West Hollywood City Council candidate Danny Hang held a campaign kickoff on July 16 that was attended by Councilwoman Sepi Shyne, as well as Mayor John Erickson and Vice Mayor Chelsea Byers. (photo by Mike Pingel)

The West Hollywood City Council election has officially begun. On July 15, candidates started submitting nomination papers. As of July 17, six candidates have taken the first step toward entering the race, with more expected in the coming days.

The deadline to file is Aug. 9 at 5 p.m., although that date is expected to be extended to Aug. 14. The filing period is extended if at least one incumbent does not file, and Councilwoman Sepi Shyne previously shared that she would not be seeking reelection. Mayor John Erickson, however, was among the first to enter the race. Shyne and Erickson currently hold the two seats that will be open in the Nov. 5 election.

So far, the candidates, in addition to Erickson, are business license commissioner Danny Hang, Block Party WeHo owner Larry Block, Los Angeles County employee Rachel Schmeidler, resident Ramesses II Setenpre and William West Seegmiller, founder of the Free WeHo Coalition, a self-described “medical freedom advocacy and support group.” Public safety commissioner George Nickle and activist Jordan Cockeram have also announced his intention to run, but have not yet picked up their applications from the city clerk.

“I was the first person to announce in this run for City Council, and I am excited to pull my papers this week,” Nickle said. “While I am not a career politician, I am honored to take part in the democratic process and look forward to winning in November and establishing a new commonsense majority on City Council that will be responsive to the public safety concerns of residents and small business owners.”

Hang cited his desire to increase AAPI representation as a key reason for his decision to run for office.

“For decades, Asian Americans have been underrepresented in positions of leadership. By stepping up to run for office, I aim to bridge this gap and ensure that the concerns, perspectives and aspirations of the Asian community are heard and are a part of the decisions that impact our lives. It’s time for our government to reflect the rich diversity of our city,” Hang said.

Like others running, Hang said that there are issues in West Hollywood that “deserve attention and action.”

“Right now, we’re facing an intense housing crisis. Across the city, our neighbors are struggling to remain housed. Hard-working community members face skyrocketing rents and impossible homeownership barriers. I’m committed to championing policies that will protect renters, make it easier to build affordable housing and ensure that everyone has a roof over their head,” Hang said.

Schmeidler said that her background as a 24-year resident, single mother, renter, special needs advocate and “real-world government experience” working as a principal accounting systems analyst for the Los Angeles County auditor-controller has uniquely prepared her to serve on the council.

“West Hollywood is a vibrant and diverse community, and I am committed to ensuring it remains inclusive and safe for all residents,” she said. “I aim to enhance public safety by reinvesting in our sheriffs and implementing collaborative and constructive solutions to address any community concerns. I also see a great need to support our local businesses, reduce regulatory burdens to foster economic growth and modernize our rent stabilization programs to protect renters and maintain the unique character of our neighborhoods while supporting smart growth. I am passionate about advocating for those with special needs and creating pathways for employment for people with disabilities. This commitment stems from my personal and professional experiences and drives my dedication to community service.”

Schmeidler also cited the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic games as important upcoming events in which a candidate with skill would be necessary to help prepare West Hollywood for the influx of visitors and opportunities the events will bring.

“I am running because I want to leverage my experience, skills and passion to make a positive impact on the city I love and help our West Hollywood thrive for years to come,” she concluded.

Seegmiller discussed his desire to bridge differences with others in his candidacy.

“After years of division in West Hollywood, [it] marks the start of a new chapter as we pull nomination papers for the 2024 City Council race,” Seegmiller said. “This year brings an exciting mix of candidates beyond the usual establishment names. I’m proud to run as the only independent and am honored to be joined by other grassroots leaders challenging the status quo. As national divisions are likely to intensify ahead of November’s election, let’s remember that after it’s all over, we will still live with one another. I hope that West Hollywood can exemplify loving our neighbor, even as we respectfully disagree.”

Block said he was running because “the streets are dead.”

“Business is terrible. Customers come in to my shop and ask what happened to WeHo,” Block continued. “I do not see another candidate who understands the impacts of council decisions on small business. I’m running because City Hall is broken and many decisions are made without due process. I’m running to bring a resident centric small business voice to the City Council.”

Both Erickson and Councilman John Heilman encouraged candidates to get familiar with the city’s civil practices.

“It would be great to see some of the individuals running attend a City Council meeting to learn how and why we do things, but I want to extend my best wishes to all those running, and I look forward to discussing important issues to our community as the months progress,” Erickson said.

“People running for council should attend city meetings and reach out to leaders in the community,” Heilman said. “We always have several people who run who are well meaning but who have little history of involvement in the city and don’t seem to know much about the community and what the city does.”

Former Councilman John D’Amico has endorsed Hang and offered advice to those running.

“There seem to be two kinds of candidates in this race: those that are yearning for an ill-defined moment in the past when everything seemed better, and those that know elections are always about making the changes we need to address the problems of today,” D’Amico said. “My money is on the candidates interested in today, not those pining for yesterday.”

Contact information for Ramesses II Setenpre could not be found.