enewsletter March 2017 Edition, Vol.2 The Office of Los Angeles, City Clerk clerk.lacity.org/elections

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1 enewsletter March 2017 Edition, Vol.2 The Office of Los Angeles, City Clerk clerk.lacity.org/elections

2 enewsletter March 2017 Edition, Vol.2 City Elections At a Glance 02 Student Mock Elections Yield a Real Success Voting Counts! New Language Services Provided for the 2017 Municipal Elections 05 Homeless Outreach 08 Miscellaneous Important Dates and Community Calendar of Events 09 11

3 City Elections at a Glance By Sandra Mendoza On the Ballot On March 7, Angelenos will be going to the polls to elect their Mayor, Controller, City Attorney, and the odd numbered council offices (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15). All eligible voters will also be able to vote for the LA Unified School Districts, offices 2, 4 and 6, as well the LA Community College District seats 2,4 and 6. Additionally, there will be four City ballot measures: Proposition M - Cannabis Regulation After Citizen Input, Taxation and Enforcement. Initiative Ordinance N - Cannabis Activity Permits, Regulation and Taxation. Charter Amendment P - Maximum Term of Harbor Department Leases. Initiative Ordinance S - Building Moratorium; Restrictions on General Plan Amendment; Required Review of General Plan. In order to place a county wide measure before the voters, the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (County) will conduct Special Municipal and Consolidated Elections on March 7, As a result, the City of Los Angeles will consolidate its March 7 Primary Nominating Election with the County s election. The County will be responsible for all election operations including polling place recruitment, poll worker recruitment, ballot recovery and ballot tally. Should any of the City of Los Angeles races go to a runoff, the City will conduct the General Election on May 16, Outreach Efforts For the first time, the Office of the City Clerk, through its L.A. City Votes! Outreach and Education Campaign, is partnering with media organizations. In addition to English media, this effort will aid in amplifying voter reach in the 12 different languages the City services for Angelenos (Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese). The Outreach staff secured 19 media partners, including ethnic media that service their followers via cable, radio and print. Our goal is to reach as many voters as possible with election-related information and have more voters participate in local elections. Community Partners 2

Student Mock Elections Yield a Real Success Virgil Middle School By: Horacio Arroyo In 2016, the Office of the City Clerk introduced a new community education initiative as a part of our expanded

This was designed to expand on the importance of civic engagement, introduce the concept of voting, marking a ballot, casting a vote, as well as conduct mock elections at high schools, middle

In our effort to engage and inform voters of Los Angeles municipal elections, outreach staff has carried out successful outreach activities including college classroom presentations, tabling, voting

4 Student Mock Elections Yield a Real Success Virgil Middle School By: Horacio Arroyo In 2016, the Office of the City Clerk introduced a new community education initiative as a part of our expanded outreach. This was designed to expand on the importance of civic engagement, introduce the concept of voting, marking a ballot, casting a vote, as well as conduct mock elections at high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools in Los Angeles. In our effort to engage and inform voters of Los Angeles municipal elections, outreach staff has carried out successful outreach activities including college classroom presentations, tabling, voting equipment training, etc. Although these activities target the diverse voting-age population here in Los Angeles, they exclude our younger constituents who will soon inherit important civic responsibilities and the future of our City. A large population of students will soon turn 18 and might not be familiar with the concept of voting; or might not have an understanding of registering to vote, using voting equipment, or even the importance of voting. A new student mock elections activity was incorporated to fill this gap and bring Election Day resources to school classrooms, assemblies, and lunch areas throughout several schools in Los Angeles. With strong support from teachers and faculty, our Outreach staff were able to conduct nine mock elections where many of the students and faculty played the role of Election Day poll workers by setting up the mock polling location and equipment. 3 John Muir Middle School

San Fernando High School In the last two months leading up to the November 8, 2016 Presidential Election, the Office of the City Clerk conducted four mock elections at high schools, four at middle

The mock Election Day ballot closely resembled a regular Election Day ballot where students had the opportunity to vote for their next U.S.

