclear what, if any, difference ballot order makes, but if it gives a candidate an edge, Jerry Rubin could improve his fortunes in his fifth council bid, while Parick Cady, a retired coach and teacher from Malibu, could pick up some additional votes in the School Board race. Ballot order, however, will make no difference in the races for College and Rent boards, since both races are uncontested. While incumbency is widely viewed as an advantage, being at or near the top of the ballot can give a candidate a slight advantage, especially in a hotly contested race, political experts contend. So can being at the bottom of the ballot, according to the late local strategist Steve Alpert. “The best place is the first place; second best is the last place,” Alpert told The Lookout in 2006. “They stand out separate from everything. The worst place is somewhere in the middle. If you’re stuck in the middle, it’s not a good place” Based on a random drawing by the Secretary of State, Rubin will top the City Council ballot in the race for three four-year seats on November 2, followed by newcomer Daniel Cody, a Software Alliance Professional making his first run for local office. Planning Commissioner Ted Winterer, who finished fifth in the 2008 race for four council seats, placed third, followed by incumbent Pam O’Connor. Both Winterer and O’Connor have the backing of Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights (SMRR), the city’s powerful tenants group. Fellow SMRR incumbent Kevin McKeown placed sixth on the ballot, while incumbent Bob Holbrook, who has led SMRR’s opposition since 1990, will be last on the ballot, a position some experts say helps the candidate stand out. In the race for two two-year seats, incumbent Terry O’Day will top the ballot, followed by Rent Board Commissioner Bob Kronovet, a former council candidate who made history when he became the first candidate to win a seat on the 30-year-old board without SMRR’s endorsement. David Ganezer, publisher of The Observer, will appear third on the ballot, followed by incumbent Gleam Davis and Susan Hartley, an employee/tenant attorney who finished sixth behind Winterer in the 2008 race for four council seats. In the race for four seats on the School Board, the three incumbents placed among the last four spots on the ballot – with Barry Snell placing fifth among the eight candidates and Ralph Mechur and Oscar de la Torre placing seventh and last respectively. Jake Wachtel, a producer, placed second on the ballot, followed by Chris Bley, a teacher who fell little more than 1,000 votes from pulling a major upset in the School Board race two years ago, and Laurie Lieberman, an education activist backed by SMMR. Nimish Patel, a Santa Monica small business owner, placed sixth on the ballot. Following are links to the ballots for the following races: City Council School Board College Board Rent Board |
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