Democratic Club
by Mary Larson
LW contributor
There are less than two weeks to go before the Registrar of Voters will begin distributing vote-by-mail ballots for the June Primary. To assist supporters in the process of voting, the LW Democratic Club’s May 1 newsletter is focused on information about candidates running in the election. Those who are not subscribers can download a copy of this issue from the club’s website at https://www. sblwdems.wordpress.com.
Due to the laws governing elections in California, almost all statewide candidates receiving the most votes in the Primary will still have to run again in the November General Election against the second-place winner. Such is the case for Congresswoman Katie Porter’s campaign in the newly configured District 47. Club members believe that her win in November could be a key element in determining which party will be in the majority in the House in 2023. The laws governing statewide elections do not apply to local races. In Orange County races, the winner is determined in the Primary if a candidate receives a simple majority of the votes cast. For more information, people can Google: “Top Two Primary Effect on Contests.” The race for Orange County Superintendent of Education is a prime example of a candidate who could win by a majority of votes. Incumbent Al Mijares has only one opponent; the election for Mijares’ position will be finalized in June. The conservative Board of Education members support the candidate running against Mijares, Stefan Bean, who is a board member of the OC Classical Academy. The Academy is a charter school organized by Jeff Barke, husband of Board of Education President Mari Barke.
Mari Barke will also be on all LW voters’ Primary ballots. She has two opponents, Libertarian Party member Christopher Ganiere and Martha Fluor, who has declined to state her party. Although Fluor has strong support throughout the county, it is unlikely that this race will be finalized until after the November election.
LWers are reminded that the Democratic Hospitality and Information booth outside Clubhouse 6 will be open every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. until after the primary. Club volunteers will also be available to assist voters in getting their ballots to the Registrar of Voters; drop-box located on St. Andrews Drive outside the Amphitheater.
A petition to recall Los Alamitos School District trustee Scott Fayette is currently being circulated in Leisure World Mutuals 1 and 2. Proponents need to obtain 1,800 signatures on their petition for it to be on the November ballot. This is the second recall attempt against Fayette.
The LW Democratic Club urges voters to not sign the petition.
