Guest Opinion | Delano Yarbrough: Brandon Lamar Best Represents District 3

This is an open statement to the Pasadena community and members of the Pasadena City Council that:

Brandon Lamar should be appointed to fill the remaining term of the vacant District 3 Pasadena City Council position because:

1. Mr. Lamar received more than 41% (1,081 out of 2,633) of the votes in District 3 in the most recent City election.
2. The present process, although dictated by the City Charter, potentially will allow the selection of a person to represent District 3 on the City Council to be chosen by persons that do not reside or can’t vote in District 3 elections and therefore disenfranchise, minimally, the 41+% of the voters in District 3. I am a resident of District 3, voted for Mr. Kennedy in the most recent city election and now support the appointment of Mr. Lamar to the vacant District 3 Position. Likewise, other residents of District 3 have expressed to me support for Mr. Lamar. It is important to note that none of the members of the Council that will make the decision reside in District 3.
3. If Councilperson Kennedy, had not been on the ballot, and the two other persons considered for the position were, would Mr. Lamar have received an even greater percentage or maybe obtained over 50% of the vote? We will never know, but we do know for a fact that 41+% of the voters in District 3 voted for Mr. Lamar even against a very popular and effective incumbent. 
4. Will the Council’s decision regarding who will serve the remainder of the presently vacant District 3 position be greatly influenced by lobbying or input to existing City Council Members by people that are not voters in District 3?  There is a lot of “noise’ in the community, certainly being heard by Council Members, relative to who should fill the vacant District 3 Council Seat by persons that do not reside in District 3. A resident and voter in District 3, I do not want outsiders deciding who will represent me on the City Council, nor should they be allowed to do so. Mr. Lamar is the only fair and democratic choice to avoid the risk of disenfranchising 41+% of the voters in District 3 that voted for Mr. Lamar and voters that did not vote for him in the last election, but like me, now favor him.  This does not cast any negativity on the other persons seeking to be appointed. The facts involved just support the conclusion that Mr. Lamar is the logical and just choice.

Delano Yarbrough is a resident and voter in District 3. He was formerly President of the NAACP Pasadena Branch.