Hollywood Voter Guide 2022: What's On The Ballot, Voting, & More

HOLLYWOOD, CA — There is just a day left to vote, and there are more major Los Angeles races on the ballot than voters have seen in years.

For the first time in eight years, there is no incumbent running for mayor in the city, and voters are being asked to decide the pitched battle between Rep. Karen Bass and developer Rick Caruso to lead Los Angeles. There is also a heated battle to take the helm at the nation’s largest sheriff’s department, and for just the second time in a century, Los Angeles County’s incumbent sheriff could go down in defeat. With less than a week left in the race, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva was behind in the polls, trailing challenger Robert Luna, retired Long Beach Police Department Chief.

And reelection isn’t Villanueva’s only challenge this election season. One of two measures on the countywide ballot was born of the sheriff’s term-long conflict with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

If voters approve Measure A, the county charter would be amended to allow the board to remove an elected sheriff from office, which it currently lacks the authority to do.

With the state’s new universal mail-in ballot system, most voters will have already cast their ballots by the time election day dawns.

Click here to track your ballot and make sure it is counted.

In Los Angeles County, the rate of voter registration is high. As of September, it was 84 percent — with 53.5 percent of voters registered as Democrats, 17 percent as Republicans and less than 3 percent as American Independents. In recent elections, voter turnout has been strong.

In the 2020 election, 76 percent of registered voters in Los Angeles cast a ballot, an increase from the 2016 presidential election attributable to the pandemic-era adoption of universal vote-by-mail in California, according to the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office. The vast majority of voters cast their ballots by mail.

In-person voting locations will offer same-day voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance for those who need it.

Through Nov. 8, residents can vote at multiple sites around Los Angeles. Find a polling place near you using this tool.

LOS ANGELES MAYOR’S RACE

She has the big endorsements. He has the big war chest. Both Bass and Caruso are leaning into their strengths in the final days of the Los Angeles mayor’s race.

If the limited polling available holds true, it’s Caruso, the billionaire developer and Republican-turned-Democrat, who carries the momentum.

After losing the primary to Bass by seven points in June, a Southern California News Group poll released Oct. 18 has Caruso leading by 3 percent, essentially a dead heat.

A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times came out Friday, however, with a poll showing, Bass maintaining her slight edge of support among 45 percent of likely voters compared to Caruso, who garnered support from 41 percent of likely voters. About 13 percent of respondents said they remained undecided.

It’s a dramatic turnaround from earlier in the summer when polls had Bass with a double-digit lead.

Caruso, who has campaigned on his business acumen and status as a political outsider, has effectively used his financial advantage to target the voter-rich San Fernando Valley and on ads targeting Hispanic and Asian voters.

Caruso, 63, sits on the board of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and was endorsed by the police union. He has positioned himself as a centrist running against City Hall’s progressive establishment. He blames Bass, 68, and other longtime incumbents for sprawling homeless encampments that have spread into virtually every neighborhood and concerns about unsafe streets.

“Voters know the best way to address homelessness and safety is to have a leader who doesn’t accept the deterioration of our quality of life,” Caruso told the LA Daily News in a statement after the latest poll game out.

However, Pastor Cue Jn-Marie, of Skid Row’s Church Without Walls, laid the blame for the homelessness crisis at the feet of developers such as Caruso.

“Rick Caruso has made his money off of California’s number one crisis, which is the homeless crisis,” he told the paper. “To allow the person who has been basically causing trauma to our communities to be the mayor of the city, I don’t see anything getting done.”

The race largely focused on homelessness, City Hall corruption and crime. More than 40,000 people live in trash-strewn homeless encampments and rusty RVs, and widely publicized smash-and-grab robberies and home invasions have unsettled residents.

Bass, who was on then-President-elect Joe Biden’s shortlist for vice president, would be the second Black person to hold the office as well as the first woman mayor of Los Angeles.

Though Gov. Gavin Newsom notably declined to endorse either Democratic candidate, Bass recently earned an even more influential endorsement from former President Barack Obama.

