Months of campaigning and conflict will culminate in the 2013 General Election on Tuesday, May 21, when Los Angeles residents will decide who will fill several key leadership positions in the city.

(photo by Aaron Blevins)

Perhaps of greatest importance is the mayoral race, which pits City Councilman Eric Garcetti, 13th District, against City Controller Wendy Greuel. In the primary, Garcetti took 33.14 percent of the vote, compared to Greuel’s 29.01 percent.

In the city attorney’s race, former Assemblyman Mike Feuer and incumbent Carmen “Nuch” Trutanich are vying to be the city’s top legal representative. Feuer received 44.10 percent of the vote in March, and Trutanich received 29.7 percent.

Efficiency commissioner Ron Galperin and City Councilman Dennis Zine, 3rd District, are striving to replace Greuel as city controller. Galperin (37.77 percent) edged out Zine (36.48 percent) in the primary.

In what could be one of the city’s most heated races, council member senior advisor Mitch O’Farrell and commissioner John Choi are looking to replace Garcetti in Hollywood. O’Farrell notched 18.84 percent of the vote, and Choi received 16.67 percent.

Two other council seats are at stake. In Council District 1, council member chief deputy Jose Gardea is facing former state Sen. Gil Cedillo. Cedillo nearly won the seat in the primary election with 49.32 percent of the vote; however, Gardea was not far behind with 43.45 percent. The Council District 9 race pits state Sen. Curren Price against council member chief deputy Ana Cubas. Curren led the candidates in the primary with 26.84 percent of the vote, whereas Cubas received 24.48 percent.

The March primary determined the fate of several council seats. Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield (51.92 percent) won the Council District 3 seat, City Councilman Paul Koretz (74.69 percent) won re-election in Council District 5, Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (51.38 percent) will represent Council District 7, council member chief deputy Mike Bonin (61.84 percent) garnered the Council District 11 seat and Joe Buscaino (83.09 percent) won re-election in Council District 15.

Only one Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education seats is up for grabs. Fifth-grade teacher Monica Ratliff (33.79 percent) is facing educator Antonio Sanchez in District 6 (43.61 percent). Incumbents Mónica García (55.83 percent), 2nd District, and Steve Zimmer (51.68 percent), 4th District, won re-election in March.

Additionally, Angelenos will decide on several city measures. If approved, Measure C would place limits on political campaign spending and deny corporations the constitutional rights of human beings. It would also instruct city officials and area legal representatives to promote the policy through amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Measure D would limit the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles to 135. It would also exempt dwellings of three or fewer patients/caregivers who cultivate medical marijuana from regulation, and raise taxes on medical marijuana businesses.

Another medical marijuana initiative, Measure E, would limit the number of collectives where six or more patients/caregivers gather to the number that has operated in the city since September 2007. It would also establish operational standards, and exempt five or fewer patients/caregivers who cultivate medical marijuana from regulation.

Measure F would also impose operational standards on medical marijuana dispensaries, while placing no limit on the number of such businesses. It would also exempt dwellings that are zoned residential from regulation, and increase taxes on collectives.

On Election Night, the Los Angeles City Clerk’s Office will be hosting a limited number of tours from 6 to 9 p.m. that will follow ballots from a polling place to the division’s Service Center at Piper Technical Center. The clerk’s office will also be holding other observation events throughout the day.

The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. City Clerk June Lagmay has encouraged voters to view the Official Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet before heading to the polls.

For information on candidates, observation activities, polling places and sample ballots, call (888)873-1000 or visit clerk.lacity.org/elections.