BREAKING: Robert Garcia, Damon Dunn Capture Top Long Beach Mayor Primary Balloting Slots, June Runoff Set

By Randy Economy

This is Breaking News from Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper

Vice Mayor Robert Garcia and Businessman Damon Dunn will be facing off against each other on June 3rd for the right to become the next mayor of Long Beach after Tuesday’s balloting in the Municipal Primary Election.

Garcia and Dunn outdistanced State Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, Councilwoman Gerrie Shipske, and City Councilman Doug Otto and a handful of lesser known candidates who were running to replace retiring Mayor Bob Foster.

With 21,130 vote-by-mail ballots and 260 out of 268 precincts counted close at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, Garcia h 25.3 percent of the vote.

Garcia is a Democrat, and is hoping to become the cities first openly gay and Latino Mayor. Dunn. a Republican, is an African American and is considered to be one of the rising stars in GOP politics in California.

Here are the Results as of 1:12 a.m.

Registration and Turnout
Completed Precincts: 260 of 295

Total Registered Voters 285,029
Precinct Registration 285,029
Precinct Ballots Cast 17,471 6.1%
Vote By Mail Ballots Cast 21,130 7.4%
Total Ballots Cast 38,601 13.5%

Mayor
Completed Precincts: 237 of 268
Vote Count Percentage

ROBERT GARCIA 9,170 25.3%
DAMON DUNN 8,035 22.2%

BONNIE LOWENTHAL 7,037 19.4%
GERRIE SCHIPSKE 5,652 15.6%
DOUG OTTO 4,956 13.7%
JANA SHIELDS 810 2.2%
STEVEN PAUL MOZENA 173 0.5%
MINEO L. GONZALEZ 140 0.4%
ERIC ROCK 139 0.4%
RICHARD ANTHONY CAMP 89 0.2%