Imelda_Padilla

Imelda Padilla

Imelda Padilla

American politician

Imelda G. Padilla (born 1987) is an American politician who is currently a member of the Los Angeles City Council representing the 6th district since 2023.[1][2] She had previously ran for the Los Angeles Unified School District's Board of Education for the 6th district, losing to Kelly Gonez in the runoff election.[3]

Quick Facts Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 6th district, Preceded by ...

Elected in the 2023 Los Angeles special election to replace Nury Martinez, Padilla previously worked as a community relations manager.[4]

Early life and education

Padilla was born in 1987 in Van Nuys and raised in Sun Valley, a first-generation Mexican-American with her father being a gardener and her mother working at an airplane factory.[5] One of several children, Padilla has stated that she had followed her older sisters towards doing community service. She attended John H. Francis Polytechnic High School, with her sisters introducing her to the L.A. City Youth Council when she was in ninth grade.[6] While attending public schools, she had rickets and was bullied by other kids.[7][8] She then attended and graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a bachelor's degree, later graduating from California State University, Northridge with a master's degree.[5][9] She worked on engagement for the L.A. County’s Women and Girls Initiative, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, and Pacoima Beautiful, as well as being a field deputy for councilmember Nury Martinez.[10]

Political career

Run for LAUSD Board of Education

In 2016, Padilla announced that she would be running for LAUSD's Board of Education for the 6th district, which was being vacated by Monica Ratliff's run for City Council, stating that various people had come to her asking her to run. She was backed by United Teachers Los Angeles and other unions.[11][12] In the primary election, she was behind Kelly Gonez, a schoolteacher who was backed by the California Charter School Association, and they went into a runoff.[13][14] In the general election, Padilla lost against Gonez.[15]

Los Angeles City Council

In 2022, Padilla announced that she would be running for Los Angeles City Council for the 6th district, which was vacated by incumbent Nury Martinez due to her involvement in a scandal.[16] She was endorsed by councilmember Monica Rodriguez as well as former councilmembers Joy Picus and Tony Cárdenas, all of them with districts in the San Fernando Valley where the 6th district is also located.[17] Some people criticized her for her closeness with Nury Martinez, working for her while Martinez was the director for Pacoima Beautiful and while she was a councilmember.[6] In the primary election, Padilla led the candidates in first place as three others fought for second place; she eventually faced Marisa Alcaraz in the runoff election.[18] In the runoff election, Padilla took an early lead and later defeated Alcaraz.[19] The same day she declared victory, Council President Paul Krekorian introduced a motion to appoint her to the seat before the results were certified as well as naming her as caretaker before the certification.[20]

Electoral history

More information Primary election, Candidate ...
More information Candidate, Votes ...

References

  1. [1]
    "Imelda Padilla leads L.A. Council District 6 seat in semifinal official voting returns". CBS Los Angeles. June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  2. [2]
    "Padilla Wins City Council Special Election". mynewsLA.com. June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  3. [3]
    Rodriguez, Sal (April 5, 2023). "Los Angeles' status quo currently leading in Council District 6 election". Los Angeles Daily News.
  4. [4]
    Lloyd, Jonathan (June 28, 2023). "Semifinal results show Imelda Padilla on top in LA City Council special election". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  5. [5]
    Herrera, Jose (April 5, 2023). "Imelda Padilla is Front Runner, While it's a Narrow Race for Second in Council District 6 Special Election". San Fernando Valley Sun.
  6. [6]
    Sperber, Sophie (April 4, 2023). "Meet the District 6 candidates: Imelda Padilla". USC Annenberg Media.
  7. [7]
    Szymanski, Mike (September 7, 2016). "Imelda Padilla, who found inspiration in LAUSD schools after personal struggles, enters board race". LA School Report.
  8. [8]
    Blume, Howard (May 9, 2017). "Different crowds address varied concerns in L.A. school board races". Los Angeles Times.
  9. [9]
    "CSUN Grad Leads As LA City Council Race Appears Headed To Runoff". Patch Media. April 5, 2023.
  10. [10]
    Lee, Brianna (March 3, 2023). "CD6 Special Election: Who's Vying To Replace Nury Martinez On LA's City Council". LAist.
  11. [11]
    Stokes, Kyle (March 6, 2017). "How to campaign in a wide-open, low-turnout LA Unified school board race". KPCC.
  12. [12]
    Garcia, Alex (May 10, 2017). "Residents In LAUSD District 6 Vote For School Board Tuesday". San Fernando Valley Sun.
  13. [13]
    Favot, Sam (March 7, 2017). "Steve Zimmer will face Nick Melvoin in runoff as Mónica García wins outright; Kelly Gonez leads Imelda Padilla going into runoff". LA School Report.
  14. [14]
    Favot, Sam (May 3, 2017). "Gonez and Padilla meet in first and potentially only forum ahead of runoff election". LA School Report.
  15. [15]
    Romero, Esmeralda Fabián (May 17, 2017). "Kelly Gonez declares victory in LAUSD's District 6 race". LA School Report.
  16. [16]
    Tat, Linh (March 7, 2023). "Election 2023: Meet the candidates for LA City Council District 6's special April 4 vote". Los Angeles Daily News.
  17. [17]
    Smith, Dakota (March 18, 2023). "L.A. on the Record: Who are council members supporting in the Valley race?". Los Angeles Times.
  18. [18]
    Tat, Linh (April 4, 2023). "Imelda Padilla leads race to fill Nury Martinez's former LA City Council seat; 3 jockey for second place". Los Angeles Daily News.
  19. [19]
    Smith, Dakota (June 27, 2023). "Imelda Padilla takes significant lead in L.A. City Council District 6 race". Los Angeles Times.
  20. [20]
    Smith, Dakota (June 30, 2023). "Imelda Padilla claims victory in Valley council race". Los Angeles Times.
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