The Honorable Kamala D. Harris, District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, administers the oath of office to Supervisor-elect Ridley-Thomas in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration.

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas addresses constituents and supporters shortly after being sworn-in as Supervisor.

For more information please visit Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’ new second district website and signup to receive the 2nd District Empowerment Express Newsletter.

Part 2 (10:22)

Senator Ridley-Thomas formally communicated his intent to resign on Sunday night in a letter delivered on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 to the state Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore.

Senator Ridley-Thomas’ pending resignation of his seat in the California State Senate paves the way for his oath of office and swearing-in ceremony as an elected member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Ridley-Thomas said, “My resignation from the California State Senate ends the chapter of my tenure as a legislative leader in our State Capitol and it turns the page on a new chapter in my life of public service in local government. I look back fondly on my time in the state Assembly and Senate. I am proud of my accomplishments as a policy-maker. I care deeply about the people I served.

“I am energized by the challenges that lie ahead. My move to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors comes with a strong voter mandate for change, empowerment and results on important issues, such as health services, public safety, and economic development and jobs. This is as invigorating a homecoming as any public official could ever hope for. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work for the people of the 2nd District,” he added.

Mr. Ridley-Thomas transmitted his letter of resignation – effective at midnight on Sunday, November 30 – to California Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, serving in his capacity as President of the Senate, and to state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, chair of the Senate Rules Committee.

Mr. Ridley-Thomas was elected to represent the people of the county’s Second District on the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 on a 61%-39% vote with a margin of victory of more than 111,000 votes over defeated challenger, L.A. City Council member Bernard C. Parks, in an election where voters chose change over the status quo and picked the next generation of leadership that promised to deliver results on critical voter concerns. The official vote certification in the 2nd District is expected by Tuesday, December 2.

In his letter of resignation from the state Senate, Mr. Ridley-Thomas formally recommended that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger – pursuant to state law governing elections to fill vacant legislative seats – schedule a special election to fill his vacant Senate seat on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Mr. Ridley-Thomas indicated that consolidating the special state legislative election with local elections on March 3 in the City and County of Los Angeles could reduce the projected $1.5 million in local government election costs of administering a separate election solely for the voters of the 26th District.

State law provides Governor Schwarzenegger with a 14-day deadline from the effective date of a state legislator’s formal resignation to issue a proclamation setting the precise date for a special election too fill a vacant legislative seat.

In his resignation letter, Mr. Ridley-Thomas wrote, “It has been an honor to serve the constituents of the 26th Senate District. I have enjoyed working with my Senate colleagues and legislative staff whose commitment to public service remains an inspiration for my own work.”

“Although I am moving to a new public service assignment, I look forward to engaging members of the Legislature on important policy issues on an ongoing basis, especially members in the Senate – the body for which I have the utmost respect and regard – in our continuing effort to make government work for the people we represent,” Mr. Ridley-Thomas added.

Ridley-Thomas will take his oath of office to become L.A. County’s Supervisor for the Second District on Monday (December 1, 2008) in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room.

Supervisor-elect Mark Ridley-Thomas today announced that Steven B. Sample, President, University of Southern California has been appointed Chair of his Second District Transition Team, an advisory group that will provide advice and counsel to Supervisor Ridley-Thomas on policy issues, critical community concerns, county commission appointments, county budget priorities and related matters.

Supervisor-elect Ridley-Thomas said the purpose and role of his Transition Team was “to gather together the leading minds and practitioners from throughout the 2nd District to begin the process of evaluating current county policies, assessing funding needs for programs across a range of issues, and examining the effectiveness of county departments and appointed commissions.”

“The voters of the 2nd District voted for change. Key to that change is the involvement and participation of stakeholders and residents throughout the Second District. They voted for a leader who they believed would deliver results. I intend to exceed their expectations,” Mr. Ridley-Thomas said.

In addition to Mr. Sample, Supervisor-elect Ridley-Thomas named the following members to his Transition Team advisory panel (and the issue areas they will lead as Transition Team members):

Connie Rice, Esq. – Public Safety
Co-Director
The Advancement Project

Honorable Sheila Kuehl – Budget Reform
California State Senator (Ret.)

