It’s been a truism in politics locally and nationally that as ballots are counted after election day, they break towards more liberal candidates and causes. As such, Next was hesitant to “call” the city council races yesterday or the defeat of Measure ES. However, as the numbers have been updated a handful of times on the Los Angeles County vote tracker website, there has been almost no change in the percentages for the candidates or the failing measure.
When the first City Council results were dropped, the top three candidates to ascend or remain on the City Council were Councilmember Lana Negrete with just over 16% of the vote, Mayor Caroline Torosis with just under 15.75% of the vote, and Ashley Oelsen with just under 14% of the vote. Still in contention were Doug Trussler with roughly 12.5%, Rent Control Board Member Danny Ivanov with 11.5% and Brett Morrow with 11.5%. The most recent update shows no change: Negrete (16%), Torosis (15%), and Oelson (14%) remain in the lead with Trussler (12%), Morrow (11.5%), and Ivanov (11%) still trailing. The numbers are almost identical and make it all but certain that Oelson will replace Jesse Zwick who declined to run for re-election and join the two incumbents on the dais.
The numbers were similar for Measure ES. At the first drop, the measure was trailing 53%-47%. After the most recent drop, the measure is failing, 53% to 47%.
The failure of ES leaves the City Council facing a difficult decision as it prepares future budgets: whether to continue providing roughly $12 million a year to Santa Monica schools after the Master Facilities Use Agreement expires on June 30, 2027.
The agreement’s expiration means the city is not automatically facing a new $12 million deficit; rather, the council will have to decide whether to renew or replace that funding commitment at a time when Santa Monica is already confronting significant financial pressures. Continuing the payments would mean finding room for them alongside other priorities, including public safety, libraries and basic city services. Ending them would shift the full funding challenge to the school district, which has relied on the city contribution to support its operating budget.
For results of the other local elections, click here for yesterday’s roundup.
