MARCH 9: GHARPETIAN, AGAJANIAN BATTLE FOR SECOND IN COUNCIL RACE
As of updated results on March 9 from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, incumbent Ardy Kassakhian still has the highest percentage of votes with 22.3%.
The second place ranking, however, has shifted with Vartan Gharpetian now leading Vrej Agajanian by just 47 votes.
MARCH 8: KASSAKHIAN, AGAJANIAN LEADS COUNCIL RACE
Vote tallies from the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk as of Friday show two former Glendale mayors — incumbent Ardy Kassakhian and Vrej Agajanian — as the front-runners in the race for the two open seats on City Council.
With 22.2% of the votes as of Friday evening, Kassakhian, who has been a Councilman since 2020 and previously served as city clerk, has the strongest lead and is expected to keep his seat on the dais.
Kassakhian told the News-Press that he is “deeply grateful for the results we’ve seen so far,” touting the combined efforts of city staff and Councilmembers during his last term on the Council amid the challenges brought on by the pandemic.
“I firmly believe that by fostering collaboration among city staff, Councilmembers, residents and businesses, we can effectively address any challenge that comes our way,” Kassakhian said. “This victory isn’t about me alone; it belongs to every individual in our city who shares the belief that our best days are still ahead of us if we can find commonality around issues and are willing to work together.”
Agajanian held 17.7% of the votes, with Vartan Gharpetian, who also served as Glendale’s mayor in 2017, was close behind with 17.4%.
“As the election results unfold, I find myself cautiously optimistic that I will be elected as Glendale City Councilmember,” Agajanian told the News-Press. “The votes are still being counted, and the landscape is filled with anticipation and optimism. These early results indicate a promising path forward. Glendale residents have expressed their desire for positive change, and we are positioned to deliver just that.”
Gharpetian said he is thankful for all Glendale residents who participated in the election.
“As a citizen of this great nation, it is a privilege to exercise our rights to vote,” Gharpetian told the News-Press. “Regardless of the outcome of this election, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to once again run a grassroots and clean campaign. Although, the results haven’t been finalized yet, I am ready to pull up my sleeves and get to work to address many issues our residents and our city as a whole is currently facing.”
In fourth place is Karen Kwak, who has earned 13.8% of votes. Kwak did not respond to the News-Press’ request for comment.
Candidates Denise Miller and James Clarke were neck-and-neck for fifth place with 12.4% and 12%, respectively.
Miller told the News-Press that while the results are not final, she wished a woman would succeed Councilwoman Paula Devine, who did not seek reelection. She also expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to meet much of Glendale’s community and that she believes better days are ahead.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be in this race and to listen to the voters of Glendale,” Miller said. “Campaigning has compelled me to get out and discover and explore all the diverse neighborhoods that make up Glendale. There are singular and different needs in each of these neighborhoods and we must converge and cooperate to address them with reason, focus and fresh perspectives.”
Clarke acknowledged the challenges of running against more well-known members of the community.
“Challenging an incumbent and two former mayors in my first foray into local politics, I was realistic about my chances,” Clarke told the News-Press. “Interestingly, my campaign evolved into more than just a bid for a seat; it became a project for citizen journalism, shining a light on the workings of our city, unseen by most, and its elected officials.”
Clarke went on to say that this race will not discourage him from spreading his message.
“My commitment to uncovering the truth and disseminating that to Glendale residents doesn’t end with this election,” he said. “Regardless of the final vote count, I am determined to persevere in this mission.”
Andre Haghverdian garnered the least votes with 4.7%. He did not respond to the News-Press’ request for comment.
While local elections can sometimes fall to the wayside, one Glendale resident, Peter Ciulla, told the News-Press that the Glendale City Council race was his “main motivator” to vote.
“I’m looking for people who are from the city, have been here a long time, and understand the duality of it being a growing, big, commercially developed city, but also having these great residential, suburban, lower density areas,” Ciulla said outside of the Chevy Chase Branch Library vote center on Tuesday. “It’s important to have a [Councilmember] who appreciates the balance between those two things.”
He also added that he values candidates who are dedicated to supporting various programs and nonprofits that benefit the community.
Another voter, Michael Glassick, also emphasized the importance of local elections.
“Local elections are important because they let you affect change where you live — change that actually has an effect on you,” Glassick told the News-Press on Tuesday. He identified crime, the “overbuilding” of apartments in Glendale and increasing expenses for landlords as important local issues for him.
MEASURE A PASSES
Voters expressed confidence in Measure A, which will “allow the Council to establish by ordinance the standards, procedures, rules or regulations relating to all aspects of the award and performance of contracts, including contracts for the construction of public improvements, such as compensation paid for performance of such work,” according to the Glendale Votes website.
With 60.4% of voter support, Measure A will change the city’s charter which currently mandates that almost all city contracts be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.
“In other words, price is the only factor the city can look at when awarding a bid, even for projects where other factors should be taken into account,” Mayor Dan Brotman said in a statement on Glendale Votes supporting the measure. “The proposed Charter amendment would allow the city to consider other factors along with price, such as experience and best all-in value.”
Measure A was unanimously backed by City Councilmembers. Brotman also said this measure would “streamline the construction of city projects” and “allow more efficient use of taxpayer funds.”
The county is scheduled to certify election results on March 29. Statewide results are set to be certified by April 12.
First published in the March 9 issue of the Glendale News-Press
