Rafu Staff Report
Several Asian Americans were candidates in city races in Los Angeles County on Nov. 8. Following are results as of Nov. 18.
Alhambra City Council, District 1: Incumbent Katherine Lee, an immigrant from Taiwan who was first elected in 2018, was ahead with 1,453 (43.92%), followed by community advocate Ari Gutierrez with 936 (28.36%) and Stephen Sham, who served on the City Council from 2006 to 2018, with 917 (27.72%).
Arcadia City Council, District 2: Shannon Kwan, former president of the Upper Rancho Home Owners Association, was the top vote-getter with 1,324 (40.97%), followed by retired company president Bob Harbicht with 1,001 (30.97%) and community and education advocate Tracy Jensen Han with 907 (28.06%). The seat is currently held by Tom Beck.
Arcadia City Council, District 3: Community leader and educator Eileen Wang was ahead of Sheng Chang, family medicine physician and former mayor, 1,006 (62.52%) to 603 (37.48%). The seat is currently held by Sho Tay.
Arcadia City Council, District 5: Michael Cao, a doctor, commissioner and businessman, was the top vote-getter with 1,345 (42.38%), followed by Jason J. Lee, past president and legal counsel of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, with 1,033 (32.55%), appointed incumbent Michael Danielson with 712 (22.43%) and Daniel Malki, who has worked for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, with 84 (2.65%).
Artesia City Council: In a four-way race for three seats, the top finishers were incumbent Melissa Ramoso with 1,925 (31.90%), incumbent Ali Taj with 1,783 (29.55%) and incumbent Rene Trevino with 1,592 (26.38%). Rigger specialist Alma Griffin was fourth with 734 (12.16%). Taj has been on the council since 2013 and was the first Pakistani American to serve as mayor of Artesia.
Azusa Mayor: Incumbent Robert Gonzales was ahead of Jonny M. Liu, 4,581 (61.02%) to 2,926 (38.98%). Liu, who immigrated with his family from Taiwan, is the founder of Mantra Coffee.
Bellflower City Council, District 1: Incumbent Raymond Y. Hamada was well ahead of Foxtrot Construction CEO Ricardo Fosado, 1,914 (75.18%) to 632 (24.82%). A native of Gardena, Hamada was appointed to the council in 2018 and elected in 2020. The district covers the northern portion of the city.
Burbank City Council: In a five-way race for three seats, the top finishers were nonprofit program manager Nikki Perez with 14,899 (24.50%), environmental advocate Tamala Takahashi with 13,062 (21.48%) and City Clerk Zizette Mullins with 12,265 (20.17%). Also running were incumbent Sharon Springer with 11,866 (19.52%) and business owner/diversity advocate Carmenita Helligar with 8,712 (14.33%).
Claremont City Council, District 2: Incumbent Ed Reece was ahead of Peter S. Yao, 1,123 (54.78%) to 92 (45.22%). Yao served two terms on the council and was mayor from 2006 to 2008. He previously served on the city’s Human Relations Committee.
Culver City City Council: In a six-way race for two seats, the top finishers were Dan O’Brien, a former member of the city’s Committee on Homelessness, with 6,608 (25.57%) and higher education administrator Freddy Puza with 5,828 (22.55%). Khin Khin Gyi, who has worked for 32 years as a neurologist, was in fifth place with 1,277 (4.94%). This was her second run for the council.
Diamond Bar City Council, District 3: Incumbent Andrew Chou was far ahead of engineer Jianguo Jason Wang, 1,905 (80.21%) to 470 (19.79%). Chou was elected in November 2018. Previously, he served on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. He is currently serving his first term as mayor pro tem.
Diamond Bar City Council, District 4: Dr. Chia Yu Teng, an internist affiliated with City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. was slightly ahead of small business owner and entrepreneur Lee Mao, 1,301 (50.68%) to 1,266 (49.32%).
Duarte City Council, District 5: Incumbent Samuel Kang ran unopposed and received 566 votes. Kang is a successful entrepreneur and a former member of the Duarte Economic Development Commission.
