Voters so far have said yes to Measure HLA, which would require Los Angeles to implement certain street improvements at a faster pace.
L.A.'s Mobility Plan outlines where the city should add street safety features — like bus lanes, bike lanes and crosswalks — with a goal to make these improvements by 2035.
Measure HLA would require the city to implement a modification outlined in this plan whenever it makes an improvement of at least one-eighth of a mile in length to a stretch of road or sidewalk. The city would also have to create a public data portal with information on its progress, and residents could sue the city for non-compliance.
The measure was billed by proponents as a way to make L.A.’s streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists and help reduce traffic fatalities, which last year outpaced homicides in the city. Opponents have said it would cause traffic issues.
How we got here
Both the city and county have action plans for what is known as Vision Zero, with the goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities by 2025.
But the L.A. area is far from reaching that goal: In a recent report the LAPD cited a “new and disturbing trend” saying for the first time in a decade, L.A. saw more deaths due to traffic crashes than homicides. There was also a 13% jump in fatalities involving pedestrians struck by a vehicle over 2022.
As traffic deaths have continued, critics have been pushing the city for greater accountability.
Follow the money
Measure HLA’s main proponent, the advocacy group Streets for All, argued that the measure is necessary to ensure the city implements the changes outlined in the Mobility Plan in a timely manner, and that the city be held accountable for implementing the plan.
Opponents, which include the advocacy group Keep LA Moving and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (the city firefighters’ union), argued that Measure HLA would worsen traffic congestion and slow down emergency responders.
What's next
With the amount of money and high-profile endorsements in support, it's looking like voters will pass this measure. It had a mix of organizational and hyper-local support, which can be an indicator of how communities feel about what's on their ballot. About 40 of L.A.'s 99 neighborhood councils voiced support, according to the Yes on HLA website.
A note on the results
-
Keep in mind that in tight races particularly, the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after Election Day. In Los Angeles County, the first batch of results released includes vote-by-mail ballots received before March 5, followed by early votes cast in-person at vote centers, then votes cast in-person on Election Day.
-
The results you see are the votes counted through March 29, when they were certified.
-
As of March 29, here's where the vote count stands:
-
Total count to date:
- 1,641,715 (28.9% of registered voters)
-
Estimate still to be counted: 0
-
Note: In California, ballots postmarked on or before March 5 are counted toward the results as long as they arrive within seven days of the election (March 12). Results must be certified by county election officials by April 4.
Tracking your ballot
You can track the status of your ballot:
If your mail-in ballot is rejected for any reason (like a missing or mismatched signature), your county registrar must contact you to give you a chance to fix it. In Los Angeles County, the registrar will send you a notification by mail and you have until 5 p.m. on March 27 to reply and "cure" your ballot.
How we're covering this election
-
Early voters and mail-in ballots have fundamentally reshaped how votes are counted and when election results are known.
-
Our priority will be sharing outcomes and election calls only when they have been thoroughly checked and vetted. To that end, we will report when candidates concede and otherwise rely on NPR and The Associated Press for race calls. We will not report the calls or projections of other news outlets. You can find more on NPR and The AP's process for counting votes and calling races here, here and here.