Robert K. Ross, M.D. – Health Services
President and CEO
The California Endowment

Mark W. Rocha, Ph.D. – Workforce Development
President
West Los Angeles College

Dora Leong Gallo – Housing Services
CEO
A Community of Friends

Martin Schlageter – Environmental Quality
Director of Public Policy
Coalition for Clean Air

Cynthia McClain-Hill, Esq. – Small Business Development
President
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)

Maria Elena Durazo – Commissions/Governance
Executive Secretary-Treasurer
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor

Mr. Ridley-Thomas said, “My Transition Team will be inclusive and diverse. I have more Transition Team members who will officially appointed and named in the coming days. My advisors will help me develop district-specific views on county policy and they will help me assess the budgetary needs of county programs serving the people of the 2nd district.

“My Transition Team advisors will help my office chart new directions for the 2nd District through a structured process of empowerment that will include, but not be limited to issues of county budget reform, workforce development, small business expansion, health services, public safety, environment quality, housing, and children and family services.”

Supervisor-elect Ridley-Thomas will take his oath of office on Monday, December 1 at 12:00 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in downtown Los Angeles.

Supervisor-elect Mark Ridley-Thomas will take his oath of office to become L.A. County’s Supervisor for the Second District on Monday (December 1, 2008) in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration (500 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles 90012).

The one-hour swearing-in ceremony will feature performances by the Para Los Niños children’s choir, Pledge of Allegiance by recording artist Samantha Strachan and a musical selection by the world renowned Agape International Spiritual Center Ensemble, directed by Rickey Byars Beckwith. The Korean Drum Troop will lead a processional at the conclusion of Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’ swearing-in ceremony.

CNN Headline News and Time Warner Local Edition news anchor Brad Pomerance will serve as master of ceremonies.

Honorable Kamala D. Harris, District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, will administer Mr. Ridley-Thomas’ oath of office.

Honorable Don Knabe, Chair of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors will deliver welcome remarks.

Bishop T. Larry Kirkland of the 5th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church will deliver the ceremony’s invocation.

Dr. Stephen B. Sample, President, University of Southern California; Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, L.A. County Federation of Labor; Cynthia McClain-Hill, President, National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO); Robert K. Ross, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, The California Endowment; and Los Angeles Korean-American pioneer Susan Ahn Cuddy are scheduled to play prominent roles in Mr. Ridley-Thomas’ swearing-in ceremony.

Mr. Ridley-Thomas’ swearing-in ceremony will open with a R.O.T.C. color guard, followed by the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of the National Anthem of the United States.

Performances by Second District church choirs and Korean drum performers will provide musical inspiration at the beginning, end and at interludes during course the ceremony program.

Following Supervisor-elect Ridley-Thomas’ swearing-in ceremony, a reception will be held in the BP Room at the Walt Disney Concert Hall (111. S. Grand Avenue, L.A. 90012).

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View the official invite and RSVP information here.

State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas completed his year-long, come-from-behind victory by blowing out Bernard Parks 62%-38% in the November 4th Supervisorial Election. One year ago, most polls had Ridley-Thomas twenty points behind Parks.

Ridley-Thomas’ support grew as Parks hit his ceiling

But after finishing the primary election with a 45%-39% lead, Ridley-Thomas grew his support rate by 17% while Parks’ rate support dropped one point in the November election.

Even though Ridley-Thomas has not been the 8th District Council representative for six years – and even though Parks has represented the district for those six years since, the Senator beat the Councilmember by a 59%-41% in Parks’ own 8th Council District. He beat him in the southern end of the district, the City of Carson, 60%-40%. He beat him on the Westside and the north end of the district, with margins of 64%-36% in L.A. Council District 11 (Rosendahl), 65%-35% in L.A. Council District 5 (Weiss), and 65%-35% in Culver City. And Ridley-Thomas dominated in Latino areas of the district as well, with margins of 72%-28% in Lynwood, and 68%-32% in L.A. Council District 1 (Reyes).

