Tuesday, April 21, 2015, the City of Compton held municipal elections for District’s 1 and 4. This election marked the first election of district only voting for the two seats. In 2010 three Latino residents sued the City of Compton alleging the previous at-large voting for district seats, diluted their votes. The city settled the lawsuit by agreeing to allow voters to decide to change the voting process. The vote made the June 2012 ballot and as expected, the residents approved.[adsenseyu2]
In District 1 the incumbent Janna Zurita managed to obtain 32.9% of the vote and Richard Alatorre finished 2nd with 26.1%. Like the Zurita family, the Alatorre’s are also a well-known family in Compton as owners of the Alatorre market. The family is also a great resource to the residents by providing credit on groceries and allows them to pay back when able.
Allatore isn’t without fault. The community has already began to discuss questions surrounding issues in his personal life, that on the surface, are concerning.
Sources share with 2 Urban Girls that Ms. Zurita is also actively seeking the support of her former opponents, Barbara Calhoun and Kevin Monk, which could prove troublesome. Her supporters, the LA Sentinel published a seething expose on Monk’s past and there is no love lost between her and Barbara Calhoun after filing a restraining on her during the last election.
In District 4 Dr. Willie Jones is bound for a run-off and between either Compton School Board member Emma Shariff or political newcomer Bryan O. Parker? SIX votes separates these two.
Emma Shariff famously showed the residents she doesn’t take the time to read agendas and/or policies she votes on, proven by her position on the controversial Urban Rifle Policy she voted in favor of, yet denounced after the community was in an uproar.
Those in attendance at the community meeting, held over the policy, commented she couldn’t answer any questions on the policy or what exactly it entailed. So that makes two instances she didn’t do her homework. Is that what you want in an elected official?
Related article: Compton Unified Board Trustee wants you to know…
Will another Latino join Isaac Galvan on the dais? Will Bryan O. Parker pull into 2nd place after provisional ballots are counted? Will the black community rally around Janna Zurita to keep the seat black? Stay tuned.