5 San Fernando High School In the last two months leading up to the November 8, 2016 Presidential Election, the Office of the City Clerk conducted four mock elections at high schools, four at middle schools, and one at an elementary school. In total, 2,835 students participated and cast ballots. The mock Election Day ballot closely resembled a regular Election Day ballot where students had the opportunity to vote for their next U.S. President, U.S. Senator, and even the City s ballot initiatives (HHH, JJJ, RRR, and SSS). Many of the aspects that define traditional Election Day voting were also found in these mock elections. After the lunch bell rang, many students crowded the election table, eager to receive a ballot. Students signed-up for a mock election ballot, formed lines to cast their ballot, and carefully considered each of their ballot choices. In other instances, students discussed and even debated the issues staff allowed the healthy debates, something that would normally be considered electioneering and therefore, not allowed in a real election. Finally, it was time to cast their ballot by inserting them in the same voting equipment used at the polls. In all instances, students proudly wore their I Voted Sticker around campus and showed it off to their friends. The Office of the City Clerk will continue to coordinate additional mock elections with students of all ages for the 2017 Municipal Elections. If any LAUSD faculty or teachers are interested in scheduling a mock election, please contact the City of Los Angeles, Office of the City Clerk at (213) th Elementary School

New Language Services By: Christine Lee The Office of the City Clerk is excited to announce that the 2017 Primary Nominating Elections will feature language assistance services in a new language:

6 New Language Services By: Christine Lee The Office of the City Clerk is excited to announce that the 2017 Primary Nominating Elections will feature language assistance services in a new language: Khmer (pronounced kʰmaːe). The Census Bureau released an updated list of languages mandated by the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA), adding Khmer to reflect the growing population of Cambodian voters in the Los Angeles region. This year, the City Clerk will translate all election material and provide verbal language assistance in the new language, including the Voter Information Pamphlet, and recruit bilingual poll workers. The addition of the new language is part of the City of Los Angeles ongoing efforts to provide equitable, transparent and accessible municipal elections. Since 1993, the City of Los Angeles has provided election materials and language assistance in six federally mandated languages Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. With the results of the 2010 Census, the Office of the City Clerk with the assistance of the City Attorney and the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk determined that Hindi and Thai should also be added beginning in Additionally, in 2012, the City Council approved a motion to voluntarily add three other languages that weren t covered under Section 203 of the VRA: Armenian, Farsi, and Russian. As of December 5, 2016, Section 203 of the VRA was updated to include Khmer, which will be fully incorporated for the 2017 Municipal Elections.

Provided for the 2017 Municipal Elections The City of Los Angeles now offers translated election material and language assistance in 12 non-english languages to help ensure that the communities in

7 Provided for the 2017 Municipal Elections The City of Los Angeles now offers translated election material and language assistance in 12 non-english languages to help ensure that the communities in Los Angeles have equal access and materials to make informed decisions when they are voting. Should you require assistance in English or Armenian, Chinese Farsi, Hindi, Khmer, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, or Vietnamese, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at (213) between the hours of 8:00 a.m and 5:00 p.m, Monday through Fridays. 6 6

8 Every Vote Counts! By Sandra Mendoza Life in the City can be improved if we, the electorate (voters), participate in higher numbers and show our elected officials that we are active, involved and care about local politics and quality of life issues, and are ready and willing to elect representatives who are responsive. Higher participation reflects community involvement. According to community advocates and frequent voters, elected officials pay more attention to those communities that yield higher voter participation. You may feel that you re too busy to vote because you have places to go and things to do but remember that local elections affect every aspect or your day-to-day life from the roads you travel, to the number of fire fighters assigned to your local fire station. Your vote in local elections can directly impact your local services and is as relevant, if not more, than in national elections. So whether your favorite candidate wins by 30 or 3,000 votes, the results determine the outcome of who your next representative will be. In summary, in elections - every vote counts! Impact on quality of your life Recreation & Parks Street Repairs Public Safety Education (Tuition Ed Programs) Water Power Trash 7

Homeless Outreach By: Horacio Arroyo The City Clerk has conducted homeless outreach to encourage all individuals to exercise their right to participate in their local, municipal elections since 2014.

After starting the project, the Office of the City Clerk was able to help engage over 1,000 homeless individuals.

