COMPTON – The Los Angeles County registrar certified election results from the March 5 primary election indicating that all of the Compton City Council members are headed to a November runoff and the City’s longest serving elected official is officially retired from public office.
According to the registrar, a total of 1,641,715 ballots were processed with 28.9% of eligible L.A. County voters casting ballots.
Of the 1,319,889 vote by mail ballots that were mailed, nearly 20% were returned.
Compton City Attorney Eric Perrodin was declared the outright winner after facing no challenger to fulfill the unexpired term of office that ends Dec. 21, 2026.
“I am deeply honored by the trust the citizens of Compton have placed in me to serve them as their city attorney,” said Perrodin when reached for comment. “I will continue to serve our community with dedication, integrity, and commitment.”
All of the incumbents on the Compton City Council: Deidre Duhart, District 1, Lille Darden, District 4, and City Clerk Vernell McDaniel all failed to receive more than 50% of votes cast and are headed to a runoff.
All three were appointed to the council after the incumbents vacated their seats.
Duhart received 44% (987) of votes cast and will face Jasper Jackson who received 37% (837).
Darden received 37% (708) of votes cast and will face Joel Estrada who received 30% (573) as he seeks to become the second Latino elected to the city council in the city’s history.
Compton school board trustee Satra Zurita was the top vote getter in the City Clerk’s race receiving 37% (2,886) of votes cast while McDaniel received 35% (2,756).
“I am truly honored by the trust the residents of Compton have displayed for me,” said Zurita. “I am certain, based on the work I have done in the school district, the residents know they can trust me. They know that I will continue to serve them effectively and I will hold myself accountable. Candidate Lynn Boone has endorsed me and I would be honored to earn the trust of her supporters.”
Multiple allegations of campaign finance violations were filed against McDaniels with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) who regulates state election finance laws.
A local business owner also accused McDaniels of jeopardizing her nonprofit status when she placed campaign signage across her property without her permission.
McDaniels, who is the chief election officer of Compton, also violated city ordinances by placing her campaign signs on utility poles and city property which is strictly prohibited.
Compton school board trustees Micah Ali and Charles Davis faced challengers Omar Spry and Michael Hooper Jr.
Ali was certified as the winner after receiving 69% (1,200) of the votes cast to Spry receiving 31% (547).
Hooper was declared the winner after receiving nearly 51% (740) votes over Davis who received 49% (722) votes.
“I am both honored and excited by the election results. I am honored because I uphold with the greatest regard the wisdom and the will of the people of Compton and I am excited because I am all in for the students, families, teachers and classified employees of the Compton Unified School District,” said Ali. “Because I am all in, I intend to lean in on their behalf. They deserve a world class district and I am committed to ensuring they are provided with just that.”
Davis could not be reached for comment.
