Lee Wins, Lundquist Concedes City Council Race

LOS ANGELES, CA — City Council candidate Loraine Lundquist conceded the election to her opponent, John Lee, who held a more than 4-percent lead while ballots continued to be counted Thursday.

"I want to thank each and every one of you for the incredible journey of this campaign," Lundquist said late Tuesday on her campaign's Facebook page. "The results were not as we had hoped. But what we have created here in the course of the campaign is nothing less than a movement that will continue to play a powerful force for good."

With all 57 precincts reporting from Tuesday's District 12 election, Lee held a 1,329-vote lead over Lundquist, according to figures released by Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.

Lee has 16,724 votes to 15,395 for Lundquist, a lead of 52.07 percent to 47.93 percent.

According to the county, there are roughly 1,170 provisional ballots still left to be counted, along with 2,550 mail ballots and 30 other miscellaneous votes that need to be processed. An update on the vote-counting is expected to be released Friday.

Lee was recognized at City Council on Wednesday as the Councilman- elect, and he said Lundquist had run a "a great campaign" for the northwestern San Fernando Valley council seat.

"We're still interested in seeing the full certification of results, but she did give Mr. Lee a call to concede," said Jesse Switzer, the spokesperson for the Lundquist campaign. He said when they found out how many ballots were left to be counted on Wednesday, "the pathway to victory seemed a bit more narrow. It seemed it was the appropriate time to make the concession."

Switzer said his team was a bit surprised at the turnout and noted that more people voted in the primary in June. Lundquist was the top vote- getter in the initial contest, and about 12,000 fewer people voted in the runoff than the primary.

"I think that when people show up, Democrats often win," Switzer said.

The election is nonpartisan, although both Lee, a Republican, and Lundquist, a Democrat, were noticeably supported by their respective parties.

"Our values of justice, #FactsOverFear, and bold action in the face of daunting challenges such as homelessness and our climate emergency inspired so many," Lundquist said in the Facebook post. "I know this work will not be in vain, and together we will rise from this setback and become stronger than ever. This movement has never been about me -- it is about us and our future."

The succession of chiefs of staff to the CD 12 council member continues with Lee's election. He was the chief of staff of Councilman Mitch Englander, who was the chief to Councilman Greig Smith, who was the chief to Councilman Hal Bernson.

Lee is set to be sworn in to the City Council sometime after the election has been canvassed and verified by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, which is set to conclude within 28 days of the election.

By ERIC HEINZ, City News Service