"I am asking Los Angeles to vote for Karen Bass for mayor," Obama said in a video released by the Bass campaign. "I know Karen, she was with me in supporting my campaign from the beginning, and Karen Bass will deliver results. ... Karen has always been on the right side of the issues we care so deeply about. She has devoted her life to serving her community, from working in the emergency room, to saving California from a budget crisis, to delivering relief during the COVID pandemic as a member of Congress."

Bass, a Democratic congresswoman since 2011, was an early supporter of Obama's 2008 presidential run, campaigning for him in 2007 when she was a member of the state Assembly.

"I am humbled and honored to have the support of President Barack Obama," Bass said."President Obama brought us faith in our government and hope for the future of our country. It is impossible to overstate the impact of his work leading this country for eight scandal-free years advancing social and economic justice had on the nation and the world. That impact became even more obvious when it was followed by four years of corruption and crime emanating from the Oval Office. But we as a country are fighting back. We as a city are fighting back. President Obama's support underscores the contrast in this race and inspires our campaign as we share our plans to solve homelessness and make LA safer and more affordable for everyone during the home stretch."

A community activist, state legislator and congresswoman, Bass has deep roots in the community and ties to both grassroots organizations and the Democratic establishment.

Bass received the endorsement of most state and local Democratic politicians as well as President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Senators Alex Padilla and Bernie Sanders and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa while Caruso has been backed by former Mayor Richard Riordan, business groups including the Los Angeles County Business Federation, and the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

Bass can’t compete with Caruso when it comes to advertisements and paid get-out-the-vote efforts.

With his self-funded campaign, Caruso has been able to outspend Bass 13 to 1 to the tune of $3 million to $4 million a week in the final month of the campaign, the Los Angeles Times reported. His advertising budget is expected to be $53 million, the newspaper reported.

“I’m getting the message out there and it’s an expensive market to get the message out there,” Caruso told KTLA. “But it shows you how much I believe in this city and the future of this city that I would spend that kind of money to get to the people, because we need change and we need it desperately. I’m excited about making that change.”

LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL RACES

In addition to choosing a new mayor, voters will elect new council members in three districts on Tuesday.

In District 5, which stretches from Bel-Air to Hancock Park, Katy Young Yaroslavsky is squaring off against Sam Yebri to replace outgoing City Councilman Paul Koretz. In the June primary, Yebri narrowly avoided defeat when Yaroslavsky garnered almost 49 percent of the vote — just shy of the simple majority she needed to avoid a runoff.

In the Westside’s District 11, another incumbent — Mike Bonin — is stepping down, and Erin Darling and Traci Park are vying to take his place.

It appears to be a tight race. In the June primary, Darling led the pack of crowded contenders with 35 percent of the vote and Park came in a close second with 29 percent of the vote.

In District 15, which stretches from San Pedro through the Harbor Gateway to Watts, incumbent Councilman Joe Buscaino is also stepping down, leaving attorney Tim McOsker and restaurateur Danielle Sandoval, to vie for his spot.

LOS ANGELES BOARD OF SUPERVISES RACE

Los Angeles County voters will elect a new representative to Sheila Kuehl's seat representing the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors 3rd District. The District 3 seat covers a majority of the San Fernando Valley, stretching from Westlake Village and Malibu to Calabasas, West Hills, Porter Ranch, San Fernando, Panorama City and Northridge, while also stretching to West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

State senator Bob Hertzberg and West Hollywood City Council member Lindsey Horvath took the top two spots in June's primary, pushing them forward to Tuesday's election. The two have participated in a number of public forums, which you can watch here:

• How To Watch Tonight's Debate: LA Co. Board Of Supervisors, District 3
• Anti-Mask And Vaccine Protesters Take On Malibu Candidate Forum
• Candidate Forum Before June Primary

Homelessness and public safety were the top issues cited by candidates.

"As a mayor and council member, I have taken action to successfully get 80% of my community's unhoused population off the streets and into housing and services," Horvath wrote in her official candidate statement. "As supervisor, I will get the bureaucracy out of the way, create accountability, and expand partnerships with experts who know how to help people off the streets and into supportive housing."

