Valley Voters’ Decisions on Measures Reflect Statewide Results

San Fernando Valley residents voted much as their counterparts did statewide in deciding key ballot measures, and only varied slightly when it came to choosing a governor, according to a Times analysis of Tuesday’s primary election.

For instance, Proposition 227, the measure to end bilingual education in public schools, was supported by 61% to 39% in the Valley, a margin identical to statewide results.

But opposition was strong in the heavily Latino northeast Valley, where it was rejected by a 3-2 margin.

Statewide, Latinos said they opposed the initiative by a margin of 2-1, with most describing it as discriminatory, according to a Times exit poll.

In fact, Proposition 227 was second only to the governor’s race in luring Latinos to voting booths, according to the poll.

In the northeast Valley--as in the rest of the state--the so-called “English-only” measure prompts strong emotional responses among some Latinos.

“We are very saddened by the results,” said Irene Tovar, executive director of the Latin American Civic Assn., the largest provider of Head Start agency services for children in the Valley. “It’s tragic that the children are being pushed one way or another.”

The strong opposition in the northeast Valley--60% voted to oppose the measure--was offset by heavy support--about 65%--in the middle-income communities in the west and northwest Valley.

In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Gray Davis was the top vote-getter in the Valley, as he was throughout the state.

But support for wealthy businessman Al Checchi was slightly higher in the Valley, particularly in the heavily Latino northeast Valley, than it was statewide.

Davis got about 35% of the vote in the Valley--contrasted with 35% in the state and 37% countywide. But Checchi received about 19% of the Valley vote, contrasted with 13% statewide. Checchi got 18% of the vote countywide.

In the Valley, Checchi’s support came at the expense of Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren and Democratic Rep. Jane Harman, whose support was slightly less in the Valley than it was statewide.

Harman received 10% of the vote in the Valley, contrasted with 12.3% in the state. Lungren got 30% support in the Valley, contrasted with 34% statewide.

Checchi’s campaign consultant, Darry Sragow, attributed Checchi’s higher numbers in the Valley to his outreach to Latino voters, who came out to vote in substantially higher numbers than in previous elections.

Latino voters represented 12% of the state’s voters--double the number that voted in the 1994 primary elections, according to the Times exit poll.

“This campaign spent a tremendous amount of time and an enormous share of our resources courting Latino voters,” Sragow said. “We advertised heavily on Spanish-language television and held field operations in the heavily Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles.”

Valley voters also came out strong against Proposition 226, which would have required unions to get the individual permission of their members before using dues for political donations.

In the Valley, the so-called anti-union measure was opposed by a 57% to 33% margin, compared with 54% to 36% statewide. Voters countywide opposed the measure by a 61% to 39% margin.

Again, it was the heavily Latino northeast Valley that came out strongest against Proposition 226, voting 74% to 26% against the measure.

The Times analysis was based on election results from the four City Council districts that are wholly in the Valley.

The 7th Council District includes most of the northeast Valley while the 12th District includes the northwest corner of the Valley.

The 3rd Council District includes most of the West Valley, excluding the hillside communities south of Ventura Boulevard. The 2nd District stretches from Lake View Terrace, to North Hollywood and Studio City.

Times staff writer Jill Leovy and researcher Stephanie Stassel contributed to this story.