City Council District 1 Hernandez is our pick.
EUNISSES HERNANDEZ MARIA LOU CALANCHE RAUL CLAROS
Quick take Very progressive and consistent incumbent. She's shown who she is and what she'll do. Progressive, much less experienced. A lot of frustration with the current approach. Is getting more attention but not enough to be a top contender.
Background Organizer turned councilmember, big on criminal justice reform and Measure J Runs ExpandLA, founded Legacy LA — long track record in youth + community work Business + nonprofit background, former Red Cross leadership
Housing / homelessness Very tenant-first, anti-displacement, leans heavily on services over enforcement More focused on whether things are actually working on the ground More about visible cleanup + frustration with current approach
Public safety Reform-first, skeptical of expanding policing More middle-of-the-road — safety + responsiveness Leans more law-and-order
Vibe Very values-driven, sticks to her lane even when it’s unpopular Practical, community-oriented, less ideological Frustrated, outsider, wants to shake things up
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Our pick. Mejia endorsement helps, but more importantly she’s actually been consistent in office and hasn’t wavered from what she said she’d do. Credible, and good ideas. If you don't like Hernandez, this is where you want to go. More noise than substance.

Eunisses Hernandez

What The LA Voter Guide thinksOur pick. Mejia endorsement helps, but more importantly she’s actually been consistent in office and hasn’t wavered from what she said she’d do.
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Quick takeVery progressive and consistent incumbent.
BackgroundOrganizer turned councilmember
HousingTenant-first approach
Public safetyReform-first
VibeValues-driven and consistent

Maria Lou Calanche

What The LA Voter Guide thinksCredible, and good ideas. If you don't like Hernandez, this is where you want to go.
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Quick takeProgressive, less experienced
BackgroundNonprofit leader
HousingFocused on results
Public safetyModerate
VibePractical

Raul Claros

What The LA Voter Guide thinksMore noise than substance.
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Quick takeFrustration-driven campaign
BackgroundBusiness + nonprofit
HousingFocus on visible issues
Public safetyMore law-and-order
VibeOutsider energy
City Council District 3 Girvan is our pick.
TIMOTHY GASPAR BARRI WORTH GIRVAN CHRISTOPHER ROBERT CELONA
Quick take Bills himself as a moderate Democrat — opposes ICE, but also opposes rent control, arguing it stifles housing improvements. Strong backing from Democratic Party and elected officials; leans slightly left of Gaspar. Wants to revive the entertainment industry. Describes himself as a “TikTok philosopher.”
Background Local business owner and nonprofit leader with major endorsements. District director for Supervisor Lindsey Horvath; longtime Valley public servant. Tech entrepreneur, media executive, resident of LA for 15 years.
Housing / homelessness Focus on wrap-around services and affordability. Pragmatic: services, coalition-building, and getting departments to actually deliver. Primarily focused on affordability.
Public safety Very friendly to law enforcement endorsements. Focus on safe, clean neighborhoods. Focus on park, street, and neighborhood safety.
Vibe Moderate with strong establishment backing. Slightly left, but not dramatically — reflects the city well. Very earnest about how government should work.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Nah. Sure. Not enough traction to be a serious contender.
City Council District 5 Mantel is our pick.
KATY YAROSLAVSKY HENRY MANTEL MORGAN OYLER
Quick take Incumbent, budget chair, positioning herself as pragmatic and “not ideological” — focused on managing the system more than shaking it up. Tenant attorney running on frustration with City Hall — more aggressive about housing reform and holding the city accountable. Not getting traction.
Background Current councilmember and budget committee chair. Very influential in city government. Tenants’ rights attorney who has represented renters in eviction disputes; frustrated with housing crisis. Former Republican now Democrat.
Housing / homelessness Supports increasing housing but with limits. Opposed fast-tracking state density rules (SB 79), arguing infrastructure needs to catch up. Did create some enemies with a 33-bed housing facility (oh wow, 33 beds, you're mad at that?) but controversy seems to have blown over. Very housing-forward: argues the city isn’t moving fast enough and needs more aggressive development and reform. Pro-housing too.
Public safety A broad systems view with police funding plus infrastructure like lighting and traffic safety. More critical of how police funding is handled and wants more scrutiny (see Mejia’s graphs on lawsuit payouts). Less ICE, more neighborhood policing.
Vibe Very insider. More energy, willing to push. Nice guy.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Same old same old. Will at least try to shake things up. In the race, but not really in the race.

Katy Yaroslavsky

What The LA Voter Guide thinksSame old same old.
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Quick takePragmatic incumbent
BackgroundBudget chair
HousingGrowth with limits
Public safetySystems approach
VibeInsider

Henry Mantel

What The LA Voter Guide thinksWill at least try to shake things up.
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Quick takeHousing-forward challenger
BackgroundTenant attorney
HousingAggressive reform
Public safetyMore scrutiny
VibeEnergy + push

Morgan Oyler

What The LA Voter Guide thinksIn the race, but not really in the race.
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Quick takeNo traction
BackgroundFormer Republican
HousingPro-housing
Public safetyNeighborhood focus
VibeNice guy
City Council District 7 Rodriguez, because her four challengers neglected to file the paperwork in time.

