District 1 Council · June 2, 2026

The race for council district 1

Kartsonis has 4,105 votes (61%), Kaji 2,638 (39%). Los Angeles County certified these results on June 26, 2026.

Last filing June 1, 20261 · Sources & footnotes ↓
Jon Kaji
Jon Kaji
On council since 2022
vs
David Kartsonis
David Kartsonis
Planning Commission since 2020

Vote count

Each candidate's vote count by day, as Los Angeles County counted the mail-in and provisional ballots through certification. Election-night updates are shown as a single day. These are the certified final counts, official as of June 26, 2026.

Party signals

Jon Kaji
Incumbent
D. Kartsonis
Challenger
Voter registration

Registered No Party Preference with the Los Angeles County Registrar (queried January 2026). LA County Registrar →

Registered Republican with the Los Angeles County Registrar (queried January 2026). LA County Registrar →

Coalition
Endorsers

0 of 2 party-tagged

Donors

41 of 111 matched

Endorsers

65 of 90 party-tagged

Donors

57 of 83 matched

Finance

How much they've raised, week by week.

Includes self-funding by Kaji ($16k) . The candidate's own contributions to their own committee aren't subject to the $1,000 individual-donor cap.

This chart tracks contributions over time. Campaign loans (see the gift-size cards below) are a separate outstanding balance, not part of this series.

Where do their donors live?

Kaji
27% Torrance
CityDollars% of total
Torrance $16k 27%
Gardena $6k 10%
Newport Beach $6k 10%
Rancho Palos Verdes $4k 6%
Redondo Beach $3k 5%
$16k from Torrance donors
$44k from outside Torrance
76% of maxed-out donors are non-Torrance
Kartsonis
65% Torrance
CityDollars% of total
Torrance $23k 65%
Los Angeles $3k 9%
Manhattan Beach $1k 3%
Redondo Beach $1k 3%
Sacramento $1k 3%
$23k from Torrance donors
$12k from outside Torrance
40% of maxed-out donors are non-Torrance

When a donor is matched to a voter record, Torrance share goes by voter registration, not mailing address. So Hollywood Riviera donors (Redondo Beach 90277) registered in Torrance now count as Torrance. Unmatched donors fall back to mailing-address city, so a few may still slip through.

Big checks, or many hands?

Kaji
$536
average gift from supporters
+ $16k self-funded
+ $60k self-loan
Kartsonis
$424
average gift
+ $100 self-loan

Where each candidate's money came from. Bigger segments mean more of the money came from donors at that gift size, smallest on the left.

Loans are money the campaign borrowed (here, every loan is the candidate lending their own committee), reported net of repayments as the outstanding balance on the latest filing. They are separate from donations and are not counted in the donations figure. Loan figures are as of the latest Form 460 filing; donation totals run through the most recent filing date shown above. See our finance data dictionary for how each figure is sourced.

Who's spending in support of them? 1

Kaji
$16k
+$2k in campaign donations
  • Team Torrance PAC $16k
    business-network-slate · FPPC 1490915
    Funded by (money to the PAC, not the candidate):
    • California Leadership Today ($38k)
    • Atlas PAC ($32k)
    • Lincoln Club of Orange County ($23k)
    • California Homeowners Assoc ($21k)
    • New Majority PAC ($18k)
  • Torrance Police Officers' Association PAC $1k
    labor-public-safety
  • Scott Baugh & Associates $500
    gop-lobbying-firm
Kartsonis
$2k
+$2k in campaign donations
  • Torrance Firefighters PAC $3k
    labor-public-safety · FPPC 890376
    Funded by (money to the PAC, not the candidate):
    • Torrance Firefighters Association ($125k)
  • Torrance Police Officers' Association PAC $1k
    labor-public-safety

The figure shown for each candidate is independent-expenditure spending: money spent by outside committees, which California does not cap. It is separate from the candidate's own donations, so you can add it to their Donations total for a fuller funding picture. Any direct campaign donations from these PACs are listed too and shown in grey; those are capped at $1,000 in Torrance and are already counted in the candidate's donations. Sourced from California Form 460 / 496 / 497 filings via NetFile.

01

Real estate industry donors

Kaji received contributions from 13 real estate and property professionals (9% of dollars raised), including Aurelio Mattucci, a real estate broker who is also running for City Treasurer ($400). Kartsonis received contributions from one real estate professional (3% of dollars raised).

