Dear Editor,
Every two years, as far back as anyone can remember, Sample Ballots for the Culver City General Municipal Election are mailed from our City Hall in the middle of March. It’s regular as clockwork in the even-numbered years, but many voters are caught off guard. “We thought the Election was in November!” they say. “Who are all these people running for City Council, and why do we have this election in April?” they ask. The short answer is: “It’s in the Culver City Charter (Section 1500).
Your faithful readers probably know the answers to all of these questions, but the League of Women Voters is hoping they’ll tell their friends and neighbors about Culver City’s April 12 election and the League’s candidate forum: to be held on March 16, 2016 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers at Culver City City Hall. You can witness the forum in person (park for free in City Hall’s underground parking facility) or watch it on the City Channel (TW Channel 35; Verizon Channel 37). Besides being broadcast live, the video will be rebroadcast numerous times in the weeks before the election and will probably also be available online.
Whether you attend the League’s forum live or watch the video, it’s important to do so BEFORE voting by mail. Your Sample Ballot will include a Vote-By-Mail (VBM) Ballot if you have signed up for Permanent VBM (PVBM) status. Otherwise, it will include detailed instructions about how to Vote By Mail for this Election. The deadline to request a VBM ballot is April 5, 2016. If you want to become a PVBM voter, please visit www.lavote.net.
There’s no particular advantage for voting before the VBM deadline. Some voters have learned this the hard way and have actually asked to take their VBM ballot back (once a VBM ballot is voted and mailed or dropped off, it cannot be taken back).
The League of Women Voters’ mission is to promote informed and active participation in government. This mean providing voters with the opportunity to take time for careful decision-making in a civil, non-confrontational atmosphere. LWV never supports or opposes candidates for any office.
For more info, and to suggest issues for discussion at the Forum, please leave a message at (323) 743-3165 (Google Voice).
Hoping to see you at City Hall on March 16,
Frances Talbott-White
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