Rejoice, We Conquer!

For you trivia fans, that's what the first marathon runner is alleged to have said at the end of his run, as he collapsed and died:

http://www.answers.com/topic/pheidippides

The Los Angeles Marathon over the weekend had me thinking of that story.

And it's somewhat fitting for the news from Rosemead tonight:  Polly Low was elected to the Rosemead City Council!

It's been a long and circuitous route, from her write-in candidacy in March 2005, through the attempt at a referendum, through the recall election (that in itself was a marathon--we started gathering signatures for that election in May 2005, finished in August, had the election set for February 2006, then had the election delayed and almost killed by Jay Imperial's lawsuit against the city, then got the election reinstated for September 2006, where we then got buried by over 410,000 Wal-Mart dollars), and all the way to tonight, March 6, 2007.  Three races and two petition drives over 2 years.  THAT'S a marathon.

I feel somewhat guilty for being one of the many who urged her to run one more time, particularly since my schedule this quarter effectively kept me off the campaign trail.  But plenty of other folks stepped up to the challenge.  It's a real testament to the love and commitment so many people have for Polly and for Rosemead that Polly prevailed, at last.

Unfortunately, Victor Ruiz finished in fourth place, about 300 votes behind Jay Imperial and just under 500 votes behind Gary Taylor.

Mayor Gary Taylor was reelected to his ninth consecutive term on the Rosemead city council.

So it wasn't a clean sweep.  But it is a start.  Starting later this month, when our newest city councilmember is sworn in, Rosemead enters the 21st Century.  And, two years from now, I hope to be able to drive down Valley Blvd and see our city looking a little bit nicer then than it is tonight.

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Election Results (Top Two Finishers are Elected):

Polly Low               1868  28.6%

Gary Taylor            1673  25.6%

Jay Imperial            1503  23.0%

Victor Ruiz             1197  18.3%

Robert Lopez          294   4.5%

source: http://www.cityofrosemead.org/Portals/0/ENGLISH%20-%20FINAL.pdf

That's a phenomenal turnout

The precinct I was working at had a paltry turnout of 24 voters.  That's an under-3% turnout.

Community College District, right?

You were working the community college district election?  That was another fiasco.  Some people in Rosemead were expected to go to two different polling places yesterday--one to vote in the city election, and a different one for the community college election.

Community College District, right?

What a mess. I was at a location that just had the CC seats. Hardly anyone showed up.

Comment deleted

I deleted an obscene comment below.  If you can't express yourself in a civilized manner, please don't bother posting here.

Are you afraid the truth might get out?

Well I hope your all ready for our city to go down to *%$^ can. John Tran has his 3rd vote. So much for not having a city tax. I hope your all happy now, because the city of Rosemead is doomed. I expressed myself in a civilized matter this time, so you can delete it.

You can't handle the truth!

Please see this comment, posted elsewhere on this site:

http://saveourcommunity.us/?q=node/350#comment-4944

Don't let facts get in the way of your little tirade!