LA County Sheriff -- No rec
Based on our analysis, four of the challengers for this position have distinct visions for the district. We recommend that you choose the challenger who best aligns with your values in this race.
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Voting has changed in Los Angeles County this year. The Voter’s Choice Act was enacted in the county to make voting more convenient. Changes include an expanded period of in-person early voting, every registered voter in the county will receive a vote-by-mail ballot, and every registered voter in the county is able to vote in-person at any Vote Center in their county. Also, in-person voters in Los Angeles County will have the opportunity to use the new Ballot Marking Device, a touchscreen with audio features, to mark their ballots. Have questions about the changes to voting in Los Angeles County? Find out how to vote in Los Angeles County.
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Henry Stern
Elect Henry Stern to push Los Angeles County in the right direction for progress.
The Position
Each of the 58 counties in California is governed by a five-person board of supervisors. A board of supervisors has legislative and executive power to manage county services and resources, including courts, jails, public health, and public lands. They also have quasi-judicial powers, which gives them the right to hold hearings, conduct investigations, and make decisions in a manner similar to judicial courts. Laws passed by boards of supervisors are generally called ordinances. Because counties include both incorporated cities, which are administered by their own city councils, and unincorporated areas, which are directly administered by the county, ordinances may or may not apply in different areas of the county. Supervisors are typically limited to 3 terms, or 12 years in office total.
The District
Los Angeles is California’s most populous county. Los Angeles County’s board of supervisors oversees the needs of 10 million people and manages an estimated budget of $36.2 billion annually. According to the County Charter, Los Angeles County is governed by a five-member board of supervisors, a county assessor, a district attorney, and a sheriff. District 3 includes the areas of Universal City, West Los Angeles, Santa Monica Mountains North Area, Westhills, Franklin Canyon, and Malibu Coastal Zone.
The Race
There are six candidates running for this seat, including State Senator Henry Stern, State Senator Robert Hertzberg, West Hollywood City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath, Craig Brill, Jeffi Girgenti, and Roxanne Beckford Hoge. Sen. Stern’s campaign has raised $60,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, real estate, police, or corporate PAC interests. Sen. Hertzberg’s campaign has raised over $150,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, real estate, police, or corporate PAC interests. Horvath’s campaign has raised over $40,000 and is not funded by fossil fuel, real estate, police, or corporate PAC interests. The campaigns for Brill, Girgenti, and Hoge have raised insignificant funds.
The Recommendation
Henry Stern, an attorney and a state senator, was raised in Los Angeles. According to campaign materials, Sen. Stern is running for election to bring his state government experience to the real-time crises of homelessness and public safety facing Los Angeles County residents. In 2016, Sen. Stern won his first election for State Senate District 27 by 12 points over Republican Steve Fazio.
Sen. Stern started his career as a high school teacher and a juvenile-justice investigator, which inspired him to pursue his law degree at UC-Berkeley. He served as an attorney on Capitol Hill before pursuing civil rights and environmental law back in California. He is a longtime supporter of environmental protections, and has received annual recognition from Sierra Club and California Environmental Justice Alliance for his work in the legislature.
As a legislator, Sen. Stern’s priorities for SD-27 this year have included 46 bills about environmental protections, homelessness and housing, and education. Of these, one has been chaptered into law, ten have died, and the majority of the others remain in committee. He currently serves on four committees, and is chair of the Natural Resources and Water Committee, and chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management. He scores a Lifetime CS of 81 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Sen. Stern has supported some progressive bills that made it to a vote. That said, he failed to vote to codify California’s carbon neutrality goal.
Henry Stern is endorsed by many progressive groups in the district, including LA League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, and United Teachers of Los Angeles. He is also endorsed by many local elected officials, including State Senator Maria Elena Durazo and State Senator Connie Leyva. Based on our analysis, Stern’s track record and policy positions demonstrate that he will be a progressive champion for the constituents of Los Angeles County and will govern effectively in the best interest of this diverse district.
Measure HH: Local Fire Prevention and Open Space by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority - YES
Vote YES on Measure HH to establish a ten-year special tax of $68 per year on developed parcels within the district, in order to drive approximately $1,940,000 toward fire prevention.
