Donovan Near Winning South Pasadena Council Seat

Jack Donovan (Photo – donovan2020.com)

Jack Donovan appears to have clinched the race for South Pasadena City Council in the 2^nd District, with Steve Rossi’s write-in campaign falling short of the votes needed for victory.

By William J. Kelly

Donovan, a retired metal supply company executive and 39-year resident of the community, on Wednesday morning was just 55 votes short of winning an absolute majority of the ballots cast in the 2^nd Council District of South Pasadena.

Out of 2,982 ballots, Donovan had 1,437 votes. Meanwhile, there were 898 write-in votes cast in District 2 for Steve Rossi and other write-in candidates, according to data provided by South Pasadena City Clerk Maria Ayala late on Nov. 10. While voter turnout was high in the District due to the Presidential election, typically not all voters vote for all offices.

Ayala said the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters is expected to complete the count in the race by Wednesday evening. However, the Registrar’s office is not due to certify the results until Nov. 30.

Donovan has served as a city commissioner and been active in numerous community organizations. He pledges to enhance the role of commissions in the city and maintain the community’s neighborhood character while allowing “thoughtful development” projects to go forward. He also wants to enhance pedestrian safety, improve recreational facilities, and move the city’s public safety efforts toward community policing. Donovan also supports careful financial stewardship.

Rossi used his recent appointment to the City Council as a springboard to launch a write-in campaign. He replaced Councilmember Marina Khubesrian after she resigned early this fall. He’s a financial industry executive who gained community recognition by critiquing the city’s financial management, pointing out needed improvements that now are underway.

Rossi is expected to continue to lead a city task force appointed to improve the city’s financial accounting and reporting operations. The task force is not expected to complete its work until late winter or early spring.