Residents of the northwest San Fernando Valley head to the polls Tuesday to make a mark on a ballot that could help determine the future of their chunk of the Valley, and also the city at large. They’ll be choosing who among 15 local candidates will represent them on the Los Angeles City Council.

The district — with boundaries that encircle several Valley communities such as Chatsworth, Northridge, North Hills, Porter Ranch, West Hills and parts of Reseda — faces issues, to varying degrees, familiar in other parts of the city, including crime, street repairs, development, street racing, lack of affordable housing and homelessness.

These voters arrived early on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, to cast their ballot for Council District 12 representative and LAUSD’s Measure EE at the Porter Ranch YMCA. (Photo by Dean Musgrove/Los Angeles Daily News)

These voters arrived early on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, to cast their ballot for Council District 12 representative and LAUSD’s Measure EE at the Porter Ranch YMCA. (Photo by Dean Musgrove/Los Angeles Daily News)

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These voters arrived early on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, to cast their ballot for Council District 12 representative and LAUSD’s Measure EE at the Porter Ranch YMCA. (Photo by Dean Musgrove/Los Angeles Daily News)



But the seat has been without a permanent council member since Mitchell Englander stepped down at the end of last year for a job in the private sector. That led to former Councilman Greig Smith’s appointment to the dais until voters select someone to fill the roughly two years left on Englander’s term.

The candidates are comprised of a diverse field, ranging from an LAPD officer to business owners and from a university professor to aides to other elected officials.

All say that they’ve got answers to solving District 12’s unique problems.

The area borders the Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage facility, which became the site of the largest gas leak in the U.S. history.

Porter Ranch is dotted with expansive construction sites with luxury builders aiming to bring thousands of new houses to the area in the next few years. Faced with an enrollment boom, the Porter Ranch Community School is expanding. But the school officials say it’s filled close to capacity.

RELATED STORY: Aliso Canyon becomes a hot topic anew in LA City Council District 12 race

Still, residents who live in Porter Ranch and neighboring communities say they are grappling with the aftermath of the 2015 gas leak that released tons of methane and other hazardous toxins near their homes, displacing thousands of people. Health officials only recently launched a study to determine long-term impacts of the leak.

District 12 also runs near the border with the Santa Susana Field Laboratory. Many West Hills residents are demanding a thorough cleanup of the former rocket-testing site, which they believe is making them sick.

The winner of the election would need to navigate the complex legal and political questions surrounding those issues.

RELATED STORY: LA City Council election: For west San Fernando Valley voters, the time is near to pick a leader

If none of the candidates gain more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary election, the top two finishers will go to a run-off in August.

The candidates running for the City Council District 12 seat are Scott Abrams, district director to U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman; Carlos Amador, a board member of the Granada Hills South Neighborhood Council; Jay Beeber, the executive director of public policy and research group Safer Streets L.A.; Annie Cho, a former commissioner for the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power; Jeff Daar, attorney and airport commissioner; Sean Dinse, a senior lead officer for the Los Angeles Police Department; Jack Kayajian, an outreach specialist with the city attorney’s office; John Lee, chief of staff in Englander’s former office; Loraine Lundquist, Cal State Northridge instructor; Frank Ferry, an attorney who served on the Santa Clarita City Council; Stella Maloyan, an executive with Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, an organization that advances progressive policies in the city; Raji Rab, a pilot and owner of an aviation school; Brandon Saario, who works in the entertainment industry; Navraj Singh, businessman, owner of multiple restaurants and a hotel; Josh Yeager, a public affairs executive.

We expect early election results to begin coming in between 8:30 and 9 p.m. Please visit dailynews.com.

Council District 12 election

For west San Fernando Valley voters, the time is near to pick a leader

Profiles of the candidates

Carlos Amador | Scott Abrams | Jay Beeber | Annie Cho | Jeff Daar | Sean Dinse | Frank Ferry | Jack Kayajian | John Lee | Loraine Lundquist | Stella Maloyan | Raji Rab | Brandon Saario | Navraj Singh | Josh Yeager

Photos of the candidates