As we endure the dog-days of August, organizations and homeowners groups begin the vetting process for School Board Candidates. Former School Board President and current candidate Scott Zeidman explained, “It’s a busy time for candidates. Almost every week there’s a forum, and we have a chance to speak to voters directly. This is so very important as campaigning door-to-door, a staple in Culver City elections, just isn’t feasible this year.”
While the schedule is constantly changing, the current list of forums is as follows:
- Culver City Democratic Club — Saturday, Aug. 22
- Culver City Federation of Teachers — Monday, Aug. 24
- Los Angeles County Democratic Party — Saturday, Aug. 29
- Culver City Chamber of Commerce — Thursday, Sept. 17
- Sunkist Park Neighborhood Assn. — Wednesday, Oct. 7
- Culver City Police Officers’ Assn. — To be determined
- Culver Crest Neighborhood Assn. — To be determined
While the neighborhood associations don’t endorse candidates, those forums allow voters the opportunity to question candidates and learn more about each candidates’ respective platform. Both Democratic Clubs, the Culver City Federation of Teachers, the Culver City Police Officers’ Association, and the Chamber of Commerce endorse chosen candidates.
Zeidman offered, “Clearly, the Teacher’s Union (Culver City Federation of Teachers), the Culver City Police Officers’ Association, and the Chamber of Commerce are extremely important endorsements,” explained Zeidman. The Teachers’ Union represents CCUSD’s teachers, and gives a window into what those teachers want in a School Board member. The Culver City Police Officers’ Association represents our Police Officers, the women and men who risk their lives daily to protect the public, and the Chamber of Commerce represents the businesses of Culver City, many of the small businesses, who are the lifeline in our community.”
Zeidman went on, “No school board candidate has ever gotten the ‘golden trifecta’ (Teachers’ Union, Police Officers Association and Chamber of Commerce) of endorsements. One would think that any candidate endorsed by such a wide range of organizations would make an excellent board member.
The election is set for Nov. 3, 2020, with mail ballots likely to arrive around Oct. 7, 2020.
