Dec. 13--Two-term incumbent Tamar Galatzan will face a crowded field in a March election to retain her seat on the Board of Education.
Five challengers have qualified to run against Galatzan, describing themselves briefly in papers filed with the city: Elizabeth Badger Bartels, an advocate for disabled children and small business owner; Carl J. Peterson, a district parent and a manager at a local business; Filiberto Gonzalez, a district parent and former local area-planning commissioner; Ankur Patel, a district parent and labor organizer; and Scott Mark Schmerelson, a retired principal.
All five turned in petitions with at least 500 valid signatures of voters from District 3, in the west San Fernando Valley. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two will vie in a runoff.
The field also is set in three other races for the seven-member Board of Education in the nation's second-largest school system. In District 1, spanning south and southwest L.A., George McKenna is unopposed. In District 5, stretching from north of downtown to southeast L.A. County, one-term incumbent Bennett Kayser will face Andrew Thomas and Ref Rodriguez. In District 7, which includes much of South L.A. and the Harbor area, two-term incumbent Richard Vladovic is opposed by Euna Anderson and Lydia A. Gutierrez.
The ballot is settled for the L.A. Community College District as well. These elections are at-large rather than divided by geographic region. Four of seven seats are on the ballot. Only one incumbent is vying to return.
The candidates for Seat 1 are Francesca Vega, Maria "Sokie" Quintero, Andra Hoffman and Mark Isler.
Bidding for Seat 3 are Sydney Kamlager, Glenn Bailey, Sam Kbushyan and Jozef Thomas "Joe" Essavi.
In Seat 5, incumbent Scott Svonkin is seeking reelection. He's opposed by Steve Schulte.
The candidates for Seat 7 are Mike Fong, Joyce Burrell Garcia and John C. Burke.
