Politics
2015 Los Angeles General Election
Produced by Sean Dillingham, Chris Keller & Brian Frank | Updated Apr. 15, 2015
See who’s appearing on the ticket on May 19, and find out more about the candidates running for office.
Source: The information on this page was provided by the candidates themselves via SmartVoter.org.
City Council District 4
Carolyn Ramsay
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: Councilmember's Staff Chief
- 15 years of experience strengthening our neighborhoods
- Chief of Staff, Councilmember Tom LaBonge
- Local Program Director, Trust for Public Lands
Top Priorities if Elected
- Holding City Hall accountable to our neighborhoods
- Fixing our streets, sidewalks, and water pipes
- Helping local businesses succeed and creating good-paying jobs
David Ryu
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: Community Health Director
- Director of Development & Public Affairs, Kedren Acute Psychiatric Hospital and Community Health Center
- Senior Deputy, County Supervisor Yvonne Burke
- Netkal Fellow, USC School of Social Work
- Bachelor of Arts, Economics, UCLA
Top Priorities if Elected
- Ensure neighborhood concerns about city services and quality of life are heard and respected at City Hall.
- Improve City-resident communications with ombudsman service, early community input on development issues.
- Strengthen our economy by raising the minimum wage and phasing out the gross receipts tax.
LAUSD School Board District 3
Tamar Galatzan
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: School Boardmember/Prosecutor
- Los Angeles Unified school board member (2007-present)
- Deputy City Attorney/Neighborhood Prosecutor (2002-present)
- Western States Counsel, Anti-Defamation League (1996-2002)
- J.D., University of California, Hastings College of the Law (1994)
- B.A. in political science, UCLA, magna cum laude (1991)
Top Priorities if Elected
- Pass a balanced, responsible budget, and stick to it throughout the fiscal year.
- Provide our students with high-quality teachers, materials and support so they can pass the more rigorous curriculum now required for graduation.
- Equip our schools and teachers with the technology needed to prepare students for college and careers.
Scott Mark Schmerelson
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: Administrator/Retired Teacher
- Spanish Teacher
- Secondary Counselor
- Assistant Principal
- Principal
- Treasurer, Cuban-American Teachers' Association
- Executive Director of Region 16, Association of California School Administrators
Top Priorities if Elected
- School Bond funds must be expended as the voters intended.
- Class size is too high to ensure a quality education.
- Fair wages and full time employment for our LAUSD employees.
LAUSD School Board District 5
Bennett Kayser
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: School Board member
- Teacher
Top Priorities if Elected
- Class size reduction
- Expand early education
- Hire a new Superintendent
Ref Rodriguez
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: Educator
- Founder, Partnerships to Uplift Communities Schools
- Parish Manager St. Francis de Sales Parish
- Lecturer, Loyola Marymount University School of Education
- Appointee of Governor Jerry E. Brown to The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Top Priorities if Elected
- Increasing Local Control of Schools -- We need to empower principals and teachers to make the decisions that put learning first.
- Improving Middle Schools -- Our middle schools have been neglected, and this is a critical period for action to increase graduation and college rates.
- Ensuring Parent Engagement in Schools -- We need to remove barriers that keep parents and communities from being a part of their schools.
LAUSD School Board District 7
Lydia A. Gutiérrez
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: Public School Teacher
- California State University of Dominquez Hills, M.A.
- Pepperdine University, B.A.
- Mathematics Leadership Institute, California Polytechnic State University
- California State University of Long Beach, Fellow - Writing
- Access to Science Standards & Educational Technology, California State University of Los Angeles
- Continuing Teacher Leadership Institute, U.C.L.A.-Mathematics
Top Priorities if Elected
- A-Achieving Academic Excellence
- B-Building Fiscal Responsibility
- C-Cultivating success after Graduation
Richard A. Vladovic
Biographical Highlights
- Occupation: School Boardmember/Educator
- Retired School Superintendent, West Covina Unified School District
- Retired Teacher
- Retired School Principal
- Graduate Professor
- Charter Member of UTLA
- Educational Scholar
Top Priorities if Elected
- Continue Increasing Student Achievement
- Introducing Innovative Solutions that Get Results
- Providing Safe and Healthy Schools