Targeting new voters

Entering the runoff election, polling in August revealed that Ridley-Thomas led Parks by 13% among the most likely voters. However, among those who were likely to vote in the exciting November election, Parks and Ridley-Thomas were in a near dead heat.

That’s why the Ridley-Thomas campaign focused on voters who did not vote in the primary, but who were likely to vote in November. This was no small task, because more than three times as many voters who voted in June voted on November 4th, so there were literally hundreds of thousands of voters to persuade. More than 39,000 2nd District voters registered between October 1 and the 15-day new registration cutoff before the election. Bernard Parks started out being significantly better known among these voters.

So why did these voters break so heavily for Ridley-Thomas? While he held his own among older and middle-aged voters, Ridley-Thomas dominated Parks among the younger voters and new voters who came out to vote for change. These voters were a disproportionately large part of the voters who turned out for the November election but not the June or even February elections.

Change vs. The Status Quo

All polling reflected that voters of all ages saw Ridley-Thomas as the candidate who would bring change, and as part of the next generation of leaders. While Parks had what used to be the dominant endorsements in the African-American community – including Congresswoman Maxine Waters and incumbent Supervisor Yvonne Burke – voters instead wanted a change in representation, and were not swayed by Parks’ endorsers. Parks – with the support of a majority of the Board of Supervisors – clearly represented the status quo to voters. This is not the right year to be positioned that way, especially with the failure and closure of King-Harbor Hospital on their watch. Parks worsened his problems by defending the status quo at King-Harbor at a time when it was delivering inadequate care to the community, in contrast to Ridley-Thomas who has been at the forefront in the fight for change at the hospital for some time.

The voters found Ridley-Thomas’ background as a grassroots community organizer who works for change and delivers results to be much more relevant and important. The fact that Ridley-Thomas is a legislator who approaches his job as an organizer was a very appealing feature for all voters, but especially new voters.

Parks’ tactic of running a 100% negative campaign also backfired. His attacks (and the Independent Expenditure attacks) on Ridley-Thomas on economic development were just not credible in contrast to Ridley-Thomas’ well-publicized accomplishments. And Parks focused a great deal of his resources attacking Ridley-Thomas’ supporters, especially union workers. This also proved to be a grave mistake for two reasons: 1) this district includes thousands and thousands of union and other blue-collar workers; and 2) even non-union and white collar workers, retirees and homemakers think highly of working families and unions.

In the end, polling revealed that voters realized that Bernard Parks is not who they thought he was – and they had a much better alternative by voting for a candidate who fights for change and delivers results, and a candidate who represents the next generation of leadership: Mark Ridley-Thomas.

“State Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas scored a knockout victory Tuesday night to become the first Black man ever elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Ridley-Thomas had 250,198 votes or 61.4 percent of the votes, compared to 157,294 (38.6 percent) for L.A. City Councilman Bernard Parks.”

2. Los Angeles Times:

“A resounding victory over Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard C. Parks and a reputation for shrewd consensus-building was expected to aid Ridley-Thomas in an ambitious agenda, including better compensation for county workers and a pledge to reopen Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital by January 2010.”

3. L.A. Watts Times (PDF):

“In the most hotly contested local campaign of this election season, State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas captured more than 60 percent of the vote to defeat Eighth District Councilman Bernard Parks 250,198 to 157,294 in the battle for the second district Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor’s seat being vacated by Yvonne Braithwaite Burke.”

4. Betty Pleasant’s The Soulvine:

“YES WE DID! We won an historic double-header Tuesday: We put the first Black man in the White House and the first Black man on the county Board of Supervisors, both of whom were, far and away, the better candidates who trounced their opponents to prove it.”

5. The Associated Press:

“State Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas was elected to the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, defeating a bid by city councilman and former police chief Bernard Parks.

Ridley-Thomas won 61 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s election for the 2nd District seat being vacated by Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke.”

