Los Angeles County voters are almost evenly divided about the historic ballot measure that would amend the county charter to increase representation, accountability and transparency. Also known as Measure G, the initiative was authored by Board of Supervisors Chair Lindsey Horvath, whose third district includes Beverly Hills, and Supervisor Janice Hahn. The measure would expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine seats, make the County CEO an elected position and establish an Ethics Commission and Compliance Officer by 2026. Mail-in ballots are still being tallied at Los Angeles County’s ballot processing center in the City of Industry, but voters leaned towards approval with 50.52% of the votes as of press time.
The measure began as an initiative that was backed by both Horvath and Hahn. It passed in a 3-2 vote at a Board of Supervisors meeting on July 30 before appearing on general election ballots as Measure G. As Horvath explained at the July meeting, the goal of the amendments to the charter is to update LA County governance for the modern world. “Debate and discourse are what makes a healthy democracy, and since I joined the board, I have heard a resounding call for change,” she said. Her hope is that this will create a system that “more urgently and effectively meets the needs of our communities, especially our most vulnerable residents, who depend on county services and care.”
Upon voters’ approval, Measure G would change legislation that has been in place for over 100 years. Horvath said that the same legislation that was built to serve 500,000 residents does not suffice for Los Angeles County’s population of over 10 million people today. She believes that electing an Ethics Commission to review the county charter every 10 years will result in greater accountability.
Opponents of the measure, including Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who represents the second district, fear that a single countywide elected official will hold too much power. At the meeting on July 30, she voiced her concern that this would compromise the supervisors’ ability to meet the unique needs of their districts. Other opponents such as Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents the fifth district, worry that it will be even harder to come to a decision on countywide matters with four extra seats, and the expansion of the board will do more harm than good. They have also questioned whether these changes could be made at no additional cost to taxpayers, as the measure promises.
“The people of LA County deserve results from their elected leaders, not more elected positions without accountability and increased spending that takes from an already strained county budget working to address the homeless and mental health crisis,” reads the ballot argument signed by Mitchell, Barger, the LA County Firefighters Union and the Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.
On Nov. 7, Horvath released a statement that said, ”As we await the final results, we are incredibly encouraged by the support Measure G has received so far. Overnight returns show a growing demand across LA County for transparency, accountability, and a government that listens to the voices of all of our communities. While we’re feeling hopeful, we know there are still more votes to count, especially from those who voted in the final days and hours of this election. The momentum we’ve seen from communities, volunteers, and advocates has already shown that LA County is ready to embrace a brighter, more representative future. We remain optimistic about the path forward. Measure G marks a new era for a better and brighter LA County for all of us.”
