Los Angeles community groups push for special election to fill Raman's council seat

Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman is set to become mayor next month, prompting discussions about who will fill her 4th District seat, which covers areas from Silver Lake to the west San Fernando Valley, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Community leaders in Raman's district are urging the City Council to hold a special election rather than appointing someone to serve the remainder of her term, which lasts until 2028. Anastasia Mann, president of the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council, expressed concerns that the council might skip the election and select a replacement instead.

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson stated that the council will not decide on how to fill the vacancy until next year, and Raman herself has not indicated a preference regarding a special election for her seat.

The Encino Property Owners Association unanimously voted to request a special election, emphasizing that any appointment without voter input would be seen as a "backroom anointment," according to the group's president, Rob Glushon.

A coalition of neighborhood and business leaders from the district plans to meet to discuss the issue further. The council has the authority to call a special election and appoint a nonvoting caretaker in the meantime, as noted by Josu.