Betty Lieu, Torrance District 5 Council 2026

About

Betty Lieu, candidate for District 5 Council in Torrance, has served on the Torrance Unified School District Board since 2018. She is a former California Deputy Attorney General and is raising two sons in Torrance. ¹

Finance snapshot

Through June 2, 2026¹ · Full breakdown →

Background

Career: Lieu is a former Deputy Attorney General and felony prosecutor at the California Department of Justice and previously worked as a civil-defense litigator at a downtown Los Angeles law firm. ²
Elected service: She has served on the Torrance Unified School District Board of Education since November 2018 and is currently its president, having previously served as a Torrance Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commissioner. ²
Civic affiliation: Lieu sits on the California Advisory Commission on Special Education and the board of the Volunteer Center of South Bay, and has held leadership roles in the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, and the Torrance Education Foundation. ²
Torrance roots: Lieu and her husband Ted have raised two sons in Torrance, both educated through Torrance Unified schools. ¹

Where they stand

On the issues.

Wants stronger limits on hillside ADUs

At the April 6, 2026 Riviera HOA / Seaside Neighborhood Association forum, said she supports rewriting the local hillside-protection rules to remove the ADU exception. ⁷

Wants vendors at the Sleepy Hollow holiday lights

At the April 6, 2026 Riviera HOA / Seaside Neighborhood Association forum, said she would allow cottage-food vendors at the Sleepy Hollow holiday lights display. ⁷

Endorsements

20 total · view source

Torrance officials (11)

Sharon Kalani — Mayor Pro-Tem; Councilmember
Bridgett Lewis — Councilmember; Former Civil Service Commissioner
Jeremy Gerson — Councilmember; Former TUSD School Board Member
Asam Sheikh — Councilmember; Former Planning Commissioner
Patrick J. Furey — Former Torrance Mayor
Dan Walker — Former Torrance Mayor
Heidi Ann Ashcraft — Former Torrance Councilwoman; Former TUSD School Board Member
Bill Sutherland — Former Torrance City Councilmember
Geoff Rizzo — Former Torrance Councilman; Former Torrance Police Lieutenant
Cliff Numark — Former Torrance Councilman; Former El Camino College Trustee
Kurt Weideman — Former Torrance Councilman; Historic Preservation Commissioner

State & county officials (1)

George Nakano — Former California State Assemblyman; Former Torrance City Councilman; Former teacher; Former President of the El Camino College Foundation; El Camino College Distinguished Alumnus

Public safety (3)

Torrance Firefighters Association
Torrance Police Officers' Association
Torrance Police Commanders Association

Business (0)

Political clubs (4)

Torrance Democratic Club
Indivisible South Bay LA
Los Angeles County Democratic Party
Beach Cities Democrats

Advocacy (1)

Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters

City officials (0)

Individuals (0)

Party signals

What the public record shows about this candidate's party.

Five sourced signals, side by side. We don't compute a verdict.

Voter registration: Registered Democratic with the Los Angeles County Registrar (queried January 2026). LA County Registrar →
What they’ve said: Hasn’t said publicly which party they identify with.
How press describes them: Local press hasn’t described their party.
Past partisan runs: Hasn’t run as a partisan candidate before.
Coalition: Endorsers

16 of 20 party-tagged

Donors

152 of 203 matched

69% Dem · 19% NPP · 9% Rep · 3% Other

Compare all candidates →

Verify

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Sources cited on this page

View raw filings on NetFile →

Betty Lieu