The Seal Beach City Council on June 8 officially opened the local 2026 election season.
The technical term is “calling the election.”
The election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The city will pay Orange County to include the Seal Beach election on the November ballot.
Three seats are in play: District One, District Three, and District Five. District One Councilman Joe Kalmick has termed out. “As a result of the incumbent being termed out, the nomination period may not be extended beyond the normal deadline of Friday, August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.,” according to the staff report by City Clerk Gloria Harper.
“The nomination period begins Monday, July 13, 2026, and ends Friday, August 7, 2026,” Harper wrote.
“Under California Elections Code Section 10225, if the incumbents for Districts 3 and 5, who are eligible to file for reelection, do not file nomination papers by the close of the nomination period, the filing period shall be extended by five (5) calendar days, through August 12, 2026, at 5:p.m., for non-incumbent candidates only. No other nomination period would be extended,” Harper wrote.
If none of the candidates receives 50% of the vote, plus one, there will be a runoff election.
Neither District Three Councilwoman/Mayor Lisa Landau nor District Five Councilman Nathan Steele has announced they will run for a second term. (Residents vote for the council members in November. In December, the council will bid Councilman Kalmick farewell and elect a new mayor from among their own ranks.)
The city manager’s position is not elected and will not be on the ballot.
