Update:  For more information about the Los Angeles elections, including the issues and candidates we endorse, visit the City of LA Elections Tab at the top of the page.

As the 2008 year comes to a close, it is time to begin looking at the election for officers in the City of Los Angeles.  Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is challenged by 9 opponents– some of them viable– and half of the City Council, School Board and Board of Trustees are up for grabs.  The Primary Nominating Election will be on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 (8 weeks from now).

The City Clerks Office certified the list of candidates for the election on December 12, 2008.  View a copy of the official list.

The Candidates List is transcribed below:

CERTIFIED LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR THE 2009 CITY OF LOS ANGELES PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION

Los Angeles Interim City Clerk Karen E. Kalfayan released the official list of candidates today for the March 3, 2009, City of Los Angeles Primary Nominating Election. The following candidates have been certified to appear on the March ballot in the following order:

MAYOR

CARLOS ALVAREZ, Legal Assistant
GORDON TURNER, Deputy City Attorney
WALTER MOORE, Lawyer
PHIL JENNERJAHN, Entertainer
JAMES HARRIS, Union Meat Packer
DAVID R HERNANDEZ, Civic Community Leader
BRUCE DARIAN, General Contractor/Whistleblower
ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA, Mayor of Los Angeles
DAVID “ZUMA DOGG” SALTSBURG, Community Advocate/Economist
CRAIG X RUBIN, Pastor

CITY ATTORNEY

MICHAEL RICHARD AMERIAN, Deputy City Attorney
DAVID BERGER, Criminal Prosecutor
CARMEN “NUCH” TRUTANICH, Environmental Attorney
NOEL WEISS, Attorney/Policy Advocate
JACK WEISS, Attorney/City Councilmember

CONTROLLER

KATHLEEN “SUZY” EVANS, Business Owner
WENDY GREUEL, Los Angeles City Councilwoman
NICK PATSAOURAS, Electrical Engineer/Businessman

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 1

ED P. REYES, City Council Member
JESSE ROSAS, Businessman/Community Activist

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 3

DENNIS P. ZINE, Councilmember/Police Reserve
JEFF BORNSTEIN, Small Business Owner

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 5

ADEENA N. BLEICH, Director, Non-Profit Organization
PAUL KORETZ, Nonprofit Organization Director
RON GALPERIN, Neighborhood Advocate/Attorney
DAVID T. VAHEDI, Boardmember, Neighborhood Council
ROBERT SCHWARTZ, Attorney
ROBYN RITTER SIMON, Community Leader/Businesswoman

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 7

RICHARD ALARCÓN, City Councilmember

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 9

JAN C. PERRY, Los Angeles City Councilwoman

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 11

HARRY “CRAIG” WILSON, Hydrographer
BILL ROSENDAHL, Council Member

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 13

ERIC GARCETTI, Los Angeles City Councilmember
GARY SLOSSBERG, Public Interest Attorney

MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NO. 15

JANICE HAHN, Los Angeles City Councilwoman
CHRIS SALABAJ, Educator

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 2

MÓNICA GARCÍA, Member of the Board of Education

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 4

STEVE ZIMMER, Teacher/Community Organizer
MIKE STRYER, Teacher

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, DISTRICT NO. 6

NURY MARTINEZ, Mayor/Environmental Educator
LOUIS PUGLIESE, Teacher Educator

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SEAT NO. 2

STEVE FINLEY, Recreation Director
LADY CAGE-BARILE, Teacher/Activist/Businesswoman
ART SIMS, Businessperson/Engineer
TINA PARK, Teacher/Counselor/Auditor
ANGELA J. REDDOCK, Member of the Board of Trustees

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SEAT NO. 4

ROY BURNS, Teacher
KELLY CANDAELE, Community College Trustee

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SEAT NO. 6

GREG AKILI, Labor/Community Organizer
ROBERT NAKAHIRO, Attorney/Nonprofit Boardmember
LIVI BAKOZVICH, Director, Marketing Management
JOZEF THOMAS ESSAVI, Boardmember, Neighborhood Council
JANE ARDIGO SCOTT, Retired Professor/Activist
NANCY PEARLMAN, Community College Trustee

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SEAT NO. 7

KURT S. LOWRY, School Administrator/Businessowner
MIGUEL SANTIAGO, Member of the Board of Trustees