The final count of the March 3 primary race to succeed Tom LaBonge as District Four’s representative to Los Angeles City Council has Carolyn Ramsay, a longtime council aide, and David Ryu, a public affairs executive at a community health center, headed to the May runoff.
The most recent tally shows nonprofit director Tomas O’Grady placing third, just 207 votes behind Ryu. After the election, Ryu initially held off celebrating when an initial count had him leading O’Grady by just 61 votes. The final tally has Ramsay in first place over Ryu by just 85 votes.
The race was widely thought to be the most wide-open contest of all of the City Council primaries. Fourteen candidates appeared on the ballot, splitting what was already a small number of total votes. Turnout in Los Angeles was just 10.9 percent, according to election officials. Five candidates received more than 10 percent of the total vote, and only Ramsay topped 15 percent.
Since the initial count was released on the day after the election, Ramsay and Ryu have continued seeking endorsements as they awaited the final tally. While Ramsay has emphasized demonstrated experience in city government, Ryu has portrayed himself as an outsider candidate. City Council President Herb Wesson recently threw his support behind Ramsay, who already had wide support within City Hall, including from her former boss, Councilmember Tom LaBonge, for whom she served as chief of staff. Ryu received an endorsement from the county Democratic Party, which had previously backed Steve Veres.
Ryu would become the only Asian American on City Council, and Ramsay, who is Jewish, would become just one of two women.
Ramsay and Ryu were also the two highest fundraisers in their race. Ramsay took in about $302,000, and Ryu about $413,000, although Ryu also had the support of an independent expenditure committee. By contrast, O’Grady, who will not appear on the runoff ballot, raised only about $83,000.
The District Four race is the only City Council seat heading to the May 19 runoff.
