Runoff elections for City Council are now underway

CITY OF SEAL BEACH

No candidate for Seal Beach City Council in Districts 3 or 5, which covers part of Leisure World, secured a majority of voters. That means they did not get at least 50% plus one in the November elections. Therefore, runoff elections are underway.

In District 5, Mariann Klinger, a Seal Beach planning commissioner, and Nathan Steele, who owns an advertising agency specializing in Christian programming, are vying for the seat.

It was left vacant when Councilwoman Sandra Massa-Lavitt of LW termed out. District 5 covers LW west of St. Andrews Drive.

In District 3, Lisa Landau, an accounting manager and longtime volunteer in the community, and Stephanie Wade, a veterans policy advisor and environmental activist, are competing for the seat.

District 3 covers The Hill, Bridgepoint, Heron Pointe and the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station.

Active registered voters in those districts will soon receive a new ballot and voter information guide in the mail from the Orange County Registrar of Voters. Ballots went out beginning Jan. 3.

Ballots must be returned by mail, postmarked by Jan. 31, and received from the U.S. Postal Service by Feb. 3 or they can be dropped off at one of the following locations:

• Registrar of Voters’ drop box near the Administration Building is available 24/7. • Seal Beach City Clerk’s office, 211 Eighth St., open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Jan. 31.

• Mary Wilson Branch Library, 707 Electric Ave., drop box available 24/7.

• The Registrar of Voters office, 1300 S. Grand Ave., Building C in Santa Ana, is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Jan. 31.

No voter centers for in-person voting will be operated. Postage is not required for voters who chose to mail their ballots.

The five-member council has some important issues to grapple with in 2023.

Council members will decide where to allow the development of new housing, which the state is mandating, and whether to continue allowing restaurants on Main Street to use parking spots for outdoor dining.

They will also consider whether to continue repairs on the pool at McGaugh Elementary or build a pool in a new location and whether a restaurant should be built at the end of the Seal Beach pier.