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58 will appear on ballot in L.A. City Hall races

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Fifty-eight candidates have qualified to run for city offices in Los Angeles’ March 5 election, with the majority looking to fill open seats on the City Council, according to the final list released Friday by the city clerk’s office.

The roster of candidates is the largest in more than a decade, with term limits fueling much of the interest. Eight people are running to replace Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who leaves office next year, including City Controller Wendy Greuel, council members Eric Garcetti and Jan Perry, former prosecutor Kevin James, tech executive Emanuel Pleitez, citywide advocate Addie M. Miller, factory production worker Norton Sandler and neighborhood council secretary Yehuda ‘YJ’ Draiman.

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A random alphabet drawing placed Perry as the first candidate to appear on the ballot, officials said.

With Greuel giving up her office to run for mayor, six people are looking to replace her as controller: Councilman Dennis Zine, who is being pushed out by term limits; company executive Cary Brazeman, city efficiency commissioner Ron Galperin, business owner Jeff Bornstein, labor organizer Ankur Patel and disability advocate Analilia Joya.

Meanwhile, City Atty. Carmen Trutanich faces three opponents as he seeks a second four-year term: public safety attorney Greg Smith, community advocate Noel Weiss and former Assemblyman Mike Feuer, who was pushed out by term limits earlier this year.

Of the council’s 15 seats, eight are up for grabs. With only two incumbents seeking reelection, an array of state lawmakers, community volunteers and City Hall political aides have emerged to seek vacant council seats.

Twelve are seeking to replace Garcetti in a district that takes in such neighborhoods as Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown and Hollywood. They are Garcetti’s former council deputy, Mitch O’Farrell; small-business owner Roberto Haraldson; Deputy Atty. Gen. Josh Post; university professor Octavio Pescador; former Board of Public Works member John Choi; Assistant Fire Chief Emile Mack; neighborhood council member Sam Kbushyan; senator’s district director Robert Negrete; small-business owner Michael Schaefer; former Villaraigosa deputy chief of staff Matt Szabo; former neighborhood council president Jose Sigala; and charitable foundation director Alexander Cruz de Ocampo.

Seven are running in South Los Angeles to fill a seat being vacated by Perry: Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Terry Hara; community development advocate David Roberts; teacher Ron Gochez; Ana Cubas, former chief of staff to Councilman Jose Huizar; school council board member Manuel ‘Manny’ Aldana; Assemblyman Mike Davis ( D-Los Angeles); and State Sen. Curren Price (D-Los Angeles).

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In the West San Fernando Valley, six are seeking to replace Councilman Dennis Zine: certified accountant and attorney Joyce Pearson; city investigator/advocate Steven Presberg; business owner Cary Iaccino; Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills); small-business owner Elizabeth Badger; and businessman/board member Scott Silverstein.

In the northeast San Fernando Valley, four are looking to fill the seat occupied by Councilman Richard Alarcon: education advocate Nicole Chase; actor/community volunteer Krystee Clark; Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (D-Sylmar); and housing inspector/activist Jesse David Barron.

In a coastal district stretching from Westchester to Pacific Palisades, the four candidates seeking to replace Councilman Bill Rosendahl are community advocate Frederick Sutton; teacher Odysseus Bostick; city prosecutor Tina Hess; and Mike Bonin, Rosendahl’s chief of staff.

On the Eastside, the candidates running to replace Councilman Ed Reyes are Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles); businessman Jesse Rosas; and Jose Gardea, Reyes’ chief of staff.

Not every race is jammed with candidates. Councilman Paul Koretz will face lone challenger Mark Herd, a neighborhood council member, as he seeks a second term in a Westwood-to-Encino district. Councilman Joe Buscaino, who won office in a January special election, will face off against disability advocate James T. Law in a Watts-to-San Pedro district.

Buscaino is seeking his first four-year term on the council.

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-- David Zahniser at Los Angeles City Hall

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