GLENDALE–On Sunday, July 19, 2015 Democrats registered to vote in the 43rd Assembly District will have the opportunity to signal their preference for the Democrat who should succeed Assemblyman Mike Gatto when his term ends next year.
Democrats registered to vote in the 43rd Assembly District prior to October 20, 2014 will elect 11 delegates who will play an active role in choosing the candidate for the State Assembly’s 43rd District to be endorsed by the California Democratic Party. The election for the delegates will take place at the Pacific Community Center, Gymnasium B in Glendale at 501 S. Pacific Avenue. Voting will begin at 11:00 am and registration to vote will close at 2:00 pm. Eligible Democrats in line prior to 2:00 pm will be allowed to vote past that time.
Candidates for the State Assembly as well as the State Senate from this geographic area have already appealed to Democrats to elect delegates who will support their candidacy. Two competing slates of candidates have emerged and are competing to fill the remaining 11 positions for the Democratic State Central Committee and the vacant spot on the Executive Board.
Glendale City Clerk and candidate for the 43rd Assembly District Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian has issued an appeal to elect members of the Democrats United Slate. Councilman Zareh Sinanyan, City Treasurer Rafi Manoukian, Glendale School Board member Nayiri Nahabedian, the Southern California Armenian Democrats and a growing list of community leaders have also expressed their support for members of the Democrats United Slate.
The three elected members of the Democrats United Slate have also sent an appeal to elect the other members of their slate because “they are community organizers who represent the diversity and values of the district and the Democratic Party.”
Berdj Karapetian, Tereza Yerimyan, and Shant Sahakian were elected in January 11, 2015 and do not need to be re-elected in this month’s election. The California Democratic Party has organized this new Assembly District Election Meeting on July 19 for the remaining 11 positions and the Executive Board Representative because at least 16% of the people who voted in January were not registered as Democrats in the District prior to October 20, 2014.
Karapetian and Sahakian were allowed to remain as delegates because their margin of victory over the males competing for the 7 positions designated to men was greater than the number of ineligible voters. Yerimyan was the highest vote recipient for the 7 positions designated for women and remained as a delegate because one of the candidates from an opposing slate was disqualified because she was not registered as a Democrat.
The Democrats United Slate is urging voters to also re-elect Berdj Karapetian to the California Democratic Party’s Executive Board on July 19. The Executive Board decides on the Democratic Party’s policies and direction between its annual conventions.
The other members of the Democrats United Slate are Elen Asatryan, Aline Babayan, Jordan Del Guercio, MiJin Hong Fernandes, Jamie Garcia, Malcolm Johnson, Silva Kechichian, Leonard Manoukian, Judith Smith, Steven Whiddon, and Garry Willis.
The 43rd Assembly District includes the communities of Burbank, Glendale, LaCanada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Little Armenia, Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.
Voter registration can be verified at LAVote.net/VRStatus. Readers are encouraged to visit http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ to check if they reside within the 43rd Assembly District.
Democrats United has created a Facebook page to provide information about its members, parking and other issues related to the July 19 elections.
Source: Daily
Link: California Democratic Party State Central Committee Delegate Elections Set for July 19 in Glendale