6. Daily Breeze:

“As the first new member elected to the Board of Supervisors since 1996, state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas said Wednesday his first order of business is to assemble an effective staff and focus on immediate needs in South Los Angeles, including reopening Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital.”

7. L.A. Weekly:

“MARK RIDLEY-THOMAS’ BLOWOUT WIN FOR L.A. COUNTY SUPERVISOR

They brought the roasted pig out in a cardboard box. And even if it was a “victory” party, all in attendance knew that their Los Angeles County Second District candidate, Bernard Parks, was cooked.”

8. The Front Page Online:

“On a night of unbounded jubilation for blacks and other liberals practically everywhere on earth, Mark Ridley-Thomas elevated the already shrill volume with a historic contribution of his own, scoring a crushing victory over Bernard C. Parks in the stunningly lopsided race for Yvonne Brathwaite Burke’s seat on the County Board of Supervisors.

On the eve of his 54th birthday, Mr. Ridley-Thomas last night became the first black man elected to arguably the most powerful local body in the country by the nose-flattening margin of 61.4 percent to 38.6 percent for Mr. Parks, an L.A. City Councilman.”

9. La Opinion (Spanish):

“State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas, who on Tuesday won the contest as a representative of District 2 on the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles, said in his first public appearance after the election day, that the welfare of Latino families is one of his priorities.”

Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas voted earlier today with his wife, Avis, and his son, Sebastian, at Transfiguration Catholic Church. His other son, Sinclair, could not get away from Morehouse College and voted absentee ballot.

Sebastian Ridley-Thomas talks about civic responsibility, voting and this historic day.

If you haven’t done so already, please go out and vote!

1. Know where to go to cast your vote! Find your polling location here.

2. Bring your photo ID, if you have one. You are not required to show ID unless you are a first time voter, but play it safe. Bring an ID just in case.

3. Know your rights! Insist on voting on a regular ballot if you are a registered voter. But if there is a problem, vote using a provisional ballot. No voter can be turned away without being allowed to vote.

4. Review your sample ballot before going to your polling place. Bring a list of candidates and ballot measures – that you intend to vote for – with you. Visit our list of recommended sites for information on California Propositions and L.A. County ballot measures.

5. Check your ballot before you finalize your vote!

6. Bring a cell phone. If you have problems, call the Secretary of State’s VOTER HOTLINE (1-800-345-VOTE), Common Cause (1-866-MYVOTE1) or the Election Protection Hotline (1-866-OURVOTE).

7. Do not wear campaign T-shirts, hats or buttons bearing the name of any politician or political campaign on them, including Barack Obama.

8. Election Day voter turnout is expected to set all-time records. Be prepared to wait in long lines at your polling place. (a) Arrive early in the morning, if possible. (b) If you plan to vote at night, arrive before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. – you will be legally guaranteed your right to vote. (c) If you arrive before 8:00 p.m., do not allow poll workers to close the polls until you have voted.

9. Bring a folding chair if you have problems standing for an extended period of time at your polling place

10. Bring bottled water and a snack, if necessary.

Speaker of the California State Assembly Karen Bass, Senator Barack Obama and Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Senator Ridley-Thomas is not only a California co-chair for the Barack Obama campaign, but was one of Senator Obama’s earliest and staunchest supporters. The two community organizers share much in common and have a strong friendship. In fact, when visiting California back in January, Obama singled out his “great friend,” Senator Ridley-Thomas, at the beginning of his remarks at L.A. Trade Trade Technical College.

Karen Bass is also an avid supporter of Senator Ridley-Thomas. See the Speaker’s enthusiastic video endorsement of the Senator here.

“Being involved in community more than 20 years, and having worked with many politicians, I whole heartedly endorse state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas as our next County Supervisor.

A man who makes his own decisions, not relying on his fellow local politicians for direction, Mark will best serve the district honestly and faithfully.

If you are truly looking for local change, and an independent thinker with proven experience and track record, then be sure to check Mark Ridley-Thomas on Tuesday’s ballot.”

