As the 2026 midterm election season comes to a close, candidates can become a blend of talking points, promises and criticisms. This is an important year for voters, as the city of Long Beach anticipates hosting Olympic events and a ballooning budget deficit, not to mention the continuing presence of ICE, a homelessness problem that has not improved over the last four years and the pressing need for affordable housing.
What would be most useful, we thought, is to ask our readers what issues are most important for them in each district, and then ask candidates to answer.
The Signal Tribune sent 10 questions to each city council candidate and 15 questions to mayoral candidates. We would like to thank every candidate who responded to our questions, who took the time to make sure voters know where they stand on issues like ICE, air quality, developments encroaching on green space, discriminatory police practices and more.
We hope these questionnaires help you, as a voter, make your final decisions.
Voting closes on Tuesday, June 2 at 8 p.m. All Vote Centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through June 1. On Election Day, Tuesday, June 2, all Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Vote by Mail ballots may be returned at any Ballot Drop Box, Vote Center or by mail. No postage is necessary. Voters returning their ballot by mail must place the ballot inside the official return envelope and sign the back of the envelope. All Vote by Mail ballots must be postmarked by June 2.
The California Secretary of State recommends that voters mailing their ballot do so at least five days before Election Day. Voters who mail their ballot on Election Day are advised to obtain a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a United States Post Office.
All voters may track their ballots at https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/.
For more information, including a current list of all LA County Vote Centers, to check registration information or to request a ballot in a different language, visit lavote.gov.
