West Hollywood Voters Will Vote On Measure E In General Municipal Election

Press release from the City of West Hollywood:

October 08, 2020

The City of West Hollywood has kicked-off October 2020 as “Get Out The Vote” month and the City is reminding community members that each vote counts and your voice matters in the General Municipal Election. In addition to federal, statewide, and countywide votes, West Hollywood residents will be casting their votes for two members of the West Hollywood City Council and deciding on one Local Measure. The City’s website provides a list of candidates, as they will be listed on the ballot, in a ‘Candidate Information’ tab at www.weho.org/elections and the City’s website provides information about Measure E at www.weho.org/MeasureE.

The City Council of the City of West Hollywood unanimously placed Measure E on the November Ballot for voter consideration. If approved by West Hollywood voters, Measure E would enact a ¾-cent sales tax, providing local funds for local needs.

Like many Cities in California, the City of West Hollywood has been affected by the significant financial impacts of COVID-19 and is projected to lose as much as $35,000,000 in revenue this year and next. Measure E funds could prevent cuts to programs and services that could otherwise help the City recover from the current crisis, such as protecting public health, working with local nonprofits to help community members in need, and helping local businesses survive. Unfortunately, the City of West Hollywood has not been able to rely upon the State or Federal Government to help address local needs.

Measure E is a proposed ordinance on the ballot. West Hollywood voters will decide whether to vote yes or no on the following ballot question: “To maintain West Hollywood services and prepare for and recover from public health emergencies, address homelessness, help retain local businesses/jobs, support senior and health-related services, keep public areas clean and safe, repair potholes/streets, maintain community safety, and provide other City services, shall a measure be adopted establishing a 3/4¢ sales tax providing approximately $11,000,000 annually until ended by voters, requiring public disclosure of spending, independent financial audits and all funds being used locally?”

If approved, Measure E would help address the COVID-19 shortfall, and maintain services West Hollywood residents have indicated are important, including: addressing homelessness; expanding health and mental health services; retaining local businesses and jobs; keeping public areas clean and safe; maintaining HIV and AIDS health services; and supporting disaster preparedness.

Additional information about Measure E is available on the City of West Hollywood’s website, including links to FAQs and a Community Presentation.

Election Day will be Tuesday, November 3, 2020, but there are many ways to vote early. Postal mail-in and ballot-drop-off voting began on Monday, October 5, 2020 with Ballot Dropbox locations at Plummer Park, West Hollywood City Hall, and West Hollywood Library. Many LA County Vote Centers will begin operating for in-person voting and ballot-drop-off voting on Saturday, October 24, 2020. A Vote Center at Plummer Park’s Fiesta Hall will be in operation from Friday, October 30, 2020 to Tuesday, November 3, 2020. The deadline to register to vote in the General Municipal Election is Monday, October 19, 2020.

West Hollywood voters will receive complete ballot information by mail. The City of West Hollywood encourages community members to check their voter registration status at lavote.net/vrstatus and sign-up to be notified of the status of a ballot at california.ballottrax.net/voter.

To provide important information and to give voters the opportunity to ask questions about the upcoming election, the City will be hosting a virtual Election Information Town Hall via the Zoom platform on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. More information about this event is available on the City’s calendar at www.weho.org/calendar.

The City of West Hollywood remains in a declared local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. While Los Angeles County is allowing for a phased reopening of some businesses and activities, coronavirus transmission and COVID-19 disease remain a serious risk. West Hollywood City Hall is currently closed to in-person transactions, but City Hall services remain accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via the City’s website at www.weho.org. City of West Hollywood coronavirus information is available at www.weho.org/coronavirus.

For additional information about the General Municipal Election, please call the City of West Hollywood’s City Clerk’s Office at (323) 848-6409 or visit the City’s Elections page at www.weho.org/elections. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.

This press release was produced by the City of West Hollywood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.