2. The L.A. Times has a favorable article about Senator Ridley-Thomas with some great quotes from constituents across the 2nd Supervisorial District:

Bishop Charles E. Blake praised Ridley-Thomas and his wife as, “a godly family faithful to the church and the work of the Lord.”

Rev. Ronald Byrd of First AME said that Senator Ridley-Thomas has “been a fighter for our community for such a long time.”

Inglewood health inspector Marcelyn Cypret is quoted saying that Ridley-Thomas is “for the working people, the working class.”

And commercial plumber William Brown likes what the Senator says “about protecting workers’ healthcare and retirement benefits.”

3. Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas, California co-chair of the Barack Obama for President campaign, today sent a letter expressing sympathy and condolences from the Ridley-Thomas Family to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and his family over the passing of his beloved grandmother Madelyn Dunham.

4. L.A. Weekly reports on the “Bizarre Election Triangulation” between a serial killer, Clear Channel and Bernard Parks:

“Category: Desperate election moves. Check out the new deal between former Police Chief Bernard Parks, now an L.A. City Councilman, and Clear Channel, whose bad neighbor approach to doing business has helped plaster L.A. with illegal billboards…

Parks has tried some really odd moves to get media coverage of his race. Enter Clear Channel, which is suffering from a very tattered image for plastering L.A. neighborhoods with billboard clutter. Now, together, Clear Channel and Parks are going to find the Grim Sleeper serial killer.

It has nothing to do with finding the Grim Sleeper.”

5. Los Angeles Voters For Instant Runoff Elections endorses Mark Ridley-Thomas for L.A. County Supervisor:

“State Senator Ridley Thomas supports Instant Runoff Voting, and took the time to come to Los Angeles City Hall to say so at a hearing of the City Council’s Rules and Government Committee (I saw him there). His campaign bio is at http://www.ridley-thomas.com/about.php. His opponent (in this runoff[!] election) is a member of the City Council who skipped the Council’s consideration of IRV last week (perhaps that’s because he was out campaigning), and has been hard to pin down on the issue.”

Eric Bauman, the Los Angeles Democratic Party Chair, emphatically urged Angelenos to vote for Barack Obama and Mark Ridley-Thomas at a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) rally in front of City Hall this afternoon:

“You know, I feel hope in the air. But why do I feel hope in the air? Because, since the 1st of January, one million new Democrats registered to vote in the state of California. One million new Democrats!

And that one million new Democrats says, “yes we can, si se puede”. And tomorrow night at 8 o’clock we are going to say, “yes we did, si se pudo”. Because one million new Democrats means victory in California.

But, one million new Democrats needs to know they can’t stop at the top. You can’t just vote for Barack Obama. You have to vote for Mark Ridley-Thomas for the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. We have to win the Board of Supervisors.”

Approximately 300 supporters showed up to the Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor campaign headquarters on Saturday for a major Get Out The Vote (GOTV) rally. Video from the event follows below…

Dr. Cornel West helped get the party started by joining 72-year-old volunteer Joe Stringer on an improvised dance floor!

Later, Dr. Cornel West pumped up the large standing room only crowd as only he can:

“When [Senator Ridley-Thomas] decided to run, I said I’m coming back again. Why? Because every election he’s had for 30 years I’ve been standing right by his side. Oh yes! Oh yes!

That’s why the folks call me up on the radio and TV and say, ‘Brother West, we want your endorsement’. No, endorsement is too weak. This is a wholesale, unequivocal, affirmation of who he is as a human being committed to unconditional truth and unconditional love and politics is just the vehicle for it.

That’s the kind of states-person we need. And that’s what you got here in L.A. County.”

Senator Ridley-Thomas followed Dr. Cornel West with a rousing speech of his own where he implored supporters to keep working “wall to wall until 7:59 p.m. [Tuesday] and then I’m going to squeeze the death out of that last minute”.

