Runoff apathy. (Politics).

Thanks to an unanticipated runoff election for a board seat at the Los Angeles Community College District, L.A. voters on May 20 face a $980 million school facilities bond. And, given current trends, a record-low turnout in the mid-single digits is expected.

"This level of predicted turnout gives new meaning to the word 'low,'" said Darry Sragow, campaign manager for the bond measure.

The bond, known as Measure AA, needs 55 percent approval. It would raise property taxes $11.45 for every $100,000 in assessed value, or $34 a year for the average home in L.A. It would fund a variety of projects in the nine-college district left unaddressed by a slightly larger $1.2 billion bond passed two years ago.

Campaigning for the community college facilities bond in such a low-turnout scenario promises to be a difficult challenge, despite having an estimated $600,000 war chest on hand.

"In a typical election, the goal is to try to persuade voters already going to the polls to vote 'yes' on your bond measure," Sragow said. "This election is going to be about identifying voters and motivating them to go to the polls."

Making the task more daunting is the compressed time frame. When LACCD trustees placed the bond on the ballot, they expected the vote to come up next year. But with incumbent trustee Mona Fields falling just short of the 50 percent vote to win her reelection bid outright on March 4, the next election is now only nine weeks away.

Proponents appear to have one thing in their favor: because opponents to the bond measure missed the Feb. 24 cutoff for submitting their argument to the L.A. City Clerk, it's likely there will be no opposing argument on the ballot.

Staff reporter Howard Fine can be reached by phone at [phone], ext. 227, or by e-mail at [e-mail].