02

Shared donors with the mayor race

33 of Kaji's donors also gave to George Chen's mayoral campaign, accounting for $17,582 of Kaji's donor dollars and $18,559 of Chen's. 32 of Kartsonis's donors also gave to Sharon Kalani's mayoral campaign. For comparison, see Chen's donor geography.

03

Out-of-state donors

Kaji received contributions from donors in Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Texas, and Washington (4% of dollars raised). Kartsonis's filings show no out-of-state donors.

Where they stand

Jon Kaji
Incumbent
D. Kartsonis
Challenger

Housing

Issues about how much housing the city builds: density, ADU rules, by-right approvals, 6th-cycle Housing Element implementation.

Opposes state housing mandates that override local zoning control
No record located
Says the state's mandate that Torrance add 5,000 housing units fell to the Planning Commission to site. As Commission chair, voted to direct those units away from single-family neighborhoods and away from open areas. Continues to back 'responsible development' and worked on the city's 6th-cycle Housing Element. 6

Homelessness

Issues about how the city responds to homelessness: enforcement, shelter siting, services balance, encampment policy.

Wants stricter homelessness enforcement
Says he opposed the homeless-housing project on Torrance Blvd. and continues advocating for planning that puts the community first. 1
Says Torrance needs to enforce its anti-camping rules and keep tax dollars in Torrance rather than sending them to LA County. 6
Opposed Project Homekey+ at the Extended Stay America hotel
Opposed Project Homekey+, the LA County and Weingart proposal to convert the Extended Stay America hotel on Torrance Boulevard into permanent supportive housing. Continues to advocate for 'planning that puts the community first.' 1
No record located

City Budget

Issues about the size of the general-fund budget, new program commitments, and major capital spending.

Wants to annex El Camino Village
Originated the August 2024 staff-research request on annexation and supported creating the January 14, 2025 ad-hoc committee; cites the opportunity to extend Torrance Police patrol to El Camino College. 4
At the Riviera HOA / Seaside Neighborhood Association candidate forum, has publicly opposed annexing El Camino Village, citing city staff cost figures of about $27 million in startup costs and $11 million annually as disqualifying. 9
Says Torrance is fiscally healthy
Says his record includes bringing the city budget back into the black, strengthening reserves, and keeping essential services funded. 1
Says Torrance is ranked as the fourth most likely city in California to go bankrupt and that reserves are depleted. 6
Wants to cap council overseas travel
No record located
Says the city should focus on making Torrance better before raising the international travel budgets of the City Council. 6

Transit & Mobility

Issues about how people move through Torrance: on-demand and public transit, bike lanes, sidewalks, transit-fleet expansion, mode-shift investments.

Backs the Metro C/Green Line extension
Says he works to give Torrance a strong voice in major transportation projects, including the Metro extension. Has not stated a public position on the route alternative or the alignment. 1
Backs the extension via Alternative 1 (the existing rail right-of-way behind the Galleria). Opposes the Hawthorne Boulevard alignment, citing traffic impacts and on-grade-crossing safety. Opposes tunneling on safety and cost grounds. 6

Environment

Issues about pollution and environmental protection: refinery operations, air-quality monitoring, water resources, beaches, fenceline oversight of local industry.

