city hall shifts

By now, Cerritos and Compton had received word that the Los Angeles County of Supervisors had certified the results of the June 3 primary election.

The numbers, finalized on Monday by the County Registrar/Clerk's office, were certified yesterday by the Board.

For Cerritos' planning commission chair Carol Chen, this is truly the finish line for a short, expensive and vigorous election season.

After failing to clinch a City Council win last year, and spending more than $76,000 this election season for the chance to finish former Councilman John Crawley's term, Chen came in with 3,342 or 43.16 percent. Election turnout was low, but Chen's strong absentee ballot campaign helped her leap ahead of opponents ABC Unified president Mark Pulido and city commissioners Alon Barlevy and Chris Fuentes.

The chances of Chen kicking up her heels is slim, however, if she's to stand by her intention to run in March's municipal elections for a full four-year term in office.

(Related story: 'Chen to run again for Cerritos council seat')

In other City Hall-related shifts, Compton's Isadore Hall will be moving on to represent the 52nd Assembly District. He beat opponents by a wide 56.71 percent margin, or 10,703 votes, according to final numbers released today by the County Registrar's Office.

At a distant second place is businesswoman Linda Harris-Forster with 4,694 votes, followed by Paramount Vice-Mayor Diane Martinez with 2,882, and university professor  Deborah Sims LeBlanc with 595 votes. Nonprofit House Learning Center co-founder Gwen Patrick -- the solitary Republican in the race -- got 841 votes.

Hall's seat will be officially declared open by Compton city leaders for 30 days after Hall turns in his resignation. In those 30 days, council members will have to decide whether to hold an election or to appoint a successor -- the same options weighed by Cerritos council members after Crawley resigned late January.