In Long Beach, voters are being asked to vote twice

Long Beach voters heading for the polls on election day should be prepared to stand in line -- twice.

On what is dubbed “Two-Vote Tuesday,” voters in Los Angeles County’s second-largest city will cast two separate ballots – one for the primary election for statewide and Assembly races, and another for the closely watched runoff election for mayor, City Council, and city attorney.

Though both county and city election workers will be stationed at each polling place, voters will still need to vote or drop off their ballots at separate tables, said Long Beach City Clerk Larry Herrera.

This year’s city elections mark one of the biggest political turnovers in more than a decade.

Five of the city’s six council seats are being vacated, and a sixth could follow if either Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal or Councilman Patrick O’Donnell go on to win in Assembly District 70.

In the mayoral race, which will produce the city’s first black or Latino mayor, more than 10 candidates vied for the position during the primary election, with fundraising and independent expenditures topping $2.8 million.

Councilman Robert Garcia and real estate investor Damon Dunn are facing off in the runoff Tuesday.

Herrera advised absentee voters to make sure they’ve received both ballot forms and to go to their designated polling place if they did not.

Ballots must be received, not postmarked, by Tuesday at 8 p.m. Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 8 p.m.

Torrance will also hold a municipal election Tuesday, but the city worked with county officials to consolidate votes for mayor, City Council, and city clerk on the same ballot as the statewide races, said Torrance City Clerk Sue Herbers.