ANCA-Glendale Slate Sees Successful Election

Sinanyan, Najarian, Kassakhian, Manoukian, Krikorian, Gharapetian win Glendale elections

GLENDALE—With a message of unifying the Armenian-American electorate and with a slate of endorsed candidates for the Glendale municipal elections, the Armenian National Committee of American’s Glendale chapter registered a near- sweeping victory in Tuesday’s vote.

With 12 candidates running, the Glendale City Council race, which was marred by a smear campaign, saw three winners, according to results posted by the Glendale City Clerk.

ANCA-Glendale endorsed candidates Zareh Sinanyan and incumbent Ara Najarian will share the City Council with incumbent candidate Laura Friedman. Najarian was the top vote getter 8,615, followed by Friedman with 6,888 votes and Sinanyan with 6,122 votes.

Glendale City Clerk ANCA-endorsed Ardashess “Ardy” Kassakhian handily won re-election with 10,335 votes.

It was also a sweeping victory for ANCA-endorsed Councilmember Rafi Manoukian, the lone candidate for the City Treasurer position. He garnered 12,226 votes. A ballot measure—Measure A—which would have made the position an appointed one failed with a vote of 11,602 to 4,001, making Manoukian the city’s new treasurer.

The new City Council will decide to either appoint or hold special elections to fill the seat vacated by Manoukian.

In the Glendale Unified School District race, ANCA-endorsed candidates Greg Krikorian and Dr. Armina Gharapetian won with 10,823 and 7,696 votes respectively. Christine Walters was second with 8,171 votes.

The ANCA-Glendale had also urged voters to vote No on all ballot initiatives. Measures A (11,602 to 4,001) and C (8,248 to 6,537) were defeated, while voters opted to support Measure B (7,482 to 7,439), according to results posted by the Glendale City Clerk.