2020 L.A. County Supervisor Endorsement: Holly Mitchell
General Election: Monday, October 5 – Tuesday, November 3
Find your Supervisorial District: https://lavote.net/apps/precinctsmaps
Find a voting center: https://locator.lavote.net/locations/vc
Candidate Campaign Page: https://www.hollyjmitchell.com/
California Senator Holly Mitchell is an accomplished legislator who has centered her work around equity and low-income residents. She has so consistently and clearly used this framing in her policy decisions that she has been acknowledged by her colleagues as the Legislature’s “moral compass and social conscience.” In an open race for a powerful position on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors (and with it a seat on the Metro Board), Bike The Vote L.A. sees Mitchell’s experience, thoughtfulness, and equity-centered policy making as what sets her apart from the rest of the field.
Mitchell’s General Election opponent, current L.A. City Councilmember Herb Wesson, is a familiar foil of the mobility justice community, having frequently stood in the way of street reconfigurations. As Council President, Wesson undercut the community organizing of Community Health Councils and TRUST-South LA in 2013-2014 advocating for bike lanes on King Blvd. We were glad to see that Wesson’s views have since evolved in his response to Bike The Vote L.A. Should Wesson succeed in this election, we hope he will continue to engage with mobility justice advocates and work to ensure all Angelenos can safely get to and from work, school, and other destinations, regardless of their age, income, or ability.
In addition to her track record on issues of equity, Senator Mitchell stands out for her attention to the environment. As such, she boasts the endorsements of Bike The Vote L.A. allies Food & Water Action!, the L.A. League of Conservation Voters, and Sierra Club Angeles Chapter. While transportation policy has thus far not been a central component of Senator Mitchell’s policy work, Bike The Vote L.A. found she is willing to engage with the mobility justice community in order to build out her transportation platform, including her position on congestion pricing. Considering the challenges facing the Metro Board, this willingness to seek input from the advocacy community will be important to achieving equitable outcomes. Her response to Bike The Vote L.A. highlights her equity-focused lens, with support for funding Metro’s Equity Platform, creating dedicated bus lanes, and protecting L.A. renters impacted by the region’s housing crisis.
At a time when too many decisions at the Metro Board appear focused on local interest rather than the goal of building an equitable transportation system for all Angelenos, Mitchell’s approach centered in compassionate advocacy would provide a huge benefit for the entire region. Bike The Vote L.A. wholeheartedly endorses Holly Mitchell for Los Angeles County Supervisor District 2.