Politics & Government

Aspel to Be Next Redondo Beach Mayor

Jeff Ginsburg will represent District 1; Steve Sammarco will represent District 4; and Dawn Esser and Steve Diels will compete in a runoff for city treasurer.

The final count of vote-by-mail and valid provisional ballots Monday revealed no changes in the winners on last Tuesday's election.

Former District 1 City Councilman Steve Aspel is the new mayor of Redondo Beach, while Jeff Ginsburg will represent District 1 and Steve Sammarco will represent District 4. Termed-out District 4 Councilman Steve Diels and activist Dawn Esser will compete in the July runoff, anticipated to be an all-mail ballot.

"I knew it'd be a close race," Aspel told reporters after the vote totals were finalized. He thanked his family—especially his wife, Pam—as well as his friends, supporters and campaign manager, Chris Cagle. "We knocked on hundreds of doors in North Redondo just to get it even."

Current District 5 councilman Matt Kilroy lives in North Redondo Beach.

In his remarks to reporters, Aspel also said he would be in favor of discussing a charter amendment that eliminates the runoff system. Due to the resignation of Ernie O'Dell from his post as Redondo Beach City Treasurer, residents will vote in a second runoff election in July.

The city charter currently calls for a runoff between the top-two candidates if no candidate in the general election gets at least 50 percent of the vote plus one.

"It's too time-consuming; it's too costly for the city," Aspel said. "That's for the council to think about. It would have to go to a vote of the people."

The current Redondo Beach City Council will certify the election results Tuesday and officially call for the July 23 election at the same meeting. City Clerk Eleanor Manzano said she would ask the council to make it an all-mail ballot.


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