County Supervisor-elect Mark Ridley-Thomas will formally resign his position as an elected member of the State Senate on Sunday at midnight.
Sen. Ridley-Thomas (D-Culver City) formally communicated his intent to resign on Sunday night in a letter delivered yesterday to the state Senate President, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, and President Pro Tem, Don Perata
A special election to fill his seat is expected to be held on March 3.
Sen. Ridley-Thomas’ pending resignation paves the way for him to take his oath of office at a swearing-in ceremony for the new Supervisor 12 hours later, at high noon on Monday, at the Hall of Records, 500 W. Temple St., downtown.
“My resignation from the California State Senate ends the chapter of my tenure as a legislative leader in our State Capitol,” the senator said, “and it turns the page on a new chapter in my life of public service in local government. I look back fondly on my time in the state Assembly and Senate. I am proud of my accomplishments as a policy-maker. I care deeply about the people I served.
Taking up a Mandate
“I am energized by the challenges that lie ahead. My move to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors comes with a strong voter mandate for change, empowerment and results on important issues, such as health services, public safety, and economic development and jobs.
“This is as invigorating a homecoming as any public official could ever hope for. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for the people of the 2nd District,” he added.
Mr. Ridley-Thomas was elected to the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 4 on a 61 percent-39percent vote with a margin of victory of more than 111,000 votes over L.A. City Council member Bernard C. Parks. The official vote certification is expected by Tuesday.
In his letter of resignation from the state Senate, Mr. Ridley-Thomas formally recommended that Gov. Schwarzenegger – pursuant to state law governing elections to fill vacant legislative seats – schedule a special election to fill his vacant Senate seat on March 3.
Mr. Ridley-Thomas indicated that consolidating the special state legislative election with local elections on March 3 in the city and County of Los Angeles could reduce the projected $1.5 million in local government election costs of administering a separate election solely for the voters of the 26th District.
State law provides Gov. Schwarzenegger with a 14-day deadline from the effective date of a state legislator’s formal resignation to issue a proclamation setting the precise date for a special election too fill a vacant legislative seat.
L.A. County’s 2nd Supervisorial District includes the cities of Culver City, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Carson, Lynwood, Compton and portions of the city of Los Angeles and unincorporated sections of the south and southwest County.
