Early returns show incumbent Mary Solorio and challenger Sean M. Rivas leading a seven-person race for three San Fernando City Council seats, with incumbent Mary Mendoza appearing to hold the third spot by just 0.07 points.
*Mary Solorio and Sean M. Rivas held the top two spots Tuesday night in the race for three open seats on the San Fernando City Council, according to preliminary election returns. Incumbent Mary Mendoza* appeared to hold the third and final seat.
The three candidates with the most votes win outright. No runoff is required.
"As of 8:48 p.m., Solorio received 21.64% of the votes, followed by Rivas with 19.05% and Mendoza with 18.98%, according to preliminary results from the Los Angeles County registrar's office."
The results remain unofficial. Los Angeles County election officials are expected to continue counting ballots in the coming weeks before certifying the final outcome.
Seven candidates ran for four-year terms on the five-member council. Mayor Joel Fajardo did not seek reelection, guaranteeing at least one new face on the council.
The full early results from the Los Angeles County registrar were:
The margin between second and third place was just 0.07 percentage points. Additional ballots could shift the standings.
Mary Solorio, an incumbent, built her campaign around support for families and small businesses. She emphasized public safety and bringing resources to the community, including assistance for families affected by federal immigration enforcement actions.
Sean M. Rivas, a challenger, works as an administrative assistant for the Los Angeles Unified School District. He previously served on the city's Planning and Preservation Commission. Rivas focused his campaign on neighborhood safety, support for immigrant and working families, local economic development and government accountability.
Mary Mendoza, also an incumbent, is a former employee of Los Angeles Mission College. She campaigned on public safety, economic development and infrastructure improvements. She pointed to efforts to attract new investment and strengthen city finances.
Michelle Vergara, a community engagement director, made public safety, small business support, youth programs and transparent local government her key priorities.
Fernando Diaz, an automotive technician and member of the Planning and Preservation Commission, said his priorities included public safety, infrastructure, traffic enforcement and responsible growth.
Sonia Navarro, a tax professional who serves on the Education Commission, centered her campaign on public safety, city services, infrastructure and support for residents and businesses.
Flor Sanchez, an accountant, advocated for government transparency, fiscal responsibility and what she described as responsible economic growth that preserves the city's character while supporting local businesses.
According to the Daily News, candidates throughout the campaign largely focused on public safety, economic development, infrastructure improvements and government transparency.
Immigration policy also emerged as a recurring issue. The campaign followed a debate last year over sanctuary-city policies and protections for immigration communities in San Fernando.
Los Angeles County will certify the final results in early July.
The three winners will take their seats on the San Fernando City Council for four-year terms. The council will then elect a new mayor from among its members to replace Fajardo.
This article was generated with AI assistance.