Alan Jackson

Jackie Lacey

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, low voter turn out and a new primary system in place, the semi-official results from Tuesday’s election will find a number of contenders facing one another again in a much pared down race in November.

For example, in the Los Angeles County District attorney’s race Jackie Lacey, should she beat opponent Alan Jackson, is poised to become the first woman and African American to head the office since it was established in 1850.

Lacey, a Chief Deputy District Attorney with Los Angeles County, who was backed by current D.A. Steve Cooley as well as most major newspapers in Southern California, collected nearly 32 percent of ballots cast to lead the field of six.

Alan Jackson, a gang homicide prosecutor, who is backed by L.A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and a number of police chiefs and police associations from local cities, came in second place with 23.69 percent of votes cast.

Lacey and Jackson will face off once again on the November ballot.

Under the new primary system, no matter what their party, the top two vote-getters will face off in the next general election. This applies to all races except candidates running for U.S. president, county central committees, or local offices.

Even if a candidate ran unopposed in the primary or won more than 50 percent of the vote, their names would still be on the November ballot, because there may be eligible write-in candidates.

In another closely watched race, two candidates with historic ties to the African American community, who are competing to represent residents including those in Compton, Carson, San Pedro and Watts in the newly created 44th Congressional district will also face each other on the November ballot.

Congresswoman Janice Hahn finished first Tuesday with 58.9 percent of the votes while Congresswoman Laura Richardson came in second with 40.2 percent.

“We won this primary by talking about the great challenges facing our communities–like creating good paying jobs, improving our schools, increasing trade at our port, and protecting Medicare and Social Security for seniors, said Janice Hahn in a thank-you letter on her campaign website.

“I learned from both of my parents the importance of relentlessly focusing on the solutions that our communities need, and I promise I will never stop working to tackle those challenges.”

In other contests, Proposition 28, which places a 12-year limit on how long an individual can serve in the state Legislature was approved by the majority of voters—61.4 percent, while the move to impose a $1 tax on a package of cigarettes to fund cancer research looked like defeat at 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent.

In Congressional races, Karen Bass, who represents the 37th District ran unopposed, and Maxine Waters, in the new 43rd District won 65 percent of votes. Water’s opponent’s name will still appear on the November ballot.

In Assembly District 54, Democrat Holly Mitchell with 70.8 percent of the vote is expected to face Republican Keith Brandon McCowen, who collected 17.4 percent. In the newly created 64th District, Isadore Hall III, who previously represented the 52nd District prior to redistricting, also ran unopposed.

In the new 59th Assembly District, Reggie Jones-Sawyer took the lead in a field of five with 44.3 percent of votes. The chair of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Los Angeles. will face-off against Rodney D. Robinson a former elected student trustee member of the Los Angeles Community Colleges District’s Board of Trustees. He was the first African American male to serve in the office in Los Angeles history.

Democratic State Senator Rod Wright finished first with 57.9 percent of votes and will face Republican Charlotte A. Svolos, who won 26.5 percent.

In the Antelope Valley, in District 25, Republican Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon snagged 50.2 percent of ballots and will now face Democrat Lee C. Rogers, who collected 30.2 percent of votes.

In the state senate, Democrat Tom Ammiano won 83.6 percent of ballots cast and will meet Republican Jason P. Clark (16.4 percent of votes) in November.

In the race for the 36th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Lancaster, Little Rock, Quartz Hill and Palmdale, three candidates split the vote in an extremely close race.

Republican Ron Smith placed first with 34.8 percent of votes, followed by Democrat Steve Fox, who earned 33 percent. Republican Tom Lackey finished third with 32.2 percent of votes.