Los Angeles Election Results: Run-Off Means People May Actually Have to Vote

As predicted, the race for mayor of Los Angeles is far from over. With all precincts reporting, the two top candidates are headed for a runoff election. Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel will face one another in the run-off scheduled to take place on May 21. Garcetti captured 33% of the vote, while Greuel received 29%. 

Speaking to supporters on Tuesday evening, Garcetti and Greuel both seemed enthusiastic about their chance to win in May. Garcetti touted his creativity whereas Greuel focused on the fact that she would be the first woman mayor ever elected. 

LA voters also rejected a proposed sales tax increase, which, according to the city, will result in layoffs of police officers and others. The sales tax increase would have raised about $211 million a year. It would have also increased the sales tax to 9.5%. The sales tax increase was opposed by both Garcetti and Greuel who said the city must find other ways to cut spending.  

Voter turnout was even lower than the predicted 20%, with just 16% of Los Angeles registered voters turning out. That means only about a quarter of a million people voted from America’s second largest city. The city also sent out 663,086 mail-in-ballots, of those, only 22.4% were returned. If people from LA can't even be bothered to go put something in their mail-box, they deserve their world's ugliest airport.