Measure G, the ballot measure that would reform Los Angeles County governance by adding four supervisors, electing a chief executive officer and creating an ethics commission, remained barely ahead by 1 percentage point, Thursday’s vote update showed.
The measure was clinging to a tiny lead, with 50.52% yes votes, and 49.48% no votes, as of 4:40 p.m. The margin has held nearly the same since late Wednesday night.
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The fate of the measure’s sweeping reforms may not be known until every single provisional ballot and mail-in ballot arriving after Tuesday, Nov. 5 are counted. The canvassing will continue through Nov. 26, with certification expected on Dec. 3, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
Los Angeles County Supervisor and Board Chair Lindsey Horvath, who co-authored Measure G with Supervisor Janice Hahn, said in a statement released Nov. 5 at 10:30 p.m. she was prepared to wait. “As we wait for every last vote to be counted, we remain optimistic about the path forward. Measure G marks a new era for a better and brighter L.A. County for all of us,” she said.
The measure was supported by Horvath, Hahn and Supervisor Hilda Solis. It was opposed by the other two supervisors, Holly Mitchell and Kathryn Barger. It needs a simple majority for passage.
“It’s not over until it’s over,” said Supervisor Barger. “The close margins reflect that Measure G was never a true referendum. Instead, Measure G was pushed through by a campaign that lacked the transparency and public engagement necessary to claim a sweeping majority.”
If approved, the county’s reform package would launch in 2026, creating a county ethics commission, followed by the election of a county executive officer in 2028. Voters would then begin expanding the number of seats following the 2030 U.S. Census, during elections starting in 2032.