CITY COUNCIL: NAME RECOGNITION PAYING OFF BIG WAR CHESTS BENEFIT ALARCON AND INCUMBENTS.

Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH

Staff Writer

State Assemblyman Richard Alarcon was well on his way to reclaiming his old seat on the Los Angeles City Council, with a strong lead in returns late Tuesday.

With nearly half the votes tallied, Alarcon was leading businesswoman Monica Rodriguez, who sought to portray the veteran Valley politician as an opportunist eager to ditch his new state Assembly post for a more lucrative job at City Hall.

But Northeast Valley voters appeared to endorse Alarcon, who was popular when he left the council in 1998 and later easily won elections in his state races.

Alarcon said he was disappointed with a low voter turnout, as well as reports that residents had received phone calls telling them their polling places had moved.

"We've tried to maintain a positive message. A unified Northeast San Fernando Valley can generate more benefits for its residents," he said.

The race to represent the Northeast Valley's 7th District -- a seat vacated by Alex Padilla when he was elected to the state Senate in November -- is this year's most competitive council race.

For Alarcon, a win would take him back to familiar ground. He was the 7th District councilman from 1993 to 1998, when he left a year into his second term after winning a seat in the state Senate.

Termed out in the Senate last year, he won a state Assembly seat in November.

But on the same day Alarcon won his Assembly race, Los Angeles voters approved Measure R -- allowing City Council members to serve three four-year terms. Days later, Alarcon announced he would run for his old City Council seat.

Some constituents and political observers were put off by his sudden loss of interest in his new Assembly seat. But he was able to raise more than $236,000 in campaign contributions.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which represents Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employees, spent $40,000 on mailers for him.

Candidate Rodriguez, a manager with the California Association of Realtors, raised $120,000 with support from former Mayor Richard Riordan and the business community.

Also in the race were businessman Oscar Mendoza and Margie Carranza, a retired administrative assistant.

In other races, incumbent Tony Cardenas was heading for re-election to his seat in the 6th District, which covers the area from Van Nuys to Sun Valley.

He was edging out four challengers, including three from the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council.

"I feel really good about the election and getting out there and knocking on doors. I heard a lot of things, like 'thanks for my speed bump, now I want my sidewalk fixed,'" said Cardenas, from his party at The Odyssey.

The former state assemblyman raised $260,000, while less than 15 percent of that amount was raised by his competitors: engineer Lisa Martellaro-Palmer, electrical contractor James "Jaime" Cordaro, probation officer Eric Rothenay and businessman Candido Marez.

Cordaro, saying some precincts opened at 11 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., launched a last-minute effort Tuesday to keep District 6 polls open late.

However, without a judge's order by 8 p.m., the polls closed as scheduled, city clerk's representatives said.

In the 14th District, northeast L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar appeared headed for re-election over challenger and former staff member Alvin Parra.

CAPTION(S):

6 boxes

Box:

(1) Los Angeles Measures

(2) City Council

(3) LAUSD Board of Education

(4) L.A. Community College Board of Trustees 

(5) San Fernando City Council

(6) Calabasas City Council