Earlier in the program, State Controller and Ridley-Thomas supporter, John Chiang, spoke about the sweeping change coming on election day:

“On Tuesday when we elect Barack Obama as President of the United States of America, when we elect Mark Ridley-Thomas as our next great county supervisor, we’re going to send a signal from the eastern shores to the midwest cornfields to the Rocky Mountains to our home here in Los Angeles, California that our hopes and dreams are alive.”

Prior to Chiang’s remarks, State Board of Equalization Chair, Judy Chu, enthusiastically endorsed Senator Ridley-Thomas:

“I’m so excited. I’ve known Mark Ridley-Thomas for 25 years now — ever since he was Director of SCLC. And ever since I’ve known him, he’s always been committed to equality, to justice and to the people. And that’s the type of person we need at the Board of Supervisors.”

Many other community leaders - including Inglewood City Councilman Daniel Tabor, L.A. County Young Democrats President Becca Doten, LAUSD Board of Education President Monica Garcia, and Cerritos Councilmember Joseph Cho, Ph.D - spoke about the importance of electing Mark Ridley-Thomas to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

The quintessential hometown politician, the essence of populism who knows voters by name and by trait. He gets things done, and voters remember. State Sen. Ridley-Thomas (D-Culver City) believes in retail.

He knows how, where and why everything works. Each time he runs, the voters of a broad cross-section of Los Angeles city and/or County reward him…

An intellectual by training and by practice, he is the master teacher, and you may call him The Professor…

If you elect him, you will be gaining a supervisor who is intellectually rigorous, communally sensitive, and, some would say, best of all, well ahead of the curve…”

Read the entire article.

2. California National Organization for Women President, Patty Bellasalma recounts her Saturday on the bus with Senator Ridley-Thomas and Dr. Cornel West:

“Yesterday I started the day inspired by Cornell West’s words and wisdom. West and I then got on the bus tour with Mark Ridley-Thomas as we visited the rich and diverse communities that make up the 2nd Supervisory District in Los Angeles. What we saw all day was democracy in action, grass-roots community organizing, women, men, children of all ages engaged, motivated, determined.

The message that was sent by everyone, in both their words and deeds was don’t stop, keep marching right up to 7th hour, the 59th minute and the 59th second on Tuesday evening, November 4th!

As Kim Gandy recently told us, “what-ifs” are unacceptable; volunteer today, Monday, election day, its not too late! Be part of history at the local, state and national level; here are a few ways: in L.A., help make sure Mark Ridley-Thomas gets elected to the 2nd District Supervisor seat…”

3. See more than a 100 incredible photos from Saturday’s hugely successful Get Out The Vote (GOTV) rallies across the 2nd District:

4. Talented Earthquake Productions endorses Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor:

“I’m going with Mark Ridley-Thomas. Parks is a shade too conservative for me, and seems a little too brittle and aggressive. Ridley-Thomas has the air of an accountant, but seems fairly competent. Parks also does not seem to be very tolerant of disagreement.”

5. Watch a UNIVISION news story (in Spanish) about the 2nd District Supervisorial race at Latinos 4 MRT.

6. The Chamber of Commerce Journal endorses Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor.

7. The Los Angeles Police Protective League has taken out “radio spots backing Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas in the county Board of Supervisors race,” according to Rick Orlov in the Daily News.

UPCOMING EVENTS

8. Tonight is your last chance to get trained to be a poll monitor. Training starts at 6 p.m. at the Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor campaign headquarters located at 2092 W. Jefferson Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90018. Call (323) 733-2002 for more information.

Senator Ridley-Thomas voting with his wife and two sons at the June primary election.

Election officials, based on media accounts of voter enthusiasm and coverage of early voting activities in other states, are predicting record levels of voter turnout on November 4th. Early voting sites across the nation are reporting long lines for eager citizens wanting to cast their votes. It is likely that Californians will also experience long delays at polling places on Election Day and officials are concerned people may be discouraged by the potential wait.

Despite any delays or issues that may occur at polling places, this is an opportune time for parents to bring their sons and daughters to the polls so they too can experience the excitement of election day and learn what to expect when they cast their first vote. California law grants workers two hours of paid time off to exercise their right to vote. I encourage parents to take full advantage of the law by leaving work early and picking up their kids from school or after school activities so they can accompany them to the polls. If there are long lines at the polling place, is there a better way to spend the time than educating your child or children about the rights and responsibilities of the citizens?

