First published in the Nov. 3 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
Election Day is only days away and a large majority of La Cañada Flintridge voters have yet to submit their ballots.
Mayor Keith Eich encouraged residents to research the candidates and propositions on their ballots and submit them by the deadline: 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.
City Hall served as a flex vote center on Monday and a total of 17 individuals submitted their ballots, and nine of them opted to vote in person, including Eich and his wife. Though the figure seems small, City Manager Mark Alexander said the Los Angeles County representatives told him it was “pretty good.”
“The county people were amazing,” Eich said. “They were so happy with the turnout and the results of people showing up to vote. I know in our city today, the latest data [indicated] only 14% of people in this election have voted. So just a reminder on that: get out and vote. … It’s important.”
Those who were unable to take advantage of the flex vote center at City Hall need not to fret because there will be another opportunity for residents to vote in person. The La Cañada Unified School District office on Cornishon Avenue will be an official voting center for four consecutive days leading up to the voting deadline. The polls at the district office will be open Nov. 5-7 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Election Day. Residents can also submit the ballots mailed to them in person at the district office during that period.
Mail-in ballots were sent to voters last month and can be submitted via mail with no postage necessary or dropped off at the official L.A. County ballot drop box located in front of the La Cañada Flintridge Library.
LCF residents will get to vote on several high-ranking offices, including those of governor, senator, U.S. representative for District 28, which includes La Cañada Flintridge, and county sheriff. They will also be seating three of four candidates on the Governing Board of the LCUSD.
Incumbents Dan Jeffries and Joe Radabaugh — who currently serve as president and vice president of the school board, respectively — are seeking reelection, and newcomers Debra Barsom and Octavia Thuss are also vying for a seat.
Jeffries is an attorney and has served as a school board member for the past nine years; Radabaugh retired from his position as Nestle division vice president and has been on the board since 2018; Barsom is an attorney and volunteer of local schools and organizations; and Thuss is an experienced educator and longtime school volunteer. All four candidates currently have children enrolled in the district.
To know more about the candidates and their stances on issues surrounding the district, visit outlookvalleysun.outlooknewspapers.com to read past coverage on their campaigns.
