Rep. Ted Lieu and Republican Houston Brignano will square off Tuesday, Nov. 3, for California's 36th Congressional District seat, which covers a stretch of the South Bay coast.

Polls across California open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Pacific, according to the California Secretary of State's office. Voters already in line when polls close can still cast a ballot, Quartz reported.

No results are available yet.

The candidates

Lieu, a Democrat from Torrance, is seeking a seventh term. Brignano, a Republican described as a technology executive, emerged from a seven-person primary field to challenge him, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

Both advanced under California's top-two primary system. Regardless of party, the two candidates who receive the most primary votes move on to the general election, the Daily News reported.

Lieu, 57, previously served as a state senator, state assemblyman and city councilman, according to a Daily News candidate questionnaire published Oct. 5. He identified high costs as the top issue facing Californians and said he opposes expanding offshore oil drilling along the coast.

The district

The 36th Congressional District runs along the coast from Santa Monica south past Redondo Beach and Torrance to Rancho Palos Verdes. It also includes Beverly Hills, the Daily News reported.

El Segundo sits within the district and serves as a high-tech defense hub, according to CalMatters. Defense contracts in the district grew by more than $3.3 billion between 2015 and 2025, CalMatters reported in September. Lieu took nearly 70% of the vote in the 2024 race, according to the same report.

How to vote

County elections officials began mailing ballots Oct. 5. Voters can return ballots by mail, at a drop-off location or at a county elections office. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3, according to the Secretary of State's office.

In-person voting is available through Election Day. The Secretary of State's office lists a certified candidate list and other election resources on its general election page.

Polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday.