Mary Zendejas
Mary Zendejas is a member of the Long Beach City Council in California, representing District 1. She assumed office on December 17, 2019. Her current term ends on December 15, 2026.
Zendejas is running for re-election to the Long Beach City Council to represent District 1 in California. She is on the ballot in the primary on June 2, 2026.[source]
Elections
2026
See also: City elections in Long Beach, California (2026)
General election
The primary will occur on June 2, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Nonpartisan primary
Nonpartisan primary election for Long Beach City Council District 1
The following candidates are running in the primary for Long Beach City Council District 1 on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | ||
 | Mary Zendejas (Nonpartisan) | |
| Anthony Bryson (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Brock Goleman (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Deb Kahookele (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Lori Logan (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Tamika Wagner-Osio (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
2022
See also: City elections in Long Beach, California (2022)
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Long Beach City Council District 1
Incumbent Mary Zendejas won election outright against Mariela Salgado, Steven Estrada, Lee R. Charley, and Zack Deere in the primary for Long Beach City Council District 1 on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mary Zendejas (Nonpartisan) | 50.3 | 2,597 |
| Mariela Salgado (Nonpartisan) | 28.6 | 1,477 | ||
| Steven Estrada (Nonpartisan) | 8.5 | 441 | ||
 | Lee R. Charley (Nonpartisan) | 8.1 | 417 | |
| Zack Deere (Nonpartisan) | 4.6 | 236 | ||
| Total votes: 5,168 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2019
See also: City elections in Long Beach, California (2019)
General election
Special general election for Long Beach City Council District 1
The following candidates ran in the special general election for Long Beach City Council District 1 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mary Zendejas (Nonpartisan) | 31.5 | 858 |
| Mariela Salgado (Nonpartisan) | 25.5 | 695 | ||
 | Misi Tagaloa (Nonpartisan) | 18.8 | 513 | |
| Ray Morquecho (Nonpartisan) | 7.7 | 209 | ||
| Joe Ganem (Nonpartisan) | 5.9 | 162 | ||
 | Elliot Ruben Gonzales (Nonpartisan) | 5.5 | 149 | |
 | Shelbyrae Black (Nonpartisan) | 2.9 | 79 | |
 | Shirley Huling (Nonpartisan) | 2.1 | 58 | |
| Total votes: 2,723 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
To see a list of endorsements for Mary Zendejas, click here.
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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Campaign website
Zendejas' campaign website stated the following:
Investing in Public Safety
When neighbors tell me what safety means to them, they talk about trust, respect, and knowing someone will show up when it matters. That’s why I’ve invested in both strong emergency response and community-centered approaches that reduce harm before it happens. We can — and must — bring humanity and accountability into the same room. My commitment is to a Long Beach where people feel safe not because they’re afraid, but because they’re supported.
Accomplishments
- Boosted emergency response capacity by adding LBFD Rescue 2 with new paramedics and upgraded equipment.
- Expanded Community Crisis Response (CCR) teams into a permanent, citywide non-police emergency mental health response.
- Contributed to significant reductions in violent crime, including a 29% drop in shootings and a 28% decline in homicides citywide.
Building Housing That is Affordable
Housing stability is deeply personal to me, because I’ve seen how quickly families can be pushed out when cities don’t act. I’ve pushed hard to bring more affordable homes online, protect renters from displacement, and make sure students and seniors aren’t priced out of their own neighborhoods. As we look to the future, I want Long Beach to be a place where people can build their lives, not worry about losing them — a city where stability is the rule, not the exception.
Accomplishments
- Helped deliver 1,788 housing units in 2024, including 258 affordable homes, making 2024 one of the strongest production years in city history.
- Led a citywide Inclusionary Housing policy requiring more affordable units in new developments.
- Expanded support for first-time homebuyers, helping 70+ Long Beach families purchase their first homes.
Supporting Local Businesses and Growing our Economy
I’ve spent years connecting with our business corridors, listening to business owners who put everything on the line to keep their doors open. Their resilience inspires me. That’s why I fight for investments that help small businesses grow, support immigrant entrepreneurs, and open doors to careers that offer real upward mobility. We have the talent and creativity in Long Beach to build an economy that works for everyone — and I’m determined to make sure we seize that opportunity.
Accomplishments
- Helped secure $750 million+ in federal investment for Long Beach’s growing aerospace and manufacturing sector.
