The West Hollywood City Council election is six months away on November 8th, 2022. In this year’s City Council election six candidates have already declared. Those candidates are Mayor Lauren Meister, Former City Council member John Heilman, along with Marquita Thomas, Chelsea Byers Zekiah Wright and Robert Oliver.
This years field of candidates and supporters await the results of the June primary in which Council member Lindsey Horvath is seeking a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Horvath is considered a top tier candidate against State Senator Bob Hertzberg and State Senator Henry Stern. The top two candidates will compete on the November ballot to replace Sheila Kuehl representing the 3rd district. Horvath has lined up Kuehl’s endorsement as well as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. Horvath also has the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. With the recent release of the Supreme Court draft decision and the potential to overturn Roe v Wade, Horvath has the momentum.If Horvath is successful she will not be eligible to run on the ballot in the West Hollywood City Council election.
If Council member Horvath is makes the runoff in November there will be a second open seat in this year’s West Hollywood City Council election. A number of candidates are awaiting the results of the June race before stepping into the race. Martin says his decision does not depend on whether Lindsey makes the runoff.
Former Councilmember Steve Martin was first elected to the West Hollywood City Council in 1994. In that first race Martin placed 1st with 2175 votes, former Councilmember John Heilman finished second with 2041 votes and the late Sal Guariello finished third with 1809 votes.
Martin was re-elected in 1999 but this time finishing 2nd with 2434 votes. Heilman finished first with 2752 votes and Guariello third with 1645 votes. Former Public Safety Commissioner Ruth Williams finished fourth with 1590 votes.
In 2003 Martin ran for re-election and lost. In that year Former Council member Abbe Land came in first with 3224 votes followed by John Heilman with 3171 votes and Sal Guariello with 2195 votes. The incumbent, Steve Martin came in fourth with 1852 votes. Mayor Lauren Meister lost her 1st bid for City Council in that year. Meister finished fifth with 1364 votes.
In 2007 Martin attempted a comeback. In that year Land finished first with 2634 votes. Heilman was second with 2532 votes, and Guariello finished third with 2200 votes. Martin was defeated with 1867 votes and convicted felon Ed Buck finished firth with 1373 votes.
In 2011 Martin ran again. In that year John D’Amico ran against the status quo and finished first with 2876 votes. Former Councilmember Abbe Land finished second with 2834 votes and John Heilman finished third with 2626 votes. Martin was fourth with 2320 votes and Councilmember Lindsey Horvath finished fifth with 2124 votes.
In 2017 Steve attempted a third comeback. In that year he ran in the two seat race against former Council members Heilman and Duran. In that race Heilman finished first with 3343 votes and Duran second with 2828 votes. Martin was third with 2205 votes followed by first time candidate Cynthia Blatt with 2200 votes.
Steve continued to stay engaged in West Hollywood throughout the years speaking on issues from the public comment podium and at the various Commission meetings.
WEHOville reached out to Martin to confirm his plans. Martin replied:
“I have been hearing a lot from people about what they are looking for in a city councilmember. Two years ago voters rejected the status quo and elected fresh faces. Now the public seems frustrated with the direction of the city but they want a more familiar direction without going back to the past. “ (apparently referring to the candidacy of former City Council member John Heilman)
“Public Safety is the people’s number one concern but the city council is clearly toying with the de-funding the sheriff, which is in line with the woke agenda they have been pushing the last six months. We have spent more time talking about banners, bathrooms, and pronouns than zthe issues that impact West Hollywood residents.”
“Voters are still looking for leadership but they also want a council that listens and serves with a bit more humility then we have seen in the past. People who get elected should be grateful for the opportunity to serve.”
“Obviously I have been around for a long time and know the view from both the inside and outside City Hall, but I have never seen the city in this much turmoil or such a chasm between the City Council and its residents. I am very cognizant that this election finds our city at the crossroads and this election may determine if the city government is run as a partnership with the people or if it simply becomes a convenient planform for councilmembers’ ambitions.”
“But running for City Council is daunting when developers are heavily investing in candidates who will do their bidding and in an era where practical progressives who embrace common sense and fiscal responsibility are no longer in fashion.”
In the past Martin has been a supporter of the UNITE HERE Local 11 and is expected to seek their support.
Steve is the perfect candidate. I agree with him, 90% of the time.
A typo: “firth.”
Larry, can you confirm if Horvath can run for Supervisor and Councilmember simultaneously? I have tried to find the answer online, to no avail. I want her off the Council. I hope she loses the Supervisor race, as well.
