It’s Election Season!
It’s election season! I know, I know, we just had one but the Mayor vetoed the City Council’s vote to align our elections with the State. Now we are one of the only cities with an off cycle election.
March 2, 2021
All Mail-In ballots.
- Ballots will be mailed to you beginning the week of February 1.
- All ballots must be returned & postmarked by March 2
Please don’t wait until the last minute. We are having sporadic mail service so please mail them early or drop them off at a ballot box.
Also, if you have election questions or information, please use my personal email. Laura@Emdee.org. For City Council Business, use my City email, Laura.Emdee@Redondo.org
This election is going to be about control. I believe the first plan of action will be to close our RB Fire Department and contract our Fire Services to LA County. The Mayor does not decide these things, he can only veto a Yes Vote from Council, he cannot veto a No vote. So far, the District 3, 4 & 5 Council Members have said No to pursuing an LA County Fire contract. For more information, I have been writing about this since early 2019:
- Redondo Beach Fire Department or LA County Fire District? – Laura Emdee
- New Fire Trucks & Fire Department Study – Laura Emdee
- LA COUNTY FIRE CANNOT FUND ITS $1.4 BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS – Laura Emdee
District 5 will be voting for City Attorney, Mayor and 3 RBUSD School Board Members.
Who is running for these offices? I have NOT met all of the candidates yet. I have provided information below from the people who have contacted me. When I know more, I will share it with you.
City Attorney
Mike Webb, incumbent, Webb4RB.com. Reduced crime by 63%, created a nationally recognized gang prevention & intervention program, created a state certified Spousal Abuser Prosecution Program that was only 1 of 4 in California then set up a Domestic Violence Advocacy Team in Redondo Beach. The advocacy team, made up of specially-trained volunteers from the community, are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to every secured domestic violence scene.
Harden Sooper – a Deputy District Attorney and currently serves on the RB Public Safety Commissioner.
Mayor
The Daily Breeze said it best:
“The marquee race during the city’s March 2 election will be (Bill) Brand, trying to remain Redondo’s top elected official against three challengers, according to City Clerk Eleanor Manzano. Those candidates are:
- Chris Voisey, a chief technology officer and community volunteer
- Michael Ian Sachs, a retired Chevron employee who ran for mayor in 2017; and
- Shayne Hartman, a proposal analyst at Northrop Grumman.”
Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education
There are 3 open seats, no incumbents. The candidates are:
- Dan Elder; District 5 resident and long time school volunteer:
- Rachel Silverman Nemeth; District 5 resident
- Website: Rachel and Dan for School Board (rachelanddan4rbschools.org)
- Facebook: Rachel and Dan for School Board | Facebook
- Margo Trone
- Jerome Chang
- Website: Jerome Chang for RBUSD School Board (321vote.us)
- Facebook: Jerome Chang for Redondo Beach School Board | Facebook
- Keith Arnold
- Rolf Curtis Strutzenberg
- Karen F. Cull
- Kimberlee H. Isaacs
Other races that will be on your ballot ONLY if you live in those districts:
District 1
- Nils Nehrenheim – incumbent who is trying to give up Redondo Beach Fire Department and have LA County Fire provide our services. I believe his daytime job is an LA County Lifeguard. He also creates websites and works for a fireworks company.
- Brad Waller – RBUSD School Board Member. Lives & works in District 1. Long time PTA supporter and volunteer. Holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For more information: https://elect.bradwaller.com
District 2
- Erika Snow Robinson – Community Volunteer – Served in the Marines, PTA, Hands on Art, Leadership Redondo, Artist who lead the murals at the North & South Redondo Beach Public Library. http://elect.erikasnowrobinson.com
- Todd Loewenstein – incumbent who voted to pursue a contract with LA County Fire. Former School Board Member.
- Paul Moses – property owner, local band rock singer and lifelong Redondo Beach resident.
District 4
- John Gran – incumbent who fought for Artesia Businesses to receive help for Covid related expenses. He also had a threat of recall campaign waged against him because he voted to NOT pursue a contract with LA County Fire. The opponents failed to get enough signatures to mandate a recall campaign.
- Zein Obagi – a lawyer and the person who partially funded the failed recall campaign against John Gran.