Wants stronger fenceline monitoring of the refinery
No record located
Says on his campaign site that he made the motion that directed staff to dedicate a small corner of Guenser Park to an SCAQMD air monitoring station, which has since been installed as a contributor to TorranceAir.org; served on the Torrance Refining Company Community Advisory Panel 2022-2024. 6
Torrance officials Kaji 0 Kartsonis 51
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Jeremy Gerson, Councilmember; Former TUSD School Board Member
  • Asam Sheikh, Councilmember; Former Planning Commissioner
  • Bridgett Lewis, Councilmember; Former Civil Service Commissioner
+ 48 more
  • Sharon Kalani, Mayor Pro-Tem; Councilmember
  • Dave Zygielbaum, TUSD School Board Member
  • Anil Muhammed, TUSD School Board Member; Former Torrance Commissioner; North Torrance Neighborhood Association Board Member
  • Eugene Krc, Airport Commissioner
  • Francisco Leonardo Olmos, Airport Commissioner
  • G. Rick Marshall, Vice Chair, Torrance Airport Commission
  • Gary Seferian, Airport Commissioner
  • Keith Montoya, Commission on Aging Commissioner; Torrance Citizen of the Year
  • Mia Kartsonis, Civil Service Commissioner; North Torrance Neighborhood Association Board Member
  • Marianne Hamada, Civil Service Commissioner; North Torrance Neighborhood Association President
  • Cinda Herring, Civil Service Commissioner; Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation Board Member
  • Jean Adelsman, Civil Service Commissioner; Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation Board Member
  • Camilla Seferian, Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commissioner; Board Member of Torrance Education Foundation; President of Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation
  • Nyree Berry, Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commissioner
  • Adam Schwartz, Torrance Historic Preservation Commissioner
  • Peter LeFevre, Library Commission Chairperson
  • Julie Dojiri, Torrance City Commissioner
  • Robert 'Bob' Habel, Parks and Recreation Commissioner; Former Traffic Commissioner; Torrance Citizen of the Year
  • Zohra Muhammed, Parks and Recreation Commissioner
  • Garrett Wright, Parks and Recreation Commissioner (endorsing as citizen, not commissioner)
  • Greg Anunson, Vice Chair, Torrance Planning Commission
  • Dominic Borgialli, Planning Commissioner
  • Mario Obejas, Planning Commissioner
  • Ron Riggs, Planning Commissioner; Former SST Citizen's Oversight Committee Chairperson
  • Melissa Wright, Social Services Commissioner; SST Citizen's Oversight Committee
  • Teresa Furey, Social Services Commissioner
  • Arohi Sharma, Traffic Commission Chairperson
  • Isabel Schwartz, Traffic Commissioner
  • Dan Thomas, Water Commissioner; Former Traffic Commissioner; Former Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce Technology Chair
  • Ed Candioty, Torrance Cultural Arts Commissioner
  • Frank Scotto, Former Torrance Mayor
  • Patrick J. Furey, Former Torrance Mayor
  • Heidi Ann Ashcraft, Former Torrance Councilwoman; Former TUSD School Board Member
  • Geoff Rizzo, Former Torrance Councilman; Former Torrance Police Lieutenant
  • Cliff Numark, Former Torrance Councilman; Former El Camino College Trustee
  • Mike Griffiths, Former Torrance Councilman; Historic Preservation Commissioner
  • Jack Walser, Former Torrance City Councilmember; Former Water Commission Chair; WALSER's Business Owner in Torrance
  • Kurt Weideman, Former Torrance Councilman; Historic Preservation Commissioner
  • Tom Brewer, Former Torrance City Councilmember
  • Paul Nowatka, Former Torrance City Councilmember; Retired TPD
  • Bill Sutherland, Former Torrance City Councilmember
  • Sue Herbers, Former Torrance City Clerk
  • Ann P. Gallagher, Former TUSD School Board Member
  • Beth Wilson, Former TUSD School Board Member
  • Estella Hill, Former Environmental Quality and Energy Conservation Commissioner; Torrance Police Chief's Advisory Board
  • Robert Rudolph, Former Planning Commissioner; Former North Torrance Homeowners Association President
  • Elizabeth Pino, Former Torrance Planning Commissioner
  • Richard Tsao, Former Torrance Planning Commissioner
Federal officials Kaji 0 Kartsonis 1
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Ted Lieu, US Member of Congress; Former Torrance Councilmember
State & county officials Kaji 0 Kartsonis 2
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County Supervisor, 4th District; Former US Member of Congress
  • 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 Kaji 1 Kartsonis 3
Kaji
  • Torrance Police Officers' Association
Kartsonis
  • Torrance Firefighters Association
  • Torrance Police Commanders Association
  • ECC Police Officers' Association
Labor Kaji 0 Kartsonis 4
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • CSEA Chapter 845
  • Southern California District Council of Laborers Local 1309
  • UA Local 250
+ 1 more
  • Western States Regional Council of Carpenters
Business Kaji 1 Kartsonis 2
Kaji
  • Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles
Kartsonis
  • BizFedPAC
  • Young Leaders Political Action Committee
Political clubs Kaji 0 Kartsonis 1
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Los Angeles County Republican Party (LAGOP)
Advocacy Kaji 0 Kartsonis 1
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters
City officials Kaji 0 Kartsonis 7
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Martha Deutch, 4th Supervisorial District County Committee Chairperson at Los Angeles County Office of Education; Former TUSD School Board Member; Former President of the Torrance Education Foundation
  • Hugo Rojas, Vice-President, Centinela Valley Unified High School District
  • Robert Katherman, District 2 Board Member, Water Replenishment District of Southern California; Former Torrance Water Commissioner
+ 4 more
  • Mark Waronek, Lomita City Councilman; Former Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce President; Former LA County Board of Supervisors South Bay Deputy
  • Matthew Brach, SCROC Governing Board; Palos Verdes Unified School District School Board
  • Jeff Gaul, Redondo Beach Public Safety Commissioner
  • Mark Burton, Former Manhattan Beach Mayor; Former Los Angeles Senior Assistant City Attorney; El Camino College Foundation Board Member
Individuals Kaji 0 Kartsonis 18
Kaji
— none on file
Kartsonis
  • Daniel Ashcraft, Local small business owner; Former Torrance Police Department Chaplain
  • Arun Bhumitra, Torrance small business owner
  • Gabriela Fischer, Torrance business owner, resident, and Founder of The Utopian Society Project
+ 15 more
  • Derf Fredericks, Managing Broker, The Real Estate Group; Realtor
  • Danny Fredericks, Realtor
  • Jimmy Gow, Former Social Service Commissioner
  • Mary Hoffman, Former President, Vice President, and Treasurer of TEF; President of the Torrance Rose Float Association
  • William 'Bill' Oberholzer, SVP, Preferred Bank
  • Janet Payne, Community Volunteer
  • Pamela Popovich, Former Co-President, Riviera Homeowner Association
  • Lili Trujillo Puckett, Community Advocate for Safer Streets
  • Totran Radke, Rancho Palos Verdes Infrastructure Management Advisory Committee Board Member; Former Torrance Cultural Arts Commissioner
  • Raphi Rebucas, Member, Torrance Police Chief's Advisory Board (Ret.)
  • Kirk Rossberg, Owner, Torrance Bakery
  • Michael Shafer, Torrance Depot Restaurant owner
  • Rachael Steven, Torrance Police Chief's Advisory Board Member; Vice-President, Torrance Police Foundation; Secretary, FBI Los Angeles Citizen's Academy Alumni Association; Former Torrance Education Foundation Board Member; Former El Camino College Foundation Board Member
  • Aaron Steven, Producer; Member SBAOR Affiliates in Action
  • Susan Swinburne, Former Executive Director of TEF
Jon Kaji
Incumbent
D. Kartsonis
Challenger
Elected service