9 Homeless Outreach By: Horacio Arroyo The City Clerk has conducted homeless outreach to encourage all individuals to exercise their right to participate in their local, municipal elections since Local advocacy organizations have been glad to work with City Clerk staff to assist homeless individuals in this endeavor. After starting the project, the Office of the City Clerk was able to help engage over 1,000 homeless individuals. Following this success in 2014, we continued to expand our partnerships and outreach to reach 275 homeless individuals in For the 2017 Municipal Elections, the City Clerk has launched a wider homeless outreach program. This year, the City Clerk expanded outreach in Downtown Los Angeles, South Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley. Together with partner agencies such as the Union Rescue Mission, The Weingart Center, Midnight Mission, and San Fernando Mission, the City Clerk has held 15 outreach events and engaged almost 1,600 individuals. These outreach efforts also significantly contribute to the Mayor s Implementation of a Comprehensive Homeless Strategy, Executive Directive 16 (signed on April 29, 2016), by helping increase awareness of and access to city services and resources among homeless constituents. The Office of the City Clerk will continue servicing this population as part of its ongoing commitment to fair elections that incorporate the diverse electorate of the City of Los Angeles. If your organization would like to collaborate with the Office of the City Clerk on this Homeless Outreach Program, please contact Horacio Arroyo at (213) or by at horacio.arroyo@lacity.org. 8

10 Miscellaneous The outreach team was introduced to City Council during the January 24 City Council meeting. The City Clerk kicked off the LA City Votes campaign on December 8th, 2016 with a Media Day attended by 10 community based organizations and 19 media outlets. Voters can register or update their voter registration information at: registertovote.ca.gov Media Day 2016 City Council Meeting 2017 Media Partners 9

11 2017 Voter Guides Available The 2017 Outreach Voter Guide is ready and available in English and 12 different languages. The guide has basic information such as deadlines, how to register to vote and other services available. Official Sample Ballot (OSB) Ad The March 7, 2017 OSB ad is available for sharing on social media, with community-based organizations and their stakeholders, and other means that may help amplify our message to voters. These ads are available in English plus in the 12 non-english languages. Find them in our Social Media pages 12 non-english languages are available! 10

Community Calendar of Events and Deadlines The last day to register to vote is February 21, 2017.

