Three more candidates join race for WeHo City Council

Ten potential candidates have now pulled nomination papers to enter the race for West Hollywood City Council this November.

Joining the seven previously announced are:

Jordan Cockeram — a member of WeHo’s Business License Commission, appointed by Councilmember John Heilman in 2023. Cockeram ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2022 as one of the race’s more moderate candidates. On his campaign web page, he notes his support for keeping the sheriff’s budget at current levels and he advocates for the construction of more apartments, while expressing doubts about the city’s minimum wage ordinances. 

Dorian J. Jackson — an associate analyst for Culver City’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services division. Jackson is also a member of West Hollywood’s Public Facilities, Recreation and Infrastructure Commission. An 18-year resident of the city, she was appointed to the commission in 2023 by Councilmember Lauren Meister. 

Stefanie LaHart — founder of Boomtown Marketing and a 30-year resident of the city. Last year, LaHart rallied her neighbors in response to a devastating fire that broke out at the derelict empty house next door. Her efforts helped expedite the home’s demolition and pushed City Hall to take dangerous vacant properties more seriously. LaHart hinted at run for office while addressing Council last year about the fire. “I’m not living like this and I’m not going anywhere,” La Hart said. “If have to I will start running for office, and you don’t want that to happen because I never shut the hell up.”

Also, previously announced candidate Ramesses II Setepenre recently wrote to WEHOonline to provide us with more information about himself.

Ramesses II is founder of the advocacy organization, Antinoöpolis: An LGBT+ Empire. On his campaign web page, he describes himself as a “devout atheist, secularist, apostate, eco-socialist, and Egyptian–American–in–exile,” as well as a belly dancer, farmer, violinist, drag queen and philosopher. His No. 1 campaign priority is listed as “expos(ing) and remov(ing) that unresponsive, passive-aggressive, mid-western-pumpkin, conflicted-catholic-homosexual-that-works-at-planned-parenthood, self-aggrandizing, catholic-pope-visiting-using-your-taxes Mayor John.”

“Feel free to paint me in a negative light,” Ramesses II wrote in his e-mail to us. “I don’t give a fuck—all publicity is good publicity.”

Pending City Hall’s approval, Cockeram, Jackson and LaHart will join the following candidates on the November ballot (in alphabetical order):

• Larry Block
• Mayor John M. Erickson
• Danny Hang
• George Nickle 
• West Seegmiller
• Rachel Schmeidler 
• Ramesses II 

Any resident interested in running for the two open seats on City Council has until Friday to submit their paperwork — unless Councilmember Sepi Shyne decides she does want to run for re-election, in which case the deadline is extended until Wednesday, Aug. 14.

More information about the nomination period and what is required to run for City Council can be found here.  An appointment is required to pull nomination papers.  You may reach the City Clerk’s Office to make an appointment by calling (323) 848-6409.

All active registered voters in West Hollywood will receive a vote-by-mail ballot starting October 7.

Ballot drop-off locations open October 8, 2024. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.

The last day to register to vote is October 21.

Vote centers open for early in-person voting beginning on October 26.

Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 12.