Challengers have stepped forward to take on two Westside incumbents in 2026, with a Palisadian filing against Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath and two candidates — a civil rights attorney and an entrepreneur — lining up against City Councilwoman Traci Park.
The early filings set the stage for contested races in two of the region's most closely watched seats, testing whether incumbents who took office in 2022 can hold on as voters weigh concerns over housing, homelessness, public safety and emergency response.
Candidate filing opened this week for the June 2 primary in Los Angeles County's Third Supervisorial District, and Horvath immediately drew a challenger.
Tonia Arey filed to run against Horvath, saying the Pacific Palisades fire and its aftermath were a breaking point — not just because of the devastation, but because of what she called irresponsible and negligent handling by those in power. Arey pointed to Malibu businesses still struggling to recover, contaminated beaches strewn with debris and Calabasas being turned into a dumping ground for toxic waste, saying it didn't happen by accident but was allowed to happen and approved by the current district supervisor.
Horvath is seeking a second term representing a sprawling district that covers large stretches of the San Fernando Valley and runs along the coast from Santa Monica to Malibu. She was first elected in 2022 and is eligible for up to three consecutive four-year terms under county rules.
No Los Angeles County supervisor has lost a reelection bid and Horvath is widely expected to pursue the new voter approved county chief executive position that will be created in 2028.
The filing window runs through March 6. To get on the ballot, candidates must submit nomination papers with 20 to 40 valid signatures from district voters and pay a filing fee of roughly $2,447, or offset that fee by collecting signatures during a designated period that closed in early February.
The county race is nonpartisan. If no candidate wins a majority in the June primary, the top two advance to a Nov. 3 runoff.
Countywide, filing also opened for an open First District seat, with Supervisor Hilda Solis barred from running again due to term limits. The June ballot will also include a sheriff's race and other countywide offices.
In Los Angeles City Council District 11, the candidate field is set after the filing window closed at noon Saturday.
Park filed to seek a second term representing communities including Brentwood, Del Rey, Mar Vista, Pacific Palisades, Palms, Sawtelle and Venice. Civil rights attorney Faizah Malik and entrepreneur Jeremy Wineberg, a Pacific Palisades resident, filed paperwork to challenge her.
Candidates must now file nominating petitions by March 4 to qualify for the ballot. The city charter offers two paths: pay a $300 filing fee and submit petitions with at least 500 valid signatures from district voters, or forego the fee by gathering at least 1,000 valid signatures.
Like the county race, city elections are nonpartisan. A candidate who wins more than 50% in the June 2 primary is elected outright; otherwise the top two advance to the November runoff.
District 11 encompasses a large portion of the Westside, stretching from Pacific Palisades down the coast to Los Angeles International Airport and inland to areas including Westchester and West Los Angeles. The district has seen intense debate over homelessness, particularly in Venice, along with development and quality-of-life concerns.
Park won the seat in 2022 and is finishing her first of a possible three four-year terms. Candidates were required to establish residency in the district by Jan. 3.
Across the city, the filing deadline also set the field in other odd-numbered council districts. Two open-seat contests emerged: District 3, where Bob Blumenfield is term-limited and five candidates filed, and District 9, where Curren Price is term-limited and 12 candidates entered the race. Price, 75, is facing public corruption charges, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to be arraigned March 13.
Other incumbents filed to run again, including Eunisses Hernandez in District 1, Katy Yaroslavsky in District 5, Monica Rodriguez in District 7, Hugo Soto-Martínez in District 13 and Tim McOsker in District 15, with challengers filing in each district.