Voter's Guide: Things You Need to Know

South Gate and Lynwood residents will be heading to the polls today to vote for several potential representatives and on two state measures.

This election will mark the first major usage of California’s "top two" primary system. Under this system, only the top two candidates of each race will move on to the November 6 general election, regardless of their political party. This rule does not appy in  local, presidential and central committee races.

Citizens will also have the chance to decide to vote for or against two state ballot measures. One would add a $1 tax on cigarettes that would in turn fund cancer research, while and would reduce the amount of time that politicians are allowed to serve in the state Legislature to 12 years instead of 14.  

The races and the candidates include:

Congress – 44th District

Laura Richardson - Democratic

Janice Hahn - Democratic

State Senate – 33rd District

Ricardo Lara – Democrat

State Assembly - 63rd District 

Cathrin "Cat' Sargent – Democrat

– Democrat

– Democrat

– Republican

Poll Locations

• Find your local polling place and sample ballot by clicking here and plugging in your street address.

State Ballot Measures

• To find out more about Proposition 28--the term limits initiative--click here.