Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson threw his support behind Carolyn Ramsay Monday in the runoff election to choose a successor for termed-out Councilman Tom LaBonge.
Ramsay, LaBonge’s former chief of staff, is “the most experienced and most qualified candidate to help keep Los Angeles moving forward as our next councilwoman,” Wesson said.
“For more than 15 years, she’s been standing up for residents and small businesses in this community and fighting for improvements to streets and sidewalks, increasing open space and helping to make neighborhoods safer,” he said. “Electing Carolyn sends a strong signal to other women who want to be leaders for our neighborhoods that their hard work too can be rewarded and that their experience is needed on our council.”
Ramsay was the top finisher in a field of 14 candidates seeking to replace LaBonge in the March 3 primary election. While she will advance to the May 19 runoff election, it was still unclear who her opponent will be. Unofficial results released early March 4 showed David Ryu — a director at the Kedren Acute Psychiatric Hospital and Community Health Center — in second place with 2,776 votes. But Tomas O’Grady, the director of a nonprofit, was a close third with 2,715 votes.
According to the City Clerk’s Office, there are still 46,412 ballots left to be counted from the race. That tally is ongoing, with updated figures expected to be released Friday. It was unclear how many of the outstanding ballots were from the Fourth Council District.
The district covers a wide swath of the San Fernando Valley, along with parts of Hollywood, Los Feliz and Hancock Park.
Ryu was the sole Asian-American in the 4th District race and would become the only one on the City Council if he is ultimately elected. There has not been an Asian-American council member since Michael Woo served on the council from 1985 to 1993.
Ryu campaigned on a platform of improving communication between the city and residents and says he supports raising the minimum wage and gradually eliminating the gross receipts tax.
O’Grady is the director of the nonprofit organization EnrichLA that works with schools to build edible gardens. He said his priorities include environmental and financial sustainability. He also wants to focus on the issues of development and transportation.
Ramsay is looking to succeed her former boss. She touts 15 years of experience working on issues affecting the district, initially as a journalist and environmental activist, then as a member of LaBonge’s staff for about nine years.
— City News Service