Electionzzzzz

Tonight, it's the one night in the year where Los Angeles' local TV newscasts actually act like real news operations! I love watching our local anchors covering election results, forced to act as if they have been covering the local campaigns all season.

Meanwhile, field reporters are suddenly assigned to cover candidates and their campaign parties, even though they haven't done a single story on the race up until now. (Hey, who has the time when Michael Jackson is on trial?!)

Don't worry. Tomorrow the newscasts will be back to covering small fires that are only newsworthy because they come with cool visuals! and intricate details from the Robert Blake trial because hey, an obscure celeb killed someone! But tonight, at least, we'll see some actual political news on our local airwaves. (Granted, it will mostly be horserace-style reporting with little analysis, but I'll take it.)

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Of course, it doesn't help matters when the candidates running for mayor failed to make much noise. It's the current mayor vs. the guy he beat last time vs. that 50-foot-tall guy vs. the guy who's still pissed he's no longer police chief vs. the unknown guy with the moustache.

I'm frustrated because I have paid attention to the race -- but I now live in Glendale. So no, I'm not sporting an "I Voted" sticker today.

Still, even if I were still an official Angeleno, this one is tough. I liked Villaraigoisa last time out -- but he hasn't inspired me this time. I'm not a fan of Hahn's LAX plans, meanwhile, and am frustrated that he couldn't find a way to get more cops hired. Hertzberg seems like a nice enough guy, but he spent too much time focusing on an issue the mayor doesn't have any control over -- breaking up the LAUSD -- and got testy when people pointed this out. Then there's Parks and Alarcon, neither of whom were able to capture much attention.

I do kind of like Alarcon's film noirish campaign ads. And his bizarre slogan, "THE SENATOR... for MAYOR!" I suppose I love it because it doesn't make much sense... and it sounds vaguely mafioso ("Don't mess with THA SENATOR if you know what's good for ya, chump!") You also gotta give Hertzberg's team credit -- those Bobzilla ads gave him some recognition, and made him a contender.

The real race, of course, begins tomorrow, when either VILLARAIGOSA-HAHN II: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO or VILLARAIGOSA-HERTZBERG: ROOMMATE REVENGE begins.

But for now, go out and vote. (And I mean for L.A. mayor. When I asked a certain colleague whether she voted, she chirped, "Of course!" But of course, she thought I meant for last night's "American Idol.")

Previously: Franklin Avenue reviews the candidates' slogans and websites.