She also vowed to "prioritize your safety and fight for additional resources to provide care and prevent crime from happening in the first place."

Hertzberg has been in the state Senate since 2014 and previously served in the Assembly, including a stint as Assembly Speaker. He said the Board of Supervisors should have a representative from the San Fernando Valley.

"At the state level, we've sent billions to LA County, but the county has squandered state funding I've worked tirelessly to bring home," he said in his official statement. "Now I'm running for county Supervisor to fix the mess. I will take responsibility for solving emergencies like homelessness, crime, housing, and mental health -- and make sure county government gets the job done."

LOS ANGELES SHERIFF'S RACE

Villanueva's bid for a second term will come to a head Tuesday when he could become the county’s first Sheriff’s candidate to unseat an incumbent only to be unseated by a challenger four years later.

In the June primary, Villanueva and Luna topped the nine-person field of candidates, leading to Tuesday’s runoff.

Over the past century, only one incumbent sheriff in the county has lost a re-election bid. That was four years ago, when Villanueva achieved a stunning upset of Sheriff Jim McDonnell, riding to an election victory with strong backing from reform-minded community groups and Democrats.

But over the past four years, Villanueva's support among those groups has waned as he repeatedly clashed with the Democrat-dominated Board of Supervisors over funding and policy matters, fought back against claims of "deputy gangs" within the agency, defied subpoenas to appear before the Civilian Oversight Commission and refused to enforce the county's COVID-19 vaccination mandate among his deputies and department employees.

He has openly criticized "progressive" policies and politicians, most notably District Attorney George Gascón, and assailed movements to "defund" law enforcement agencies.

Those stances, however, have helped solidify his support among many of those working for him, exemplified by his endorsement by the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.

In a campaign statement, Villanueva's campaign insists he has worked to restore public trust in the sheriff's department, pointing to the rollout of body-worn cameras and boosting minimum requirements for new deputies. The campaign also boasts the agency is "the most diverse in the nation."

"In his next term, Sheriff Villanueva will work to reduce violent crime, compassionately clean up homeless encampments and hold public officials accountable for their actions," according to his campaign.

Speaking to his supporters on the primary election night, Villanueva said he is "focusing on what matters to people -- homelessness and violent crime."

He hasn’t been shy about casting the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as corrupt.

"We're going to keep doing what we're doing, because it's the right thing to do," Villanueva said. "... My job is to keep the community safe. If that means I have to battle the Board of Supervisors, so be it."

Luna argued during the campaign that the sheriff's department is being "mismanaged" by Villanueva and said he will work to restore trust in the agency. He also touted his position as an outsider with no connections to the sheriff's department.

"Growing up in East Los Angeles, patrolled by the sheriff's department, opened my eyes to examples of both good and bad policing, and inspired my 36-year career in law enforcement," Luna said in a candidate statement.

He said he will work to "modernize" the sheriff's department and its jail system and improve the mental well-being of deputies and employees.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY BALLOT MEASURES

Almost as soon as he took office, Villanueva found himself battling with county leaders, rejecting oversight of deputy gangs as well as hiring and firing issues within the department.

After he defied subpoenas seeking his cooperation with the Civilian Oversight Commission and the inspector general’s investigations, the board pursued ways to oust the outspoken Sheriff. Their solution was Measure A.

Measure A would change the county’s charter to enable county supervisors to fire an elected sheriff for cause with a supermajority vote. Four of the five-member board would have to vote that the sheriff is unfit for office.

It Reads:

“Shall the measure amending the County of Los Angeles Charter to grant the Board of Supervisors authority to remove an elected Sheriff from office for cause, including violation of law related to a Sheriff's duties, flagrant or repeated neglect of duties, misappropriation of funds, willful falsification of documents, or obstructing an investigation, by a four-fifths vote of the Board of Supervisors, after written notice and an opportunity to be heard, be adopted?”

