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.”