He was elected to the District 1 seat on the Torrance City Council in 2022 and chairs the council's Finance and Governmental Operations Committee. 1

He has served on the Torrance Planning Commission since 2020 and as its chair since 2023, after a prior term on the city's Parks and Recreation Commission from 2019 to 2020. 6

Torrance roots

A native of the South Bay, Kaji is a husband and father. 1

A South Bay native, Kartsonis lives in North Torrance with his wife Mia and their two children. 7

Career

Kaji founded Kaji & Associates, a commercial real estate firm in North Torrance, in 1990, and has owned and renovated three commercial shopping centers in the city. 3

Kartsonis works at his family's small business in Torrance, founded by his parents nearly 30 years ago, and previously chaired the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce's Tech Talks program from 2017 to 2022. 6

Education
— none on file

Holds a Bachelor of Arts from UC Santa Barbara and an Associate of Arts from El Camino College, with a certificate in financial markets from Yale. 6

Civic affiliation

He has previously served as president of the Gardena Valley JACL, president of the Gardena-Carson Family YMCA, and a member of the Japanese American National Museum Board of Governors. 3

Kartsonis is the immediate past president of the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation and a board member of the Torrance/South Bay YMCA and AYSO North Torrance, and previously served on the El Camino College Foundation board for a decade, including as president from 2016 to 2018. 6

Sources & footnotes

Footnotes

1 All data from $100+ contributions filed with the City of Torrance through June 1, 2026 via Torrance NetFile. Contributions under $100 are not required to be itemized and are not included.

Read more (2)

2 City of Torrance Charter and Torrance Municipal Code, summarized at City Council and Elected Officials. To confirm your district, see the district elections page.

3 Outside-money figures aggregated from public campaign-finance filings, Form 496 independent-expenditure line items, Form 497 late contributions, and Form 460 Schedule A direct contributions. Each named organization is filed under its FPPC filer ID (shown next to its name) and can be looked up directly in the source systems below. Data through May 30, 2026. Verify: Torrance NetFile (Team Torrance PAC and Torrance candidate committees) at netfile.com/public/TOR/campaign; Irvine NetFile (California Leadership Today FPPC 1477310 and Lincoln Club state-PAC Irvine-cycle filings) at netfile.com/public/COI/campaign; California Secretary of State PowerSearch (Atlas PAC FPPC 1279586 and other state-registered committees) at powersearch.sos.ca.gov/advanced.php; and Cal-Access committee detail pages (committee history, including any prior or renamed committee names under the same filer ID) at cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/.