Imelda Padilla declared victory on Friday over Marisa Alcaraz in the special election for Los Angeles City Council District 6 in the San Fernando Valley.
The latest results show Padilla in front with 56% of the vote to 44% for Alcaraz. The results are not yet final, with more votes still to count. That said, the margin appears too wide to close.
The 35-year-old Padilla is a community organizer and onetime field deputy to former Council Member Nury Martinez. This special election was called because Martinez resigned her council seat in October after she was heard making racist remarks on a leaked secret audio recording.
LAist’s Sharon McNary spoke to Padilla about her victory, and her plans for Council District 6.
Q: You worked for Nury Martinez — what did you think of what she said and what will you do to repair the racial wounds that were inflicted?
Padilla: When the audio was leaked, I had a lot of different emotions. A lot of members in my community had different emotions about it, too. Now that I’m through the campaign, I would talk about how we need to sit down town hall style or focus group style, and really figure out a way to, as a community, feel comfortable enough to talk about it, and plan out how it never happens again.
Q) City Hall has seen multiple council members indicted and convicted of public corruption. What will you do to address City Hall corruption?
Padilla: I think there’s definitely an opportunity on the policy side. I know there’s a committee that focuses on government operations and how we can be better at what we do. I’m curious to know if maybe there’s some room to figure out how to cut things out or reduce corruption. But I know from a personal level, I’m going to always refer to a story my father told me about his own…
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