12 Community Calendar of Events and Deadlines The last day to register to vote is February 21, Voters may still register at the Los Angeles County Registrar- Recorder/County Clerk s Office and vote in the March 7 Election as Conditional Voters and be processed as provisional voters at designated locations. For more information, visit the LA County website at: lavote.net, call their voter information hotline at: , or to: voterinfo@rrcc.lacounty.gov The City Clerk outreach team is hard at work in the field providing important election information. Find them in your community by viewing our community calendar of events, visit the City Clerk s website: Election Day is TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017! Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. VOTER INFORMATION AND BILINGUAL POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT FEBRUARY Community Calendar of Events Date Location Name Address Time Wednesday, Voter Registration: Susan 3537 Farmdale Ave. 12:15 p.m. to February 1 Dorsey High School Los Angeles, :00 p.m. Friday, 434 S. Vermont Ave. 11:30 a.m. to Friday Prayer ICSC February 3 Los Angeles, :30 p.m. 255 S. Hill St. 9:45 a.m. to Senior Outreach: Angelus Plaza February 6 Los Angeles, :00 p.m. Tuesday, Walt Whitman Constitution 7795 Rosewood Ave. 9:00 a.m. to February 7 School Los Angeles, :00 p.m. Friday, Wilmington Jaycees Foundation 1371 Eubank Ave. 11:20 a.m. to February 7 Senior Center Wilmington, :40 p.m. Wednesday, : San Pedro 1001 W. 15 th St. 8:00 a.m. to February 8 High School San Pedro, :45 p.m. Wednesday, at Little Tokyo 455 E. 3 rd St. 1:30 p.m. to February 8 Towers Los Angeles, :00 p.m. Thursday, : San Pedro 1001 W. 15 th St. 8:00 a.m. to February 9 High School San Pedro, :45 p.m. Friday, One Generation Senior Citizen Victory Blvd. 10:00 a.m. to February 10 Dance Event Reseda, :00 p.m. Friday, : Los Angeles City 855 N. Vermont Ave. 10:30 a.m. to February 10 College Voter Registration Los Angeles, :45 p.m. Friday, People Coordinated Services 5133 S. Crenshaw Blvd. 11:00 a.m. to February 10 Los Angeles, :00 p.m. Saturday, 26 th Annual Lunar New Year Valley Blvd. 10:00 a.m. to February 11 Street Festival Alhambra, :45 p.m. Sunday, 39 th Annual Los Angeles 943 N. Broadway 10:00 a.m. to February 11 Chinatown Firecracker Run Los Angeles, :45 p.m. Sunday, 39 th Annual Los Angeles 943 N. Broadway 7:30 a.m. to February 12 Chinatown Firecracker Run Los Angeles, :00 p.m. Sunday, 750 Santa Anita Ave. 10:00 a.m. to LA TET Festival February 12 South El Monte, :00 p.m Figueroa Pl. 7:00 a.m. to February 13 Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington, :30 p.m W. Imperial Hwy. 7:00 a.m. to February 13 Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles, :00 p.m Overland Ave. 12:00 p.m. to February 13 West Los Angeles College Culver City, :30 p.m. 855 N. Vermont Ave. 8:00 a.m. to February 13 Los Angeles City College Los Angeles, :30 p.m Fulton Ave. 7:00 a.m. to February 13 Los Angeles Valley College Van Nuys, :00 a.m. 400 W. Washington Blvd. 8:00 a.m. to February 13 Los Angeles Trade Tech College Los Angeles, :30 p.m Avenida Cesar Chavez 8:00 a.m. to February 13 East Los Angeles College Monterey Park, :00 p.m. East Los Angeles 2340 Firestone Blvd. 8:00 p.m. to February 13 College South Gate South Gate, :00 p.m. Tuesday, 400 W. Washington Blvd. 7:00 a.m. to February 14 Los Angeles Trade Tech College Los Angeles, :00 a.m. Tuesday, 9000 Overland Ave. 9:30 a.m. to February 14 West Los Angeles College Culver City, :30 p.m. ** EVENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE *** If you would like us to attend your event or festival or would like us to do a Voter Outreach Education *, please contact us (213) (*) Groups of 20 or more attendees are preferred for Voter Education s. Office of the City Clerk 555 Ramirez Street, Space 300 Los Angeles, CA Outreach Hotline: (213) Clerk.lacity.org/elections Community Partners: Type of Event Media Partners: Council District Language / Community Event Host Staff Marlon, Tabling Susan Dorsey High School 10 English Marylyn, Aida Islamic Center of Southern Bilingual Tabling 13 English California Outreach Staff English, Spanish, Angelus Plaza 14 Marlon, Sandy Chinese Mock & Walt Whitman Constitution Field Outreach 5 English School Staff Wilmington Jaycees Tabling 15 English, Spanish Richard, Marlon Foundation Field Outreach LAUSD 15 English & Tabling Staff English, Japanese, Yuka, Evette, Little Tokyo Towers 14 Korean Marlon Field Outreach LAUSD 15 English & Tabling Staff English, Tabling One Generation 3 Arthur, Griselda Armenian LACCD 13 English Marlon, Arthur People Coordinated 8 English Arthur, Jamila Services Senior Center Non-Council English, Chinese, Tabling Pinky Chen Richard District Vietnamese Los Angeles Chinatown Tabling 1 English, Chinese Sandy, Yuka Firecracker Run Committee Los Angeles Chinatown Tabling 1 English, Chinese Sandy, Marlon Firecracker Run Committee Non-Council English, Tabling LA TET Festival Yuka, Richard District Vietnamese LACCD 14 English Marylyn, Sagar LACCD 14 English Griselda, Marki LACCD 5 English Marki, Griselda LACCD 13 English Aikiro, Susana LACCD 2 English Sam, Aida LACCD 9 English Kevin, Cecilia Non-Council Jamila, Evette, LACCD English District Sandy, Hirad Non-Council LACCD English Jamila, Evette District LACCD 9 English Aida, Sagar LACCD 5 English Aida, Sagar 11

13 registertovote.ca.gov For more information on the Los Angeles Votes Committee e-newsletter or upcoming committee meetings, contact Sandra Mendoza, Senior Project Coordinator, at (213) or at EDITORS Holly L. Wolcott Shannon Hoppes Jinny Pak Mayra Puchalski CONTRIBUTORS Sandra Mendoza Horacio Arroyo Christine Lee Graphic Designer Ji Eun Jang The Election Division is committed to increasing awareness of City elections and to increasing voter participation and will continue to enlist partnerships with communities and civic engagement organizations throughout Los Angeles. To invite us to a public event, or for inquiries on joining our L.A. City Votes! Voter Outreach and Education Campaign, contact Horacio Arroyo via at horacio.arroyo@lacity.org or by phone at (213) Ramirez Street, Space 300, Los Angeles, CA (213) (888) POLL WORKER HOTLINE (866) MULTILINGUAL HOTLINE (800) CLERK.LACITY.ORG/ELECTIONS

Background Materials

Background Materials Prepared by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission May 2006 (213) 978-1960 http://ethics.lacity.org preserving the public trust City Ethics Commission Gil Garcetti President Bill Boyarsky