Horvath is out, she cant run for two seats at the same time. Has been reported here previous on each campaign story. There are two seats open in this council race w three seats on the ballot.
Thank you, Larry. It seems like we will not have her in either position. Although, the primary was close. I asked, because I remember McCain running for Senator and President, at the same time. He won the former. Not sure how it works with local politics.
And, yes, three seats available. But Meister is assured. Thank God.
I hope for West Hollywood’s sake he does run and win’s as he has lived there a long time. Even before that he was very engaged in West Hollywood years before cityhood. A bunch of clowns have clouded the field as per usual. It becomes a popularity contest.
I hope she loses. Rid of her, at the City and County level.
Choosing the lesser evil us never the answer. Mr. Martin had a chance here to submit his ideas rather than critique the badder guys but…………
West Hollywood needs and would welcome substance rather than silliness and self servitude. Balanced measures presented to a total community not followers of a particular clique. Integrity never goes out of style.
First off, I don’t think Martin is endorsing Horvath for City Council. Secondly if he is endorsing her as a candidate for County Supervisor it is to move her out of the way of the council seat, I’m just speculating. Martin does bring a lot to the table, he has the sensibility of someone who has been involved with the city for several decades but has adjusted and grown to see what the city needs today. This new trifecta that is known as SHE or if people think that is sexist and negative to women we can call it HES,… Read more »
For those of you that want new blood, Steve Martin is not a fresh face because he has lived here more than 2 decades and has lots of experience in the politics of this city. I do NOT want another inexperienced, Cancel Culture, Woke, Kookie person with zero integrity calling all of us RACISTS, trying to shame us into submission if we don’t agree, and wanting to defund the Sheriff’s Department because it is the fashionably “WOKE” thing to do! The majority of the people on WeHoville have been complaining about “the SHE” which screams inexperience, all with having an… Read more »
Pray to the sky Gods that Lindsey Horvath is in the LA County Supervisor run-off and she loses. Resulting in her political career is over.
Vote for Lindsey and then for the runoff, vote for anybody else but.
I agree. She is horrid!
Steve is endorsing Horvath? If so I’d like him to explain why, and to comment on her recent leadership here in WeHo.
That concerned me too. I’m looking for candidates they have different ideas than Horvath, Shyne and Erickson. Give me something different than those three otherwise you’re really just the same brain with a different mouth.
You have seen my comments here and at City Council; I am very disturbed/outraged over Hovath’s alignment with Nika Soon Shiong and her refusal to disavow the Public Safety Commission’s recommendation to de-fund the Sheriff by cutting ten deputies. When I endorsed Lindsay over a year ago, none this was on the table. I think I have made my concerns about her judgment fairly public and rather often.
Thanks for this!
Exactly. It would help if people would read this article. You rescinded your endorsement, and thank you for that. I hope you replace her seat on the Council.
https://wehoonline.com/2022/07/12/hertzberg-picks-up-two-endorsements-horvath-loses-one/
He was just being polite to her. He is a true gentleman! He doesn’t like her at all. Few people do and most want her to go away!
Steve Martin would be the only reasonable person on the council, and has always been a good check on the out of control Sheriffs, who are close to being worthless at this point.
Assuming Horvath fails up, I would only vote for Meister and Heilman. Martin would be another welcomed reasonable and more moderate voice compared to the mess we have now. Erickson and Shyne would then be rendered harmless without Horvath (or the equivalent).
Take a look at who is endorsing Lindsey Horvath. Right up front is Steve Martin. Anyone who endorses Horvath, the Street walker for developers, should be put on the Enemy Elite List.
Perhaps Martin is endorsing Horvath in order to sweep her out of the local fray. Only problem, she will have the opportunity to exercise her poor judgement on a larger scale. The question always returns to ethics.
We need Steve to balance out the crazy at City Hall, I hope he runs.
I agree. I love him!
Steve Martin is not a fresh face in the upcoming primary elections in West Hollywood,but maybe he has a chance.With the city council at odds with the residents,Martin can be seen as an “old hand”. Voters went with the fresh faces,but there needs to be a reassessment of the experience needed to run this council.
We went with fresh faces last election and we got totally smacked in the face. What a huge mistake it was for us to elect Shyne and Erickson and then have Horvath totally go off the rails with them. Hopefully in this next election we will seek more moderate, sane representation. Leaders that actually listen to the public that elected them and do not pursue their own radical agenda that is not supported by the public.
Thank you for expressing the issues so well. The public clearly does not support the radical agenda of the current West Hollywood Council members. I would add Steve Martin to the list of the two other possibles: Lauren Meister and John Heilman.