The election results for the vacant Los Angeles City Council seat representing the central and northeastern San Fernando Valley won’t be finalized until weeks later, but the council president is looking to fill

the

post as soon as possible next week.

Council President Paul Krekorian filed a motion on Friday to nominate community attorney Imelda Padilla to the seat.

Padilla is the expected winner of Tuesday’s special election to represent District 6, which has since been leaderless

former

Local council

madam president

Nury Martinez resigned last year. Padilla leads rival Marisa Alcaraz by more than 1,580 votes, according to the province.

The county will provide an updated vote count during Friday’s race.

Krekorian’s motion notes that the LA County clerk

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Recorder will not confirm the results of the election until after the council leaves for a three-week break next week. The council will return on August 1.

“The fact that Ms. Padilla will not be sworn in as a District 6 councilor until at least August 1 may hinder her ability to fully prepare for office during the summer recess and may hinder her ability to assist her constituent during that period,” says Krekorian’s motion.

The council is expected to vote on Krekorian’s motion next week.

An Alcaraz representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the motion.

Section 409(b) of the City Statute states that the council “may designate any person to hold the office temporarily until the vacancy election is held and the election results certified and announced.”

Padilla, who worked for a nun

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profits and community groups, was supported by both progressive and moderate politicians and

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a string of powerful unions, including the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, representing the city of LA firefighters, in Tuesday’s election.

During debates and in interviews, Padilla demonstrated a deep understanding of neighborhood issues in District 6. She also offered voters a compelling personal story about her battle with rickets and seeing her brother in prison.

Her opponent, Alcaraz, also had the backing of the unions, as well as institutional backing from the likes of Krekorian. And she shared her own personal story about a single mother who worked on high-profile legislation at city hall to help street vendors, supermarket workers and other workers.

But Alcaraz’s career was largely spent in a different part of town, in the South LA precinct of Alderman Curren Price.

Another blow to her campaign was that her boss Price was charged with 10 felonies two weeks before Tuesday’s election. The councilor said he is innocent of the charges related to voting on developments, his wife’s affairs

,

and health benefits she received from the city.

Padilla can be sworn in after the results are certified by the county and declared by the LA City Council. The municipality also has the option to appoint Padilla as caretaker in the interim. The special election was prompted by the resignation of former councilman Nury Martinez, who stepped down from the council in October after a leaked recording surfaced of her making inflammatory comments about her colleagues and various groups.