[img]2808|right|Frances Talbot-White||no_popup[/img]With the renovation of the Julian Dixon Library having begun at last, I have reserved the Crafts Room at the Senior Center on Tuesday for an 11 o’clock meeting of the Culver City Unit of the League of Women Voters.
Many people believe that “nonpartisan political activity” is an oxymoron. It isn't. All the elective positions in Culver City (municipal and School District) are (theoretically) nonpartisan, as are all elective municipal and school district positions in the state. Political parties may endorse candidates in these elections, but that should not mean that the candidates are supposed to act on behalf of their parties when elected.
This year we face a Los Angeles Community College District election on March 3, and a Culver City Unified School District election in November.
Next year we face a City Council election in April, as well as the state and national elections in June and November.
With only six or eight active members in the Culver City Unit, we would have a hard time conducting a candidate forum for the School Board or City Council elections. But I personally believe that Culver City deserves its own LWV Unit.
Unfortunately, I have publicly implied that a person cannot support a candidate in any election and still be an active member of the League of Women Voters. This is simply not true, and I hereby apologize.
What I have meant, and should have stated explicitly, is that LWV does not allow anyone who supports or opposes a particular candidate to appear in public or “on camera” at a candidate forum in which that candidate is involved.
Needless to say, there are “off camera” tasks that anyone may perform. Only Local League presidents and Voter Service Directors (as well as SmartVoter.org volunteers), are restricted from endorsing candidates. The First Amendment has not been repealed.
On March 3, you are going to be expected to vote for LACCD trustees you've probably never heard of — unless you've visited www.SmartVoter.org). Click on http://smartvoter.org/2015/03/03/ca/la/school.html and page down past the LAUSD candidates. The good news here is that LACCD has decided not to have a May runoff. The person with the most votes for each seat will be declared the winner.
The City of Los Angeles has two very provocative ballot measures: Charter Amendments 1 and 2, proposing to consolidate their strange March and May election cycle with the county, state, and national elections in June and November of even-numbered years. If they can do that, maybe we in Culver City can vote for our City Council and School Board on the same day, whether in April of the even-numbered years, November of the odd-numbered years, or some other date. I think it will be very informative to consider the pros and cons of L.A. charter amendments in the light of Culver City issues (low turnout, expense, etc.).
The March 3 ballot measures will be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting. Park free across the street at Vets. I may be contacted at talbwhite@smartvoer.org or 310.397.4970.
BTW, neither Charter Amendments 1 nor. 2 will pass unless they both pass. And so the League’s “Pros & Cons” cover both in one document (see the right-hand column at http://smartvoter.org/2015/03/03/ca/la/meas/1/ and http://smartvoter.org/2015/03/03/ca/la/meas/2/
