Nine Mayoral Candidates Qualify So Far For June 7 Primary Election Ballot

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Real estate agent and former Metro board member Mel Wilson is the latest candidate for mayor of Los Angeles to qualify for the June primary election ballot, the City Clerk's Office announced Thursday.

Wilson joins eight other candidates who already qualified for the ballot. The eight include the five most prominent candidates -- Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, City Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Kevin de León, City Attorney Mike Feuer, real estate developer Rick Caruso -- along with entrepreneur Ramit Varma, self-described business owner John "Jsamuel" Jackson and community activist Gina Viola.

Candidates seeking elected office in Los Angeles had to submit nominating petitions with a sufficient number of signatures Wednesday in order to appear on the ballot.

Each candidate for mayor, city attorney, controller and City Council seats were required to submit petitions with at least 500 valid signatures. Those submitting at least 1,000 valid signatures avoided paying a $300 filing fee.

Mayoral candidates SilentRight CEO Barry "Boenvilla" Boen, businessman Craig Greiwe, lawyer Andrew Kim, self-described businesswoman Juanita Lopez, chiropractor Jemiss Nazar, self-described entrepreneur Douglas Paul Nichols, Echo Park Neighborhood Council member Alex Gruenenfelder Smith, and Chuck Cho -- who did not identify with a title -- have also submitted their petitions, but have not been verified by the City Clerk's Office, as of Thursday afternoon.

Signatures were declared insufficient for the petition submitted by would-be candidates Army veteran and self-described education advocate Austin Dragon and Jesse N. Forte, who identified himself in paperwork as an "astronaut" but whose LinkedIn account indicates that he seasonally participates in simulation tests for a space architecture and engineering firm.

Those who have qualified for the ballot in the city attorney race are Deputy City Attorney Richard Kim; California Democratic Party Treasurer Teddy Kapur; civil rights attorney Faisal M. Gill, who previously served as policy director for the Department of Homeland Security; former radio host and former president of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works Kevin James; federal prosecutor Marina Torres; and financial law attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto.

Deputy City Attorney Sherri Onica Valle Cole submitted her petitions Wednesday but has not yet qualified for the ballot.

Controller candidates who have qualified are City Councilman Paul Koretz; certified public accountant and housing justice advocate Kenneth Mejia; self-described public school teacher J. Carolan O'Gabhann; City Attorney's Office spokesman Rob Wilcox; self-described chief financial officer David Vahedi; and CFO and Assistant Director of the Department of Public Works' Bureau of Street Services Stephanie Clements.

Reid Lidow, a former executive officer to Mayor Eric Garcetti, submitted his petitions on Wednesday but they have not been certified, according to the City Clerk's Office.

Eight of the 15 City Council seats also have elections this year.

Councilman Gil Cedillo is seeking his third term to represent Council District 1 -- which includes Glassell Park, Highland Park, Mount Washington, Westlake, Chinatown and Pico-Union. Cedillo qualified for the ballot, along with his opponent public policy advocate Eunisses Hernandez.

Westlake North Neighborhood Council member Elaine Alaniz, who identified herself as a filmmaker and crisis responder, submitted her petitions Wednesday but has not qualified for the ballot.

Councilman Bob Blumenfield is running for a third term, as well, to represent Council District 3, which includes neighborhoods in the southwest San Fernando Valley, has qualified for the ballot.

Two potential opponents -- businessman and Child Development Institute Board Member Scott Silverstein and businessman Mikhail Anthony Maniyan -- have submitted their petitions but have not qualified for the ballot, according to the City Clerk's Office.

Council District 5 lacks an incumbent this year, because Koretz is termed-out and running for controller. Candidates who have qualified for the ballot as of Thursday were Katy Young Yaroslavsky, former senior environment and arts policy deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and a daughter-in-law of former Supervisor and Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who represented the district from 1975-94; attorney and small business owner Sam Yebri; and UCLA School of Law lecturer Jimmy Biblarz.

Former chair of the Mid City West Neighborhood Council Scott Epstein, community organizer Molly Basler and real estate agent Kristina Irwin submitted their petitions to the City Clerk in time but whether the signatures were sufficient has not been verified.

Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez is seeking a second term in the City Council to represent the 7th District in the northeastern San Fernando Valley. Her opponent community advocate Elisa Avalos qualified for the ballot Thursday, and Pacoima Neighborhood Council member Reuben Garcia submitted a petition to the City Clerk before the deadline but the signatures have not been verified.

Councilman Curren Price is seeking a third term to represent District 9 in South Los Angeles. Education advocate Dulce Vasquez will also appear on the ballot, after submitting a sufficient number of signatures.

Community advocate Adriana Cabrera and self-identified health care worker Miguel Isaias Lemus have filed to run but have not qualified for the ballot.

Council District 11 -- which includes Venice, Pacific Palisades, Mar Vista and other Westside neighborhoods -- has no incumbent, with Mike Bonin opting not to seek a third term.

Civil rights attorney Erin Darling, former adviser to a Board of Education member Allison Holdorff Polhill, attorney and former Board of Public Works President Greg Good and attorney Traci Park all qualified for the ballot.

Former Venice Neighborhood Council member and land use attorney Mike Newhouse, teacher Midsanon "Soni" Lloyd, Venice Neighborhood Council President Jim Murez and self-identified medical delivery driver Mat Smith have also submitted petitions that need to be certified by the City Clerk.

Councilman Mitch O'Farrell is running for a third term to represent District 13, including the neighborhoods of Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park and Atwater Village. Opponents set to appear on the ballot are community organizer Al Corado; Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Stephen Johnson; labor organizer Hugo Soto-Martinez; and Kate Pynoos, former homelessness policy adviser to Councilman Mike Bonin.

Self-identified defense sales representative Carlos Flowers submitted a petition that was deemed insufficient.

Council District 15, which includes San Pedro, Wilmington and Watts, had 10 candidates initially running to replace Councilman Joe Buscaino -- who is running for mayor. Appearing on the ballot in June will be Harbor City Neighborhood Council President Danielle Sandoval and Tim McOsker, businessman and chief of staff for then-Mayor James Hahn.

Businessman and former Port of Los Angeles marketing manager Anthony Santich, educator and community organizer Bryant Odega, self-described youth/senior advocate Mark Anthony Contreras and marketing consultant Rick Thomas have also submitted petitions that need to be certified by the City Clerk.