Monica Rodriguez

Quick take Running essentially uncontested, so this one is not where the drama is.
Background Incumbent councilmember representing the northern San Fernando Valley.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Not much of a race here.
City Council District 9 Mazariegos is our pick.
JOSE UGARTE ADRIANA CABRERA ESTUARDO MAZARIEGOS
Quick take Establishment candidate with backing from Curren Price — running on continuity and inside knowledge of City Hall. Community-rooted candidate; one of the main alternatives to the establishment lane. Organizer with strong progressive backing — competing directly with Cabrera for that same lane.
Background Chief of staff to Curren Price; deep ties to City Hall and existing political network. Neighborhood council president; strong local presence and community leadership. Community organizer with a background in advocacy and grassroots engagement.
Housing / homelessness Aligned with current city approach — services-driven, incremental, working within the existing system. Community-first framing; focused on how housing and homelessness policies impact residents day-to-day. More progressive framing — equity, tenant protections, and broader structural change.
Public safety Institutional approach; aligned with existing city systems and leadership. Neighborhood-level safety focus; responsiveness to local concerns. More reform-oriented approach to public safety.
Vibe Very insider. Grounded, community-focused. Activist energy, more ideological.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Clear establishment candidate — if you want continuity, this is your lane. One of the stronger alternatives; community-rooted and more grounded. Similar lane to Cabrera, but more ideological — splitting that vote.
Other candidates on the ballot

There are other candidates on the ballot, but none are picking up meaningful traction.

City Council District 11 Malik is our pick.
TRACI PARK FAIZAH MALIK
Housing / homelessness Claims homelessness has dropped in the district and points to Venice as a success story. The Venice Dell project was already approved in a neighborhood that desperately needs housing, and she’s helped lead over $1M+ in city spending to fight it through lawsuits and delays. Argues Park cleared visible homelessness without creating lasting solutions, supports zoning changes to allow more housing, and backs Venice Dell-style supportive/affordable housing.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Says she’s doing a ton for homelessness but really she’s cleaning up by moving people around without any solid expansion on housing (and clear fights against it.) She's been working hard for the Palisades, though. She was a Republican before she was a Dem, so take that as you will. More progressive, fighting on a platform of equality. Also endorsed by our best buddy Kenneth Mejia and pointedly not endorsed by several organizations that The LA Voter Guide is not a fan of.

Traci Park

What The LA Voter Guide thinks Says she’s doing a ton for homelessness but really she’s cleaning up by moving people around without any solid expansion on housing (and clear fights against it.) She's been working hard for the Palisades, though. She was a Republican before she was a Dem, so take that as you will.
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Housing / homelessness Claims homelessness has dropped in the district and points to Venice as a success story. The Venice Dell project was already approved in a neighborhood that desperately needs housing, and she’s helped lead over $1M+ in city spending to fight it through lawsuits and delays.

Faizah Malik

What The LA Voter Guide thinks More progressive, fighting on a platform of equality. Also endorsed by our best buddy Kenneth Mejia and pointedly not endorsed by several organizations that The LA Voter Guide is not a fan of.
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Housing / homelessness Argues Park cleared visible homelessness without creating lasting solutions, supports zoning changes to allow more housing, and backs Venice Dell-style supportive/affordable housing.
City Council District 13 Hugo is our pick.
HUGO SOTO-MARTINEZ COLTER CARLISLE DYLAN KENDALL RICH SARIAN
Quick take Incumbent, labor-backed progressive. Has actually changed things, which means people either really like him or really don’t. His upstairs neighbor. Not metaphorically. Same building. Running on tenant concerns and skepticism about how development is playing out. Leaning hard into public safety, encampments, and “things feel worse.” Focused on city services, infrastructure, and the business environment.
Background Former labor organizer who beat an incumbent and came in with a clear progressive agenda. Was arrested on purpose during a protest supporting hotel workers, which tells you exactly where he stands. Neighborhood council VP with a local, housing-focused lens. Business and economic development background. Works in the business improvement district world. Very plugged into how the city operates day to day.
Housing / homelessness Pro-housing, tenant protections, and willing to push change even when it upsets people. Concerned about how development impacts existing tenants and affordability. Focus on encampments and visible homelessness. More frustration with current conditions than a clear housing expansion plan. More about process and delivery. Getting projects approved and built, but without a strong ideological lane.
Public safety More reform-oriented. Not leading with enforcement. Less clearly defined. More tied to general concerns about neighborhood change. This is her lane. Public safety, encampments, and quality of life. Basic services, cleanliness, and functionality. Less ideological, more operational.
Vibe Clear ideology. You know what you’re getting. Local frustration, but not a huge base. Frustration candidate. “Why doesn’t the city just work” energy.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks This is a referendum on him, and we’re good with it. He’s been consistent, actually pushes on housing, and doesn’t pretend you can solve things by just moving people around. Not breaking out. Tapping into real frustration, but not consolidating it. Credible, but not dominating any lane.

Hugo Soto-Martinez

What The LA Voter Guide thinksThis is a referendum on him, and we’re good with it.
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Quick takeIncumbent progressive
HousingPro-housing
Public safetyReform-oriented

Colter Carlisle

What The LA Voter Guide thinksNot breaking out.

Dylan Kendall

What The LA Voter Guide thinksFrustration lane.

Rich Sarian

What The LA Voter Guide thinksCredible, but not dominating any lane.
City Council District 15 Rivers is our pick.
TIM MCOSKER JORDAN RIVERS
Quick take Incumbent with deep establishment ties. Very much the “I know how to work the system” candidate. Community organizer challenger. Running as the alternative for people who feel the system is not working for them.
Background Current councilmember, former City Hall insider, and longtime Harbor-area political figure. Community organizer running against a very entrenched incumbent.
Housing / homelessness More institutional approach. Services, enforcement, and working through existing city systems. More community-first framing. Focused on what residents are actually seeing and experiencing.
Public safety Public-safety-friendly, establishment lane. More likely to focus on community conditions and accountability over enforcement-first approaches.
Vibe Very insider. Port, police, labor, City Hall. Grassroots challenger energy.
What The LA Voter Guide thinks Same same, same same. For the people.

Tim McOsker

What The LA Voter Guide thinksSame same, same same.

Jordan Rivers

What The LA Voter Guide thinksFor the people.