LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Today is the deadline for candidates for Los Angeles elected office to submit nominating petitions with a sufficient number of signatures to appear on the June 7 primary ballot.
The petitions are due to the Los Angeles City Clerk at 5 p.m.
Each candidate for mayor, city attorney, controller and City Council seats must submit petitions with at least 500 valid signatures. Those who submit at least 1,000 valid signatures will avoid paying a $300 filing fee.
A tentative field of 27 candidates filed paperwork by Feb. 12 to run for mayor of Los Angeles in the June 7 election, but as of Tuesday afternoon only six candidates had qualified.
The six, who are also among the election's most prominent candidates, are: Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, City Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Kevin de León, City Attorney Mike Feuer, real estate developer Rick Caruso and entrepreneur Ramit Varma.
Real estate agent and former Metro board member Mel Wilson, self- described business owner John ``Jsamuel'' Jackson, Army veteran and self- described education advocate Austin Dragon, community activist Gina Viola, and Chuck Cho -- who did not identify with a title -- have also submitted their petitions, but they have not yet been verified by the City Clerk's Office, as of Tuesday afternoon.
Other candidates who may submit their petitions before the deadline include:
-- businessman Craig Greiwe.
-- social justice advocate and Echo Park Neighborhood Council member Alex Gruenenfelder Smith;
-- self-described housing advocate G. Juan Johnson;
-- self-described entrepreneur Douglas Paul Nichols;
-- William ``Rodriguez'' Morrison, who was a Republican candidate in 2017 for the U.S. House of Representatives for the 34th District and won about 3% of the vote;
-- lawyer Andrew Kim;
-- Jesse N. Forte, who identified himself in paperwork as an ``astronaut'' but whose LinkedIn account indicates that he seasonally participates in simulation tests for a space architecture and engineering firm;
-- construction professional Sean Isaac Enright;
-- SilentRight CEO Barry ``Boenvilla'' Boen;
-- self-described businesswoman Juanita Lopez;
-- self-described community activist Vincent ``King Spider-D'' Willis;
-- business administrative consultant Jesseca Harvey;
-- homeless advocate Louis De Barraicua, whose website says he teaches filmmaking;
-- chiropractor Jemiss Nazar;
-- Alycia Tashaunna Lowery, who works in the children's social work field; and
-- Chris Gilmore, who identified himself as a business owner.
The June 7 primary will also include city elections for city attorney, controller, and City Council districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15.