Measure C is the other countywide ballot measure. If approved it would impose a tax on cannabis businesses in unincorporated parts of the county, raising $10-$15 million annually. The money would go to the city’s general fund and an effort to promote equal opportunity in the cannabis industry

LOS ANGELES BALLOT MEASURES

Angelenos will vote on three ballot measures this election.

Proposition ULA is the measure getting the most attention. If approved, Proposition ULA would impose a 4 percent tax on the sale or transfer of properties valued at more than $5 million and a 5.5 percent tax on the sale or transfer of properties valued at more than $10 million. The revenue would be used to establish the House LA fund aimed at combating homelessness and expanding affordable housing in the city and providing subsidies for renters. It would raise an estimated $600 million to $1.1 billion annually, according to the city.

Dubbed the “mansion tax,” Proposition ULA also calls for a staffed inspector general’s office to audit the program’s spending. Citing a report for the Center for Jobs & Economy and the California Business Roundtable, the Los Angeles Times estimated that the bulk of the revenue would actually come from the sale of commercial properties and multi-family homes such as apartment buildings.

Supporters of the measure argue that it’s necessary to tackle the intertwined homeless and housing affordability crisis especially if state and federal funding dry up in a looming recession.
Critics contend that it will make building and business more expensive, hurting the local economy.

Also on the ballot is Proposition LH, which would enable the city to build or acquire as many as 5,000 additional units of low-income rental housing in each Council District. There is no tax or new source of funding associated with the measure, it simply raises a cap on public housing set more than a decade ago.

Proposition SP, the final city ballot measure, asks voters to approve an 8.4 cents per square foot tax on residential and commercial buildings. It would raise an estimated $227 million per year for 30 years before the tax drops to 2.2 cents per square foot. The revenue would go toward building and renovating parks, pools, playgrounds, green spaces, beaches, and recreation and childcare facilities.

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT RACES

There are two open seats for the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education.

Rocio Rivas and Maria Brenes both seek to replace incumbent Monica Garcia in District 2, serving the Downtown area east to Boyle Heights and Highland Park.

In the eastern portion of the San Fernando Valley, incumbent school board President Kelly Gonez is facing challenger and Spanish teacher Marvin Rodriguez in District 6.

The Los Angeles Times offers an in-depth look at the challenges facing LAUSD, the stakes and each candidate's positions on everything from school police test scores COVID mandates and the role of charter schools. Click here to read it.

Statewide Races

Millions of Californians will be called back to the ballot boxes this year to decide who will occupy the governor’s seat as well as a slew of other important statewide positions.
Golden Staters will be asked to vote on candidates for:

Governor

Gov. Gavin Newsom is up for re-election in 2022, and he’s likely to sail to another victory with ease after surviving a recall election last year and managing and dominating in the primary election.

Nonetheless, he will face opponent state Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), whom he beat by nearly 40 points in the June primary.

Dahle’s campaign has raised just $2 million, while Newsom’s campaign has raised more than $23 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Newsom leads Dahle by a 27-point margin — 58 to 31 percent — among likely voters, according to a September Public Policy Institute of California survey.

The Democratic governor will debate the lesser-known Dahle on Oct. 23.

READ MORE: Rumors Of Presidential Run Swirl As Newsom Seeks Re-election

Attorney General

Attorney General Rob Bonta was appointed after Xavier Becerra became the first Latino to hold the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services seat.

Bonta, a Democrat and former state lawmaker, will face off against Republican Nathan Hochman, a former assistant U.S. attorney general and a criminal attorney. Hochman says the state needs a new attorney general who will combat rising crime.

Hochman got 18 percent of the vote in the June 7 primary, while Bonta won 54.8 percent.
Insurance Commissioner

Incumbent Democrat Ricardo Lara will run for a second term as insurance commissioner, a seat that is tasked with regulating the state insurance industry. Republican cybersecurity equipment manufacturer Robert Howell will challenge Lara in the general election.

He has described himself as a “Reagan Republican,” who says he’s committed to helping wildfire victims and insurance premiums that are “abusively inflated,” CalMatters reported.

Secretary of State

Incumbent Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, was appointed by Newsom after Alex Padilla ascended to his seat as a senator. She will face Republican Rob Bernosky, who describes himself as a “practical conservative.”

