The city’s first ever all mail-in election ends Tuesday as three candidates vie for two spots on the Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education.
Through Monday, the City Clerk’s office had received about 4,000 ballots. Another 1,200 had been received but not verified. About 15 percent of the city’s roughly 40,000 registered voters, or 7,000 voters, participate in a typical municipal election in Redondo Beach.
City Clerk Eleanor Manzano said any voters who have not already mailed their ballots should bring them to City Hall at 415 Diamond St., Door C. Manzano also urged voters to sign their ballots. She said some have expressed concern because the ballot is exposed.
“Voters have to put their signature on the ballot, so people are little bit reserved to do that,” Manzano said. “If the postman is picking it up, it’s a federal agency to another government agency – some people get a little bit afraid with identity theft….If they have an issue with that they can literally walk into City Hall. We are getting a lot of voters walking in, and that is not a problem if people want to come to City Hall and vote.”
The clerk’s office will receive ballots – and offer ballots to those who did not receive them, or who have lost or damaged their ballots – through Election Day next Tuesday. Also on Election Day, both the clerk’s office and North Branch Public Library (2000 Artesia Blvd.) will be open from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. to receive ballots. A ballot booth will be set up at City Hall.
Candidates Anita Avrick, Arda Clark, and Laura Emdee are competing to fill the spots vacated by Carl Clark and Arlene Staich, who are both termed out.
According to the most recent campaign finance filings through Feb. 19, Clark is leading in fundraising. Her year-to-date contributions were $27,394. The bulk of those contributions were non-monetary — $26,505, all of which came in contributions from the Redondo Beach Teachers Association for mailers, phone-banking, postcards, and buttons. Clark is endorsed by the RBTA.
Emdee has raised $7,024 through Feb. 19. The bulk of this came in the form of a $4,027 loan to herself. Emdee was not endorsed by the RBTA.
Avrick has raised $4,383 through Feb. 19 this year, the bulk in the form of a $3,187 loan to herself. Additionally, she raised $1,992 in the last quarter of last year, including a $550 loan from herself. Avrick is endorsed by the RBTA but has not taken any contributions from the teacher’s union. ER
