Garcetti, Greuel Do Last-Minute Campaigning Before Mayoral Election
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel did some last-minute campaigning around Los Angeles one day before Tuesday's runoff election for mayor.
The latest USC Price/LA Times poll showed Garcetti leading Greuel by seven points, but 11 percent of voters said they were still undecided.
In addition, the poll found that 20 percent of voters who have sided with a candidate may also elect to change their mind.
"This election matters. This is about real things in our community. This is about the health of our economy. This is about the safety of our streets. I want people to know it matters," said Garcetti, who spent Monday on a "Whistle Stop Tour of LA" on the Expo, Gold and Red lines.
The councilman who represented the 13th District added, "Every neighborhood is critical, whether it's here in South Los Angeles with the African American/Latino vote, whether it's in the San Fernando Valley."
Greuel said the one message she wanted to get out to voters was, "How important it is to go out and vote. How important the election is and that there are real differences between me and my opponent about having a plan to move Los Angeles forward…I've met a few, you know, undecided voters, trying to talk to them about the importance of what I will do as mayor of Los Angeles, about focusing on jobs, focusing on good education."
The current city controller told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO that she plans to continue her work as a tough fiscal watchdog if elected.
"I'm going to take on my allies and make sure every decision is made for what's best for the taxpayers. A year from now, voters are going to be able to see...that I've reined in pensions…I've reined in some of the cost and waste out there," Greuel said.
Wendy Greuel
As mayor, Garcetti hopes to apply his work in his home district, representing Hollywood, Echo Park and Silver Lake, to the rest of Los Angeles.
"Just as I've done in my district, I am gonna put people back to work. I'm going to focus on getting our unemployment rate down, making us more business friendly," he said.
Eric Garcetti
Lisa Gritzner, the president of Cerrell Associates, one of the city's most prominent political consultant companies, said she expects a low turnout of voters at many polling places.
"People are having a hard time trying to draw a contrast between what the Antonio Villaraigosa administration has been like and what we can expect in the future. We haven't seen a clear vision and a pathway forward, as well as a differentiation from the past eight years," she said.
The Times reports that campaign spending has surpassed $33 million due to super PACS and independent expenditure donors, which do not have to meet city donation limits.
The campaign is now the most expensive mayoral race to date.
Aside from the contest for mayor, voters Tuesday will also decide on the race for city attorney, city controller, several city council seats and three measures that will determine rules for pot sales at medical marijuana dispensaries.
Competing measures D, E and F will decide the number of dispensaries allowed within city limits, locations and regulations.