Election Day activities do not end once your ballot has been cast. In fact, the events last into the night as the polls will be open until 8 p.m. and perhaps later to accommodate the eager, but patient citizens waiting to cast their vote. I urge you to allow your children to participate and observe all of the activity of day, but only after they have completed their homework, household chores and other responsibilities. Permit them to stay up later than what is normally acceptable so you can watch the election coverage and election returns as a family. Discuss all of the issues of the day with them, from the top of the ticket right down to the local issues. Regardless of the outcome, I am confident that the experience will be a positive one and will shape the way your children will approach future elections.

Given the historical significance of this election and the crucial issues facing our country, November 4th is the perfect day to actively engage our children in a civics lesson and given them the opportunity to witness democracy in action. By doing so, parents will sow the seeds of civic participation and democracy that our children will harvest in the future.

Mark Ridley-Thomas
State Senator

Police Chief William Bratton also supports Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor…

Sylvia Hampton is “a great supporter of the League of Conservation Voters” and of Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas…

Cynthia McClain Hill is the President of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and a supporter of Senator Ridley-Thomas…

Healthcare advocate Sylvia Drew Ivie supports Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor…

Bill Vanderberg - Dean of Students at Crenshaw High School and a prominent member of the Sierra Club - supports Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor…

Martin Schlageter is an L.A. environmental activist who supports Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor…

Teachers like Judith Glass support Mark Ridley-Thomas for Supervisor. Glass taught economics to Senator Ridley-Thomas in college…

In the videos below, two probation officers explain why they support Mark Ridley-Thomas for L.A. County Supervisor…

On Tuesday, October 28th, Senator Ridley-Thomas faced off against Bernard Parks at the final candidates forum. The video above is the closing statement delivered by Senator Ridley-Thomas at the Thomas A. Edison Middle School Auditorium. The event was sponsored by the Florence Firestone Chamber of Commerce.

“The county’s 2nd Supervisorial District deserves visionary, progressive leadership and State Senator Mark- Ridley Thomas fits the bill. His integrity, intelligence and audacious courage in the face of adversity have enabled him to navigate the truculent political terrain with his principles intact. He has precisely the leadership characteristics needed to meet the 2nd District’s daunting challenges.

The choice is clear. There are fundamental differences between Ridley-Thomas and his opponent, L.A. City Councilman Bernard Parks, who tends to favor business interests over residents’ concerns and at times, seems oblivious to systemic factors that negatively affect communities of color.

Ridley-Thomas’s world view, philosophy and political priorities differ substantially from Parks’; his group-oriented emphasis, challenges the prevailing individual/materialistic model that infuses America’s values and traditional politics. (To their detriment, Blacks have internalized these values.) Ridley-Thomas’s firm grounding in civil and human rights informs his politics and life’s work. His strategies are designed to change the existing political and economic landscape; his proposals and legislation at both the city and state levels reflect Mark’s deep concern for actual change.”

Read the entire Op-Ed.

2. Senator Ridley-Thomas earned a perfect 100 percent score from the Sierra Club (PDF) and the California League of Conservation Voters (PDF) indicating his “friendliness to the environment.”

3. “Dermot Givens, a lawyer and political consultant who used to work for Bernard Parks” predicts that Ridley-Thomas will win the Supervisors race because of “a better-run campaign and because Parks has surrounded himself with figures like [Yvonne] Burke, [Magic] Johnson and Rep. Maxine Waters.” “He’s surrounded himself with the old guard,” Givens said. “This is an election cycle for change.”

Read more at the Daily Breeze.

4. L.A. Observed posted a nice photo of Senator Ridley-Thomas voting in the June primary election with his wife and two sons.

