L.A. Resident Stresses Value of Voter Outreach
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Virginia Elwood-Akers was debating between Garcetti and Greuel when she received a call from the Kevin James campaign. (Photo by Chrystal Li)
The 74-year-old retired college librarian said she was choosing between leading mayoral candidates Eric Garcetti and Wendy Greuel Monday night before the election when she was contacted by the Kevin James campaign.
“They told me lots of good things about (James), and then they said, ‘All we’re trying to do is get him into the big election,’” she said. “That stood out to me.”
A self-proclaimed “L.A. girl” who previously lived in Echo Park, Santa Monica and various parts of the San Fernando Valley, Elwood-Akers called City Hall “inbred,” with many of the same faces cycling through various city offices. Voting for James, she said, was her way of giving the underdog a chance.
“This is only the primary,” she said. “I thought I’d give him a shot against one of the city council insiders.”
Elwood-Akers added that she thought it unlikely James would end up in the May runoff, and that even if he does, her final vote will go to either Garcetti or Greuel.
Voter outreach was a deciding factor for the lifetime Angeleno in several other races as well. She cited phone calls from current City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, controller candidate and City Councilman Dennis P. Zine, and incumbent School Board President Monica Garcia, all three of whom received her vote.
“I voted for Garcia because she’s fighting the teachers’ union on accountability, which I think is very important,” said the former Cal State Northridge employee who has also worked at UCLA and Santa Monica College. “But for politicians like Zine, who I don’t pay much attention to, it was because of a convincing phone call.”
Elwood-Akers noted that a lack of voter outreach from some candidates also impacted her choices. A resident of Downtown L.A. since 2004, she said she could not support mayoral contender Jan Perry because the councilwoman had “never ever contacted her constituents” while the area was still part of her 9th District.
“I’ve heard more from (Councilman Jose) Huizar (after redistricting) than I heard from Perry in the previous 10 years,” Elwood-Akers said, adding that she emailed Perry’s office several times over the years and never received a response.
“I think (Perry) would be okay in the job as mayor, but I wouldn’t vote for her,” she said. “I like politicians who keep in touch with their constituents.”
