Voting Will Start on August 19 and End September 2
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
This year marks an important year for elections on a local level—and also a hyper-local level.
Pacific Palisades Community Council will host a Candidates Forum on the evening of August 11 for those who are seeking election as area and at-large representatives who will sit on the board for a two-year term.
“Please join us for the PPCC Candidates Forum for area and at-large elections 2022,” according to a flyer about the meeting. “On August 11 at 6 p.m., we will begin our meeting with a Candidates Forum featuring candidates for all areas as well as the at-large seat.”
The Palisades is split into eight neighborhoods in a map created by PPCC, each represented by one board member. There is also one position for an at-large representative.
“Area and at-large representatives will be the voice of their constituents, bring issues to the PPCC, learn first-hand about policy and land-use topics affecting the Palisades, and vote on matters of communitywide interest,” according to a statement shared by PPCC.
Incumbents are running in Area 2 (Steve Cron), 3 (Haldis Toppel), 4 (Karen Ridgley) and 8 (Reza Akef). New candidates running include Murray Levy in Area 1, Reza Ronaghi in Area 4, Allison Holdorff Polhill and Kimberly Bloom for Area 5, Cindy Simon in Area 6, Julie Silliman in Area 7, and Chris Spitz for at-large representative. Two seats will have contested elections: Area 4 and Area 5.
The format for the forum will begin with an opening statement from each candidate. The four contested candidates will each be asked two questions posed by the Election Committee, which they will each have allotted time to respond to.
The Election Committee, which has been designated to oversee the election, includes Chair Jenny Li, David Card, Ryan Craig, Michael Edlen and Joanna Spak.
“The Election Committee Chair will use her discretion to take questions from the audience,” according to the flyer. “Any remaining questions in the chat will be sent to candidates for responses.”
All candidates will then be given a chance to deliver a closing remark to end the forum, which will be hosted via Zoom.
Voting will open on August 19 at 8 a.m. and close on September 2 at 9 p.m. Ballots will be available for all community members—including residents, business operators and property owners in Pacific Palisades.
“All individuals at least 18 years old as of September 2, 2022, who reside in Pacific Palisades are eligible to vote for an area representative in the area in which they reside and for the at-large representative,” according to PPCC. “Individuals at least 18 years old as of September 2, 2022, who do not reside in, but who own real property in or operate a business located in Pacific Palisades, are eligible to vote only for the at-large representative.”
For details about Thursday’s meeting, as well as candidate statements from each person seeking election, visit pacpalicc.org.
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