Election

Official sample ballots for Los Angeles' May 21 election will be available April 22, a little less than two weeks from now. Voters who just want to get the whole thing over with - and let's be frank, don't we all? - can actually vote by mail that very same day by getting their super-early ballot directly from the city clerk. And that's fine for voters who are ready to roll on their runoff choices for mayor, city attorney, controller, Community College Board and (depending on their districts)

If presidential politics ever involved time travel, President Obama might be in a little trouble. If an election between Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama were held today, 58% would vote for Reagan over Obama, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans age 18 and older conducted by Kelton Research for the National Geographic Channel. Though when the field is narrowed to people ages 18-34 -- those either too young to have known Reagan as president or too young to remember much -- the gap shrinks to 51% in favor of Reagan.

Louisville Coach Rick Pitino is among seven people elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Joining Pitino in the class of 2013, announced Monday, are former NBA stars Bernard King and Gary Payton, former Nevada Las Vegas coach Jerry Tarkanian, North Carolina women's Coach Sylvia Hatchell, former University of Houston coach Guy Lewis, and former University of Virginia star Dawn Staley. The inductions will be in Springfield, Mass., in September. Inductees announced previously were Edwin E.B. Henderson, a direct elect by the Early African Pioneer Committee; longtime Indiana Pacers guard Roger Brown; Oscar Schmidt of Brazil, the leading scorer in Olympic history; Richie Guerin, a star for the New York Knicks in the 1950s; and Russ Granik, the longtime assistant commissioner of the NBA. :: Bob Cantu, a longtime USC basketball assistant who served as interim coach after Kevin O'Neill was fired in January, will not be retained as part of new Coach Andy Enfield's staff, the school announced.

The residents of the close-knit coastal enclave of San Pedro have long felt like the city's redheaded stepchild, geographically and culturally removed from the downtown power structure, the bright lights of Hollywood and the sprawling San Fernando Valley. But in the Los Angeles mayoral race, they are seeing fresh attention from Wendy Greuel and Eric Garcetti as the rivals try to stitch together coalitions to win the May 21 runoff. Within the span of a week, the candidates appeared at port workers' union halls a block apart in the area's historic downtown, pledging they would not forget this corner of L.A. "This is the economic engine of our entire city," Greuel said Saturday as she rallied supporters at the headquarters of ILWU Local 63, the Marine Clerks Assn.

Sitting on the dais where he used to preside as mayor, Omar Bradley explained to Compton voters at a candidates forum why he should be elected again after his conviction on public corruption charges nearly a decade ago. "I want to take you on a magic carpet ride 12 years ago," Bradley said. "I want you to imagine the streets of Compton in 2001. Do you see any potholes? I want you to imagine the trees in Compton in 2001. Were they trimmed? I want you to think about the layoffs that are occurring now and the deficit now, and I want you to ask yourself, was it happening then?"

Question: There's an overall deterioration in our homeowners association, and we're ashamed of the deplorable eyesores throughout the complex. There are cracks in the concrete and plaster and peeling paint everywhere. All the trees need more soil as exposed roots are cause for liability. The stairs have ragged or missing safety strips; gates have ugly, dated signs; patio tables and pool furniture are filthy; and there are corroded and rotting wood trellises and dying foliage.

The campaign to succeed the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is underway, and as with past campaigns in that country, passions are running high. Vice President Nicolas Maduro and opposition candidate Henrique Capriles exchange near-daily attacks, each accusing the other of everything from plotting murder to planning coups. But unlike in previous elections, the National Election Council has not invited international monitors to observe the April 14 vote. Instead, it has asked a handful of individuals and the Union of South American Nations to "accompany" the process - a far more limited role that does not provide them full and free access to polling places and does not allow them to make public statements questioning or criticizing the process.

Chin Ho Liao, the second-highest vote-getter in last month's City Council election in San Gabriel, is suing the city after the incumbent council refused to seat him in order to investigate a resident's challenge of his residency. Five candidates ran for three seats in the hotly contested March 5 election. Liao, Jason Pu and incumbent Mayor Kevin Sawkins garnered the most votes. Incumbents Mario De La Torre and David Gutierrez were defeated. But resident Fred Paine filed a complaint accusing Liao of living outside the city limits, which would make him ineligible to serve on the council.

With Los Angeles facing the imminent possibility of having no female elected leaders at City Hall, some of California's most prominent female politicians joined forces Thursday to promote Wendy Greuel's mayoral candidacy. Democratic congressional leader Nancy Pelosi, the only woman to serve as the speaker of the House of Representatives, announced she was endorsing Greuel to become the city's first female mayor. "She's operational, she gets the job done," Pelosi (D-San Francisco)

The May 21 Los Angeles city election features 13 contests: six runoffs for citywide and council district races, one primary contest for a council district race, one Los Angeles Unified School District runoff, one Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees runoff and four ballot measures. Voters can request and cast ballots by mail beginning April 22. To make our recommendations , the editorial board goes beyond our face-to-face discussions and studies the candidates, the districts and the issues and weighs them against the needs of the city.