Bell Gardens incumbents headed for City Council sweep
BELL GARDENS, CA — All three Bell Gardens City Council incumbents are on track to win reelection, holding strong leads over two challengers as more ballots are counted.
As of the latest count on Nov. 6, Mayor Miguel De La Rosa leads with 3,082 votes (25.74%), followed closely by Councilmember Francis De León Sánchez with 3,024 votes (25.25%).
Councilmember Marco Bárcena remains in third place with 2,813 votes (23.49%), ahead of challenger Samuel Pérez, who has received 2,036 votes (17.00%). Jorge O. Verdín trails with 1,020 votes (8.52%).
The top three vote-getters will win seats on the council.
The three incumbents campaigned together on a joint reelection slate backed by much of the local Democratic establishment. The Los Angeles County Democratic Party endorsed De La Rosa and De León Sánchez, while prominent Democrats, including County Supervisor Janice Hahn, state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, and Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, endorsed all three candidates. The slate also received support from the Bell Gardens Police Officers Association.
De Leon Sanchez and challenger Samuel Pérez both received endorsements from Bell Gardens Mayor Pro Tem Isabel Guillén.
Bárcena's lead over Pérez has grown from 388 votes in the initial count to 777 votes, strengthening his position for the third and final council seat.
De León Sánchez thanked voters in a statement following the election.
“My heart is full of gratitude! Thank you, Bell Gardens, for once again trusting me to serve the community I love and proudly call home,” she said. “Your love and support mean everything to me. I look forward to continuing to serve you with heart and purpose. Together, we will continue moving Bell Gardens forward!”
The results remain unofficial. As of Nov. 5, Los Angeles County election officials estimated that 642,000 ballots remained uncounted countywide. Officials have not released an estimate of how many ballots remain uncounted in Bell Gardens.
