By Julie BUTCHER

Big changes are coming to California elections – soon. Starting on Feb. 3, absentee ballots will be mailed out, in advance of primary Election Day on March 3.

“Forget about Election Day,” said one local election official. “Think Election Month!”

The Voters Choice Act, adopted by the California legislature in 2016, sought to increase voter engagement. The changes coming to Los Angeles County voting are primarily aimed at making it easier for voters to vote, to increase voter participation and turnout.

Of greatest significance, starting for this election, there will be no more neighborhood polling places – no more garages or churches or school cafeterias where voters cast their ballots. Instead, Los Angeles County will open hundreds of larger voting centers, ideally situated centrally and conveniently, beginning 10 days before the election, on Feb. 22.

“This is going to be a better consumer experience for voters,” LA County Registrar Recorder Dean Logan reported, announcing the rollout of the new voter programs.

Voters will be able to vote at any of the centers, anywhere in the county, during extended day, evening and weekend voting hours, in multiple languages, on tablet-like devices (not connected to the internet, a concern of some). At the conclusion of the voting process, a paper ballot will be printed out so voters can verify their choices and to ensure maximum election security.

At the same voting centers, voters will be able to replace damaged or lost ballots and will be able to register to vote or make changes to their voter registration – on the same day.

In-person voters will experience the most significant updates to the voting process in decades. Voters may opt to make their election selections on a phone app at home and then scan those selections at a voting center.

Sacramento and Napa counties implemented these changes for the 2018 election and experienced increases in voter turnout of 3% to 4% and also reported cost savings.

Vote-by-mail voters comprise two-thirds of California’s voters but only 40% of voters in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County voters can sign up for a permanent absentee ballot at https://tinyurl.com/ych9zc8f.

Return postage will now be pre-paid.

As a test, every registered voter in Orange County will receive an absentee ballot in the mail in time to vote in this election. Those ballots can be mailed or dropped off at voting centers; voters can also get a new ballot at any county center.

The Secretary of State is urging voters to check their registration status before Election Day at https://registertovote.ca.gov/.

“No Party Preference” voters, that is voters who have not designated a party preference (Libertarian, Republican, Democratic, etc.) who vote-by-mail, must request a Democratic ballot in order to vote in that presidential nominating contest. The deadline to request a crossover ballot is Feb. 25, which is also the deadline to request an absentee ballot. Reportedly, Los Angeles County election officials are mailing postcards to voters registered without a party preference to remind them of this requirement.

Los Angeles County is participating in a pilot testing of the placement of local elections at the top of the ballot (rather than “down ballot”). Before local voters get to the presidential primary, they will vote on the LA County District Attorney, contested school board, community college, and city council races.

In the City of Glendale, eight candidates are running for three seats on the five-member city council. The three highest vote-getters will win the three seats; the third-place finisher will complete the two years remaining on the vacancy created when Zareh Sinanyan resigned to take a position in the government of the Republic of Armenia. (Frank Quintero was appointed to fill the seat temporarily. At the time, he committed to not running for the seat. He is not running.)

The City’s election website https://www.glendalevotes.org/ provides detailed information about the local candidates, including campaign finance documents. Glendale has local ordinances governing its elections, including campaign contribution limits, currently set at $1,140 per person.

Several candidate forums are scheduled in the coming weeks; many of them are listed on the city’s vote site.

Local groups and organizations are hosting specific candidate events, including asking detailed policy questions of all those running. The Glendale Historical Society elicited answers to their questionnaire that are so detailed (see all of them here: https://glendalehistorical.org/ask-the-candidates-2020) that one candidate included a reference to the googie style of architecture, while positing deep analysis overlaying the cultural relevance of “historical preservation” to people who can trace their roots to 782 BCE Armenia.

Susan Wolfson came in sixth when she ran in 2007. A trained CPA, Wolfson works in municipal finance and serves on the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission. She seeks to “end the era of aggressive development, listen to and be responsive to all of Glendale’s different neighborhoods, and improve traffic conditions.”

Leonard Manoukian works as the assistant chief counsel leading a team of workers compensation defense attorneys in the Glendale office of the State Compensation Insurance Fund of California. A planning commissioner for 11 years, Manoukian is a merit badge mentor and Boy Scouts of America board member; co-chaired ANCA-Glendale in 2010; served on the board of St. Mary’s Chamlian Armenian School and the Homenetmen Glendale Chapter; the Glendale Masonic Lodge No. 368; and AYSO Region 88. Active in the Democratic Party as an elected delegate, he is also the political director of the Southern California Armenian Democrats.

William Keshishyan is a businessman and entrepreneur. A graduate of USC’s School of Public Policy, he believes his dedicated education in infrastructure and planning situates him uniquely to help address the challenges Glendale faces. He advocates “new and innovative mediums for communications,” stronger schools, improved public safety, affordable housing, integrated transportations systems, and more public space. Keshishyan reports endorsements from former Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, former county supervisor Michael Antonovich, and former LA police protective league president Tyler Izen.

Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian is the current city clerk for the City of Glendale and a professor of political science at Glendale Community College. A 30-year Glendale resident, he espouses a platform of protecting neighborhoods by giving public safety the resources they need; building climate change resiliency and environmentally sustainable practices across all city services; increasing affordable housing for seniors and low-income residents; addressing traffic congestion and mobility issues. Kassakhian advocates for district elections and publicly funded campaigns.

Vartan Gharpetian was elected to the council in 2015 and is running for re-election as an incumbent. He is in favor of improving and maintaining public safety; addressing the housing crisis; protecting historic resources; upgrading the Greener Glendale and new sustainability plans; improving public parks and adding open space; and repowering the Grayson plant using more renewable energy.

Paula Devine is also running as an incumbent and was also first elected in 2015. Devine lists her priorities as protecting the integrity of neighborhoods and historic resources; promoting vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle safety; reducing traffic congestion and implementing alternative transportation options; setting a (more rapid) path towards 100% renewables by 2030; keeping the city fiscally sustainable; and finding common sense solutions for the affordable housing crisis.

Dan Brotman is an economics professor at Glendale Community College and a “dedicated environmentalist.” He organized and led the Glendale Environmental Coalition to fight for renewable energy to repower Grayson.

Brotman said that Glendale is at a crossroads, with downtown and hillside development and increased “mansionization,” infrastructure that is not keeping pace, leading to worsening traffic and blackouts, streets that are unsafe to walk and bike, and the struggle to find affordable housing. He commits to taking no money from property developers or corporate PACs.

Greg Astorian is an independent business owner and a 43-year Glendale resident whose platform advocates for public safety, challenging the threat of wildfires and unsafe driving conditions. He expresses his support for police, firefighters, and paramedics and wants to improve traffic congestion, housing, and the environment. Astorian calls himself a homeowner advocate.

Most of these candidates have websites that offer more detailed policy statements and other information, including opportunities to volunteer with the campaigns.

  Julie BUTCHER