LONG BEACH - The Long Beach Greens, a local group of volunteer activists, hosted a panel discussion on electoral reform Saturday at the California Community Center. The idea for the forum came about after the Long Beach mayoral election and the subsequent runoff election in June, said Coby Skye of Long Beach Greens.

"We've got a city of almost half a million people, and only a few thousand ended up deciding who the next mayor is," Skye said.

Panelists discussed methods that could result in more fair and efficient elections and voter participation, such as instant runoff voting, proportional representation and public financing of elections.

Panelists included the Green Party's Peter Miguel Camejo, a gubernatorial candidate; Larry Shoup, candidate for secretary of state; Jeanne Rosenmeier, candidate for state treasurer; Deborah Wright of the Los Angeles County registrar's office; Casey Peters of Californians for Proportional Representation; and Jim B. Clarke with the California Clean Money Campaign.

Lakewood resident Monica Tavcar said she is frustrated as a voter. "Some of the issues and the measures and whatnot on the ballot were really nonsense," said Tavcar of the last time she voted in an election.

The panel was moderated by William J. Rosendahl, host of cable television's "Week in Review." The event was taped and is expected to air on Adelphia's public access channels in Los Angeles, beginning Wednesday at 9 p.m. Rosendahl said he would offer a copy of the tape to Charter Communications in Long Beach. Audience members included supporting coalitions and sponsors, such as the Gray Panthers, League of Women Voters and the Sierra Club.

In attendance were Long Beach City Council members Laura Richardson-Batts, Jackie Kell and Dennis Carroll, and Paul C. Schmidt, a Cal State Long Beach political science professor.

For information, call (562) 234-2827 or visit cagreens.org/longbeach.