Measure HH asks voters to approve a flat-rate parcel tax of $68 on developed land in the Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Hills, directing approximately $1,940,000 toward much-needed fire-prevention measures. This work will be carried out by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), which does not receive permanent ongoing funding from local or state taxes. Unimproved parcels are exempt from the tax, as are families earning at or below 50 percent of the median family income for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale areas. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Metro Fair Market Rents Areas are also exempt from the tax, ensuring that only those who can afford it are asked to pay.
Why voting YES on Measure HH matters:
- While climate change and record temperatures have lengthened and strengthened fire seasons, brush clearing can reduce the ease with which fires spread.
- In addition to improving brush-clearing efforts, the funds raised by Measure HH will be used to address water quality, park ranger safety, and the acquisition of additional land to be protected against development.
- Deploy additional park ranger patrols on high fire-risk days
- Improve fire safety around Mulholland Overlooks with additional irrigation and green space
- Additional protection efforts in the region will not only keep human habitants safe, but provide species such as mountain lions and deer with the proper amount of space they need to thrive and ensure that populations do not crash.
Top Funders
- Unfortunately, financial disclosures in regards to Measure HH have not been filed electronically and are not publicly available.
- Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (CLAW) has been vocal in their support of Measure HH.
- No committees were formed in opposition to Measure HH.
Misinformation
There is no prominent misinformation about Measure HH.
Measure RR: School Upgrades and Safety Measure -- YES
Vote YES on Measure RR to authorize $7 billion in bonds to update and modernize public schools within the LAUSD.
Measure RR asks voters in the Los Angeles Unified School District to extend the current property tax rate that was previously authorized by voters. According to the ballot text itself, the rate and the duration of the tax may vary over the term of repayment but is estimated to be approximately $21 per $100,000 of assessed property value through 2055. Measure RR is estimated to generate roughly $330 million annually. This measure requires 55 percent voter approval.
Why voting YES on Measure RR matters:
- Measure RR will fund the desperately needed renovations for upgrading the 70 percent of Los Angeles public schools that were built over 50 years ago.
- By funding upgrades to remove lead paint, asbestos, and water-quality hazards in these schools, Measure RR is expected to create 120,000 jobs. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a steady source of jobs over the next ten years will give a boost to the local Los Angeles economy.
- Measure RR is for technology and school facilities only; no funds will be allocated to employee or administrator salaries and is subject to strict oversight through annual independent performance and financial audits.
- COVID-19 distance-learning has greatly affected children and schools unable to afford the technology required to safely and effectively distance-learn. Measure RR will ensure that all Los Angeles public students will not be left behind in this new era of learning.
Top Funders
The committee created in support of Measure RR “Yes on Measure RR - Committee for Safe, Updated, Modernized Schools” has yet to file any contributions with the Secretary of State’s office. We are unable to provide monetary information until contributions are filed.
Misinformation
There is no prominent misinformation about Measure RR.
Myanna Dellinger
Elect Myanna Dellinger to push Los Angeles County in the right direction.
About the Position
Judges of the California Superior Courts are elected in nonpartisan, county-wide elections to six-year terms.
Klint James Mckay
Klint James Mckay is an Administrative Law Judge based in Los Angeles County.
David Berger
David Berger is a deputy district attorney for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Double rec -- Superior Court Seat No. 80 Berger/McKay
There are two candidates for this seat. Courage California does not have enough information to recommend one over the others in this race and other progressive organizations are split on their endorsements, so we have compiled basic biographical information for your reference. The two candidates for this position have distinct visions for Los Angeles County. Challenger David Berger promises to prioritize juvenile justice reform and drug offender rehabilitation.
David Diamond
David Diamond, a practicing attorney and professor of law is a lifetime resident of Los Angeles County. Diamond graduated from Southwestern Law School, and has over 20 years of experience practicing law.
Scott Yang
Scott Yang, a deputy district attorney for more than 11 years, is originally from Vietnam and settled with his family in Echo Park in 1984.