Bernosky, the chief financial officer of a tech company, is a longtime activist and former Hollister school board member. He previously ran for state Assembly in 2010 and in 2012 but was unsuccessful.

If reelected, Weber said she plans to change the state’s recall system after the attempted recall of Newsom last year. Democrats argue that the recall process was abused.

“Very little conversation occurred about: Does this man need to be recalled? Has he done something so egregious that we want to remove him from office?” Weber told CalMatters.

READ MORE: What Would Shirley Weber Do Next As California Secretary Of State?

Controller

The race for controller in a California general election doesn't typically generate much interest, but June’s primary was among the most interesting races statewide. That’s because a Republican, Lanhee Chen, was able to advance. Chen opened the door for a Republican to have a shot at their first statewide office since 2006.

The state’s fiscal officer typically facilitates audits and serves on some 70 state boards and commissions.

In November, Chen will face Malia Cohen, a Democrat and member of the state Board of Equalization. Chen is a Stanford instructor and former top Republican adviser.

READ MORE: Chen Advances To Runoff For CA Controller

State Treasurer

Democratic incumbent Fiona Ma will face Republican Jack Guerrero in November. Guerrero is a certified public accountant serving on the Cudahy City Council in Los Angeles County.

If re-elected, Ma said her priority would be to meet Newsom’s goal of building 3.5 million homes by 2025, she told CalMatters.

Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican Angela Underwood Jacobs, a bank manager who has experience serving as a member of the Lancaster City Council.

Kounalakis is the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor of California and said she wants to ensure a woman succeeds to the governor’s seat in 2026, hinting at a run herself.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Unlike the other statewide races, this competition is a nonpartisan one. In November, Lance Ray Christensen, an education policy executive, will try to unseat incumbent Tony Thurmond.

Propositions

Proposition 1

This measure would codify the rights to abortions and birth control within the California’s constitution. Read more about it here.

Proposition 26

California does not currently allow sports betting, but since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door to legalized sports wagering three years ago, California has become the jackpot for the gambling industry since it has the most professional and college teams in the nation in addition to the largest population and concentration of wealth.

Prop. 26 is a constitutional amendment that would allow it in tribal casinos and racetracks. Read more about it here.

Proposition 27

Prop. 26 seeks to allow it in tribal casinos only and racetracks while Prop. 27 is a constitutional amendment that would allow some tribes and gambling companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings to operate online or mobile sports betting outside of tribal lands.

The dueling propositions present a political cage match between gambling entities battling for control over the future of the billion-dollar sports betting industry in California. Because both propositions are diametrically opposed, the passage of both would likely trigger legal battles. Read more about it here.

Proposition 28

Prop. 28 seeks to set aside funding every year for arts and music education in California’s K-12 public schools. Read more about it here.Proposition 29Prop. 29 would require clinics to have at least one physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant on site when patients are being treated and to report infections related to dialysis treatment. Read more about it here.

Proposition 30

Prop. 30 would increase the tax on personal income above $2 million by 1.75% and dedicate the revenue to zero-emission vehicle subsidies, building charging stations and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, reducing greenhouse gasses and hiring and training firefighters to help combat wildfires. Read more about it here.

Proposition 31

A California law banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in stores and vending machines passed in 2020 but was placed on hold when a referendum initiated by the tobacco industry qualified for the 2022 ballot. Now, the issue is being put to the voters. Proposition 31 essentially asks voters: should the ban go into effect? A yes vote would uphold the ban. A no-vote would kill it. Read more about it here.

Prop 1: California's Abortion Rights Amendment Explained

Prop 26: CA’s Tribal Legalized Sports Betting Measure Explained

Prop 27: CA’s Legalized Online Sports Betting Measure Explained

Prop 28: CA’s K-12 Art and Music Education Initiative Explained

Prop 29: CA’s Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative Explained

Prop 30: CA’s Clean Cars And Clean Air Act Explained

Prop 31: CA’s Flavored Tobacco Ban Referendum Explained

City News Service contributed to this report.