Atwater's Robert Negrete Is First to Qualify for Council District 13 Ballot

The crowded field for the Thirteenth Council District seat Eric Garcetti is leaving behind is already the stuff of legend.

By some counts at least twenty individuals--just one a woman--have declared their intent to run to run to represent the district, which includes Atwater Village, the Elysian Valley and parts of Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Hollywood.

Robert Negrete, the district director for State Senator Alex Padilla, was late to join the race--waiting until Sept. 4 to say he wantd to run.

But on Tuesday he became the first to submit the valid 1,000 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.

(Click through to see documentation from City Clerk's office here.)

Candidates in the CD 13 race began collecting the signatures last week, with sometimes several showing up to work the crowd at the same event.

Candidates have until Dec. 5 to submit the signatures.

Some may opt for the lower bar of 500 signatures, which requires a fee to accompany the paperwork, though the signatures must still be verified by the City Clerk.

Candidates submitting 1,000 valid signatures can waive the fee.

With so many candidates in the field, fundraising will be crucial in the race, and it has already begun.

A total of $770,188.99 was raised among all candidates by Sept. 30.

John Choi, a former Board of Public Works member, Emile Mack, a Los Angeles Fire Deputy Chief,  and Alexander Cruz De Ocampo, an employee of Saban Capital Group, were the top three in monies raised at that time.

But Mitch O'Farrell, a former deputy to Eric Garcetti, leads in fundraising within the district, according to an article by the Los Feliz Ledger.