The hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 11 is urging voters to support four candidates for Santa Monica City Council ahead of November's election — Mayor Caroline Torosis, Rent Control Board member Danny Ivanov, Brett Morrow and Doug Trussler — while explicitly opposing two others, Lana Negrete and Phil Brock.
The union's endorsement of Torosis cites her work protecting the jobs of workers on the Santa Monica Pier when restaurants change ownership. Ivanov earned support for his role enforcing the city's rent control protections as chair of the Rent Control Board. Morrow previously worked on the staff of then-Congressman Keith Ellison, now Minnesota's attorney general, whom the union described as a labor champion. Trussler's endorsement came despite disagreements with the union on some issues, based on what Local 11 called his pro-union vision of business and labor succeeding together. Torosis, Ivanov and Morrow also carry the endorsement of Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR).
In opposing Negrete and Brock, the union pointed to their support for expanding the Shore Hotel in 2021. The hotel is not unionized and has been the site of numerous protests by Unite Here regarding the unionization of the property. The Union’s endorsement did not mention the union status of the hotel but instead criticized the hotel’s history as being constructed without appropriate permits and the criminal behavior of Steve Farzam whose family owns the hotel and who used to work there as COO.
UNITE HERE Local 11 represents more than 32,000 workers in hotels, restaurants, airports, sports arenas and convention centers across Southern California and Arizona.
The union's endorsement of four individuals with only three open seats is part of a broadly chaotic endorsement process that has seen multiple individuals and groups of candidates endorsed by various organizations.
The Santa Monica Police Officers Association and the Santa Monica Firefighters, IAFF Local 1109, jointly endorsed Councilmember Lana Negrete, calling it an "initial pick." Both unions said additional endorsements would follow in coming weeks.
Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights members endorsed Torosis and Ivanov and failed to select a third. However, SMRR's steering committee added Morrow to the group's campaign materials.
Torosis has also picked up backing from the pro-housing group Santa Monica Forward, which endorsed her along with Eli Gill and Morrow, and from the Community for Excellent Public Schools, which split its endorsement between Torosis and Negrete without backing a candidate for the third, open seat.
Voters here will decide four contested local board races in the Nov. 3 general election. Twelve candidates qualified for three open City Council seats. Five candidates are vying for three seats on the Rent Control Board. Five candidates filed for four seats on the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees. Five candidates are running for four seats on the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education.
Voters also will weigh five city measures, all requiring a simple majority: Measure ES, the “Excellent Santa Monica Public Schools Parcel Tax,” a $495-per-parcel tax generating an estimated $12 million annually for schools; rent-control charter amendments Measures GG, RR and VV, addressing eviction protections; and Measure TT, which imposes the city’s hotel tax on corporate lodging bookings longer than 30 days.
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk will begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters no later than Oct. 5, when drop boxes also open. Vote centers open Oct. 24.
The last day to register to receive a mailed ballot is Oct. 19; voters may register and vote conditionally afterward through Election Day. Polls close at 8 p.m. Nov. 3. The county must certify results by Dec. 3.