5. LAPD Reform Officers endorse Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas for 2nd District Supervisor:

“This endorsement is based on Senator Ridley-Thomas’ record of leadership as the head of the Los Angeles Southern Christian Leadership Conference, leadership on the Los Angeles City council, leadership in the California State Legislature, and his record and position on issues important to the citizens of Los Angeles and California.”

6. Senator Ridley-Thomas encourages Californians and the Nation to make Election Day a family affair in an Op-Ed posted at California Progress Report:

“Given the historical significance of this election and the crucial issues facing our country, November 4th is the perfect day to actively engage our children in a civics lesson and give them the opportunity to witness democracy in action. By doing so, parents will sow the seeds of civic participation and democracy that our children will harvest in the future.”

Read the entire Op-Ed.

7. Betty Pleasant has an easy solution for remembering who and what to vote for on November 4th:

“So, when you go to the polls Tuesday, keep it simple and vote “yes” on Barack Obama; “yes” on Mark Ridley-Thomas and “no” on just about everything else.”

Read the entire article on City Watch L.A.

UPCOMING EVENTS

8. Ridley-Thomas Crisscrosses 2nd District Ahead of Final Weekend’s GOTV Push to Nov. 4 General Election Vote

Friday, October 31, 2008 – State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas will crisscross the sprawling Second District today to deliver his message of “Working for Change & Delivering Results” when he pays a visit to teachers and school children in Exposition Park, senior citizens and caregivers in Carson, and families served by a learning complex in South Los Angeles.

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Ridley-Thomas Delivers for Education
Alexander Science Center School
700 State Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037

United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), L.A. School Board President Monica Garcia, L.A. School Members Marguerite Poindexter-LaMotte, Yolie Flores Aguilar and Marlene Canter, and the L.A. County Education Association have endorsed Sen. Ridley-Thomas. He will join teachers and elementary school children in their celebration of Halloween. Sen. Ridley-Thomas will serve as a judge for the students’ annual Halloween costume contest.

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Ridley-Thomas Delivers for Senior Citizens
City of Carson Senior Recreation Center
801 E. Carson Street
Carson, CA 90745

Sen. Ridley-Thomas engineered a $28 million investment in senior housing and community-based senior citizen service centers. He passed legislation to protect client choice in In-Home Support Services. He passed state laws to provide low-cost prescription drugs needed by seniors on fixed incomes. Ridley-Thomas will join 1,000 seniors at a luncheon in the Carson; including many that attended his “Senior Scam Stoppers” Town Hall meetings held this year in his 26th Senate District.

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Ridley-Thomas Delivers for Families
Rita D. Walters Learning Complex
915 W. Manchester Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90044

As part of a $500 million economic development agenda while serving on the Los Angeles City Council, Senator Ridley-Thomas spearheaded the development of the mixed-use Rita Walters Learning Complex. The complex houses a school, community clinic and a soon-to-opened school-based health clinic. NOTE: Sen. Ridley-Thomas passed legislation to expand school-based health clinics to serve the health needs of 6 million young people at schools statewide.

9. Don’t miss tomorrow’s Get Out The Vote rally with Dr. Cornel West. More info here.

Speaker of the California State Assembly Karen Bass offers a heartfelt endorsement of Mark Ridley-Thomas for L.A. County Supervisor:

“I have worked with Mark Ridley-Thomas for over 30 years and, like Barack Obama, Mark Ridley-Thomas was a community organizer, a civil rights leader, a legislator. We’ve been serving in the State Assembly and Senate together for the last few years. And he has the same set of values I do — a strong, deep commitment to social and economic justice.

And frankly, the Board of Supervisors in Los Angeles County, that is the institution that, from my point of view, manages the lives of poor folks. And I believe that his commitment to improving the quality of life for those in our society who are the most vulnerable makes him the most qualified to do the job.”

Senator Ridley-Thomas and Speaker Bass Rally Dems at West L.A. Headquarters

Speaker Bass: “Let me just tell you that the Obama factor up and down this state is going to have us picking up seats in the Assembly, and in the Senate and we have to take advantage of this opportunity and send Mark Ridley-Thomas to the County Board of Supervisors.”