Voters turned out in typically low numbers and re-elected incumbents John Heilman and John Duran on Tuesday to the West Hollywood City Council. Based on early estimates from this morning’s vote count, fewer that 4,400 votes were cast with potentially 500 to 700 mail-in and provisional ballots yet to be counted.
In the 2015 March City Council elections, 4,929 votes were cast with 5,025 votes cast in the June special election of the same year. West Hollywood’s current population is estimated at 35,000 residents.
With ten candidates vying for two open seats and prominent local activists demanding change and a break from career politicians, the re-election of Heilman and Duran are clear evidence of support for the status quo. John Heilman has served almost concurrently since 1984 and John Duran since 2001 on the West Hollywood City Council.
According to the L.A. County Registrar- Recorder/County Clerk, as of 1:41 a.m. Heilman had 2,252 votes (25.5%), and Duran had 1,929 votes (21.8) of the total 8813 votes counted. Challengers, Steve Martin and Cynthia Blatt had strong showings, each garnering 1532 votes, (17.4% of all votes cast.).
West Hollywood Municipal Election Results
*UNOFFICIAL*
9 of 9 Precincts Reporting
John Heilman – 2,252
John J. Duran – 1,929
Steve Martin – 1,532
Cynthia Blatt – 1,532
Nate Clark – -469
Amanda Goodwin – 281
Carlo Romo – 274
Michael Cautillo – 235
Reed Stillwell – 172
Joel Quaresimo – 13
The voting results are still “unofficial” and include only the mail-in ballots that were counted up to election day and ballots from polling places. The vote-by-mail ballots and provisional ballots have not been included and are yet to be counted. The City’s website will periodically update results.
Election results are expected to be declared official by The L.A. County Board of Supervisors at its meeting on April 4 with local election results to certified and the installation of Heilman and Duran to take at the next West Hollywood City Council Meeting on April 17.
