By Daniel Larios
Staff Writer

June 3, 2014 – Candidates in Tuesday’s primaries raced around their districts over the weekend, shaking hands, posing for pictures and trying to scoop last-minute votes before the election.

With hours left, campaigns have changed their focus from getting their names and messages out to potential voters to “Get Out The Vote” efforts that identify supporters, remind them to vote and even give them a lift to the polls.

Candidates themselves worked round the clock, hitting core constituencies in the hopes of flipping undecided voters their way.

On the line are seats on the County Board of Supervisors, the State Senate, State Assembly, and the U.S. House of Representatives. (“Santa Monica Voters to Help Decide Hotly Contested Races Tuesday,” June 2, 2014)

3rd District Supervisor Race

In the hotly contested race to succeed LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, candidates used mass communication blasts – from mailers to social media updates – as well as more personal methods – such as phone banking and precinct walking – to persuade voters in a district of nearly two million .

Of the four major candidates, only former Santa Monica mayor Bobby Shriver, who has raised nearly $2 million, including a $1 million in personal contributions, is running TV ads on cable and local broadcast networks. (“Shriver Campaign Nears $2 Million Mark, with $1 Million in Personal Contributions,” May 23, 2014)

Candidates themselves crisscrossed the district that includes Santa Monica, Hollywood, Malibu, Pacoima and the San Fernando Valley this past weekend to make last-minute pitches to undecided voters at highly attended events.

West Hollywood City Council member and candidate John Duran was featured in channel 4’s NBC News Conference with Conan Nolan Sunday morning, making his case to a television audience that may not know his name.

“The last two gentlemen who held this seat, Zev Yaroslovsky and Ed Edelmen, both local government guys like myself, we have different experiences in just solving problems that everyday people face with common sense solutions,” Duran said during the interview.

Later that day, Duran, who was mayor of West Hollywood when he helped pass the city's anti-declawing law in 2013, mingled with animal rights activists at former LA Mayor Richard Riordan’s house during a viewing of a documentary film on the issue.

Former state legislator and one of the race’s front runners Sheila Kuehl thanked volunteers making get-out-the-vote calls on her behalf from the home of longtime friend and advisor Torie Osborn in Santa Monica.  Among those making calls was LA City Councilmember Mike Bonin.

Shriver attended an early breakfast in Granada Hills before rushing off to church services with his family in Santa Monica on Sunday. In the afternoon he met with potential voters at the Pick Pico street fair in West LA.

Shriver also announced the campaign’s Election Day returns viewing party at O'Brien's Irish Pub in Santa Monica at 8:15 PM in an email to supporters.

Shriver, Kuehl, Duran and former Malibu Mayor Pamela Ulich have clashed in about 20 debates over the last three months.

Also on the ballot are former television producer Eric Preven, environmentalist Douglas Fay, math tutor Yuval Daniel Kremer and film industry lighting technician Rudy Melendez.

Any candidate winning more than 50 percent of the vote will win the seat. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters will face off in the November general election.

State Senate District 26

In one of the most closely watched state senate races in the nation, candidates hoping to replace Ted Lieu as state senator for the 26th district also turned to mailers, phone banks and precinct walkers in a last-ditch effort to reach voters.

Activist and attorney Sandra Fluke, breaking with conventional campaign tactics for a local state seat, made the rounds on national political talk shows, including The Ed Show and Melissa Harris-Perry, both on MSNBC.

Her rival and front runner, Santa Monica school board member Ben Allen, visited the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market and the Venice Spring Fling to talk with potential voters face to face.

He has since announced an Election Watching Party for campaign supporters at Warszawa in Santa Monica starting at 8 p.m.

Among those also in the race are former assembly member Betsy Butler, attorney Barbi S. Appelquist, Manhattan Beach Mayor Amy Howorth, surgeon Vito Imbasciani, writer Patric Verrone, and law professor Seth Stodder. (“Outside Spending Grows in Final Days of State Senate Race,” June 2, 2014)

The top two vote getters will advance to the November General Election.

Polling Place Information

More than 4,600 polling places will be set up around the county for voters to cast ballots or turn in their pre-filled vote-by-mail ballots.

County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan this year introduced measures aimed at making voting easier for nonnative English speakers. Kiosks with voter information in ten languages will be set up at every polling place and, for the first time, permanent legal residents — green card holders — are being recruited as volunteer translators.

To find the closest polling place, visit www.lavote.net/locator.  Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.