- Provided nearly $200,000 in small business “Visual Improvement Program” grants, supporting 132 local storefront upgrades.
- Championed the Grow Long Beach Initiative, supporting development across logistics, hospitality, tourism, creative industries, and healthcare.
Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders
Whenever I meet with our youth, I’m reminded how much hope and brilliance lives in this city. That’s why I’ve fought to expand youth jobs, strengthen after-school programming, and build real pathways from high school to college and careers. We owe our young people more than encouragement — we owe them opportunity. And I’ll keep working to ensure every young person in Long Beach has the support they need to lead, grow, and succeed.
Accomplishments
- Secured $2.6 million in State funding for the Youth Jobs Corps, resulting in 152 paid youth positions.
- Advanced Youth Power Participatory Budgeting, enabling young leaders to allocate $500,000 to community programs.
- Strengthened youth safety and recreation by supporting the Be S.A.F.E. Program at 11 park sites throughout the summer.
Improving Our Public Infrastructure
Infrastructure isn’t just about concrete and asphalt — it’s about pride, safety, and whether residents feel seen. I’ve pushed to bring long overdue repairs and upgrades into neighborhoods that waited too long for attention. As we move ahead, I want our streets, sidewalks, and public spaces to reflect the dignity of the people who use them. Long Beach deserves infrastructure that feels maintained, modern, and worthy of the communities it serves.
Accomplishments
- Helped deliver the $928 million Elevate ’28 Capital Plan, improving parks, streets, sidewalks, and public facilities citywide.
- Directed resources toward $13.8 million in residential street repairs and $31.7 million for major corridors, improving mobility and safety.
- Improved neighborhood maintenance by expanding rapid pothole repair, crack sealing, and ADA sidewalk upgrades across District 1.
Coordinating Effective Homelessness Strategies
Homelessness is one of the toughest issues we face, and I approach it with both compassion and urgency. I’ve supported expanding shelter beds, improving street outreach, and investing in long-term housing solutions that actually move people into stability. As we continue this work, I believe our strength lies in treating people with dignity while demanding real results. No one in our community should be written off — and I refuse to accept a system that does.
Accomplishments
- Helped Long Beach achieve the first reduction in homelessness in 7 years, decreasing the count by 2.1%.
- Expanded shelter capacity with 125 new beds, with 183 additional beds currently moving toward completion.
- Supported enhanced outreach and encampment resolutions through three State Encampment Resolution Grants.
Building a Cleaner, Healthier Long Beach for Everyone
Growing up near the port taught me early how environmental impacts fall hardest on certain neighborhoods. That’s why I’ve championed cleaner air initiatives, climate-ready infrastructure, and investments that protect communities from extreme heat and pollution. We have a responsibility to lead with equity as we build a more sustainable city. My vision is simple: a Long Beach where every resident — regardless of zip code — feels the benefits of a healthier, greener future.
Accomplishments
- Doubled the city’s annual tree planting by adding 745 new street trees, improving shade in heat-impacted neighborhoods.
- Leveraged $1.97 million in climate grants for tree canopy expansion, youth climate jobs, and resiliency programs.
- Helped drive major emissions reductions at the Port, including a 28% decrease in diesel particulate matter, and 11% reduction in greenhouse gases.
— Mary Zendejas' campaign website (March 27, 2026)
2022
Mary Zendejas did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2019
Mary Zendejas completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Zendejas' responses.
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I founded Professional Abilities Association of America, an organization created for working professionals with disabilities by working professionals with disabilities, focusing on inclusion in the workforce.
Currently, I am serving my second term on the Long Beach Transit (LBT) Board of Directors. LBT is a leading agency in the transportation industry with the largest non-diesel fleet of busses in the nation, and a multimillion-dollar company.
I am running for City Council because I believe the residents of the 1st District deserve a fighter. And, I believe that I have the knowledge, experience, foundation and compassion to be an effective leader.- Improving Housing Affordability & Reducing Homelessness
- Protecting Neighborhood Street Parking & Repairing our Infrastructure
- Protecting our Environment & Cleaning our Air
Accessibility - We must continue to invest in public infrastructure that supports everyone. That means our streets, alleys, courts/ways, parks and public facilities should all be accessible so residents of all abilities have full use of these public assets.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
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Candidate Long Beach City Council District 1 |
Officeholder Long Beach City Council District 1 |
Personal |
Footnotes