Los Angeles City Attorney: Hydee Feldstein Soto, former partner at two major law firms, was ahead of criminal defense and civil rights lawyer Faisal Gill, who is originally from Pakistan, 393,936 (56.15%) to 307,671 (43.85%). The position is currently held by Mike Feuer, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor.
Monterey Park City Clerk: Maychelle Yee was ahead of Councilmember Hans Liang, 5,257 (54.60%) to 4,371 (45.40%). Yee is a PTA member at Brightwood Elementary and Mark Keppel High School and a former aide to two Los Angeles city councilmembers.
Monterey Park City Treasurer: Attorney and businesswoman Amy Lee was ahead of City Clerk Vincent Dionicio Chang, 5,069 (52.80%) ato 4,532 (47.20%).
Monterey Park City Council, District 1: Thomas Wong was well ahead of Jason Dhing, 1,459 (68.18%) to 681 (31.82%). Wong has served as an elected member of the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board. Dhing is a trustee on the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library Board.
Monterey Park City Council, District 5: Vinh T. Ngo, an executive with Bank of America and co-chair of the Greater Los Angeles Asian Business Council, led the pack with 1,255 (55.95%), followed by Teresa Real Sebastian with 793 (35.35%), Joe Ray Avila with 102 (455%) and Delario Robinson with 93 (4.15%).
Monterey Park City Council, District 3 (Special Election): Public school teacher Jose Sanchez was far ahead of educator Tammy C. Wong, 1,241 (61.59%) to 774 (38.41%).
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council: In a six-way race for three seats, the top finishers were Mayor David Bradley with 9,045 (25.27%), Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Ferraro with 7,868 (21.98%) and Deputy Attorney General Paul Seo with 7,247 (20.24%). Seo is also a former Los Angeles County deputy district attorney.
San Gabriel City Clerk: Incumbent Thu “Julie” Nguyen was far ahead of community volunteer Mary Acuna Garcia, 3,740 (65.73%) to 1,950 (34.27%).
San Gabriel City Council: In a seven-way race for three seats, the top finishers were incumbent John Wu with 3,297 (21.46%), incumbent Denise Menchaca with 2,613 (17.0%) and Eric Chan, a board member of the San Gabriel County Water District, with 2,487 (16.18%).
San Marino City Council: In a seven-way race for three seats, the top finishers were incumbent Gretchen Shepherd Romey with 2,137 (22.85%), San Marino Design Review Committee member Tony Chou with 1,976 (21.13%) and former Traffic Commissioner Calvin Lo with 1,890 (20.21%). Also running were former Library Foundation Board member Subhadra Su Viswanathan (1,223, 13.08%), quality supervisor Grant Fujiwara (828, 8.85%), Friends of the San Marino Public Library member Diana Milkie Nixon (733, 7.84%) and businessman Steven Jones (566, 6.05%). Nixon withdrew from the race but her name remained on the ballot.
South Pasadena City Treasurer: Zhen Tao, who is serving her second term on the South Pasadena Finance Commission, was far ahead of Alan Ehrlich, former member of the Public Safety Commission, 4,996 (65.97%) to 2,577 (34.03%). The post is currently held by Gary Pia.
West Covina City Council, District 5: Incumbent Tony Wu was the top vote-getter with 1,815 (43.35%), followed by former Councilmember Fredrick Sykes with 1,616 (38.60%), business owner Richard Reyes with 605 (14.45%) and engineer Hossein “Rambod” Sotoodeh with 151 (3.61%).
Walnut Valley Water District Board of Directors, Division 2: Incumbent Edwin Hilden was ahead of Diamond Bar Parks and Recreation Commissioner Andrew Wong, 2,474 (54.97%) to 2,027 (45.03%).
West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors, Division 1: Incumbent Harold Williams was ahead of businesswoman and clean water advocate Carol Kwan, 21,193 (52.43%) to 19,229 (47.57%).
Beach Cities Health District Board of Directors: In a three-way race for two seats, the top finishers were incumbent Michelle Anne Bholat with 24,809 (45.50%) and incumbent Noel Lee Chun with 24,026 (42.36%). In third place was retired aerospace systems engineer/manager Michael Kelly Martin with 6,883 (12.14%).