Pam O’Connor receives most votes in council race
With nearly 100 percent of the vote reported, incumbents edged out their challengers in the race for Santa Monica City Council.
For most of Tuesday night, Councilwoman Pam O’Connor, Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown and Councilman Bob Holbrook led steadily in the polls, with challenger Abby Arnold finishing a close fourth.
Dr. Matteo “Matt” Dinolfo, Josefina S. Aranda, Chuck Allord and Pro Se all trailed by more than 3,000 votes. Jerry Rubin, who pulled out of the race too late to be removed from the ballot, received 2,238 votes.
The result of the election was seen by many as a vote of confidence in how the city is currently run.
“We have led the city in challenging and innovative ways,” said McKeown, who was on his way to a second term on the council. “And it’s great to see a positive mandate for our work.”
But McKeown also said the sweep by incumbents showed a flip side to the election.
“It shows it is very difficult for newcomers to run against incumbents, especially when all the incumbents run,” he said.
With 11,542 votes, O’Connor was the top vote-getter, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the total ballots cast. McKeown was a close second with 11,387 or 18.9 percent of the vote.
Initially, Holbrook took an early lead over Arnold. But as the night wore on, Arnold steadily gained ground and even took the lead briefly. However, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Holbrook was declared the winner by more than 150 votes. Arnold received 9,895 votes to Holbrook’s 10,053.
After that came Dinolfo (7,481), Aranda ( 5,972), Allord (2,818), Rubin (2,238) and Pro Se (1,524).
O’Connor, 54, who has been a member of the city council since 1994, raised $15,960 in her campaign to secure her third four-year term. She is a member of the influential Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and has vowed to use her seat to help bring light rail to Santa Monica. O’Connor favors taking a county-wide look at issues of growth and transportation, and stressed Santa Monica taking a leadership role regionally.
Holbrook, 60, raised the most money of any candidate running for city council. He spent nearly $60,000 seeking his fourth term. First elected in 1990, Holbrook — a registered Democrat — has been the more conservative voice on the council, voting against the living wage ordinance and regularly speaking up for business interests.
McKeown, 54, raised $38,342 in his bid for a second four-year term on the city council. McKeown, a Green Party activist and a computer consultant for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, is known for his staunch opposition to big business in Santa Monica.
“I am honored at the support of so many Santa Monica residents, and I’m excited about serving another term,” McKeown said. “I have some projects to finish and others I can’t wait to begin.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 6, 2002. Read the original PDF.