INGLEWOOD – The Inglewood City Council has approved a resolution that will add a special election to its 2026 election cycle.
Inglewood City Clerk Aisha Thompson made the request during the October 28 city council meeting with the staff report requesting the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to, “consolidate the City’s General Municipal Election to be held on June 2, 2026, with the Statewide Primary Election to be held the same date, pursuant to Elections Code section 10403.”1
In addition to calling for the election, Thompson is also requesting her office hire an additional staff person to assist to “support election-related duties and increased public records workload; and (2) allocate funds to pay for the June 2, 2026 election.”
According to Inglewood City Hall insiders, the City Clerk’s office has one of the highest turnover rates, with two staff members being recently let go for unknown reasons. One of the staffers removed from the office was responsible for responding to public records requests.
The June 2, 2026 special election will cost taxpayers additional funds despite the financial constraints the City finds itself in.
In August 2021, the Inglewood City Council declared a fiscal emergency which triggered a special election that cost taxpayers $1.3 million. The City Clerk’s office had to negotiate a five-year payment plan with the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Recorders Office to pay the bill, which still has an outstanding balance.2
Inglewood could face stiff penalty for public records act violations
According to the 2025-2026 adopted budget (Page 105), Thompson’s objective for her office is to “Decrease to Maintenance and Operations for Elections and to standardize public records request fulfillment.” It is not known why the fireworks ordinance isn’t on the November ballot which saves taxpayers money which aligns with Thompson’s objective for her department.
Judge rules in favor of ACLU against Inglewood Police Department over
failure to turn over public records
A review of the City Clerk’s office’s budget, there is no allocation for 2026 elections which is why she requested the funds to pay for it.
In June 2024, the City acknowledged it is under “fiscal pressure” due to its pension liability debt, according to Sr. Assistant City Manager Jose Cortes.3
Letter: City quietly raising salaries for
Inglewood city clerk, treasurer
A month after the June 2, 2026 special election, Thompson is expected to open the nomination period for the November 3, 2026 election, which will ask voters to elect Council Members for District 1, currently represented by Gloria Gray, District 2, currently represented by Alex Padilla and Mayor which is currently held by James T. Butts Jr.
Mayor Butts will ask voters for an unprecedented fourth term in office given that there are no term limits in Inglewood.
As the City finds itself in dire fiscal straits, with a $24 million deficit (and growing) can Inglewood taxpayers continue to foot the bill for unnecessary expenses?
2 Urban Girls acknowledges our error in conflating the two elections to be held in 2026.
- Resolutions: Calling Regular Municipal Election for June 2, 2026; Requesting Consolidation with LA County and Placing Measure on Ballot; and Amending Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Operating Budget https://www.cityofinglewood.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/19987?fileID=26940 ↩︎
- Partial Payment of Invoice No. 24-PP1222014 to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office https://www.cityofinglewood.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/16544?fileID=23444 ↩︎
- Staff report recommending the Mayor and Council Members adopt a resolution establishing a Section 115 Trust for Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) and Pension Liabilities and authorizing the City Manager to execute agreements with the Trust Administrator, Custodian, and Trustee to create a 115 Trust account for the funding of future OPEB and Pension liabilities https://www.cityofinglewood.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/19304?fileID=26594 ↩︎
