Hermosa Beach voters will choose three City Council members Tuesday, Nov. 3, in a race where budget strain and aging infrastructure have dominated the campaign.

Six candidates are on the ballot for three at-large seats, each carrying a four-year term, according to the city's election page. Incumbents Dean Francois, Ray Jackson and Rob Saemann are seeking reelection. Challengers Maggie Bove-LaMonica, Eric Horne and Elka Worner are trying to unseat them.

Polls close at 8 p.m.

Results will be posted by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at results.lavote.gov.

What's at stake

The city faces projected deficits of $3 million to $4 million per year over the next four to five years. Brandon Walker, administrative services director, presented those figures at a July 28 council meeting, as the Daily Breeze reported. The council voted 4-1 to place a half-cent sales tax measure on the same ballot. If approved by a simple majority, it would raise roughly $2 million a year. Francois cast the lone vote against placing the measure on the ballot.

The city also faces tens of millions of dollars in capital improvement needs, including a new city yard and major pier renovations, the Daily Breeze reported.

The candidates

All six appeared at a forum hosted by the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce on Oct. 5. The business climate was the central topic, the Daily Breeze reported.

Jackson, a retired U.S. Army colonel, has also served on the California Coastal Commission. He pointed to fiscal challenges in a Daily Breeze questionnaire: "Rising costs, pension obligations, aging infrastructure and growing demands for services are putting increasing pressure on our budget."

Francois is seeking a second term. He has served on the Los Angeles County Library Commission and as a delegate to the League of California Cities. At the forum, he called for streamlining business permitting and advocating for adaptive reuse of vacant commercial spaces.

Saemann, a general contractor with 50 years of construction experience, previously served on the city's Planning Commission and Public Works Commission. In the questionnaire, he said streets, sewers, public buildings, the city yard and the pier all need attention, and that deferring maintenance raises costs.

Bove-LaMonica has served 13 years on the Hermosa Beach City School District board. She has worked as an attorney, classroom teacher and nonprofit director. In the questionnaire, she said she helped turn a deficit into financial stability and managed more than $100 million in budgets.

Horne is the California director for Megafire Action and a former Peace Corps volunteer with a master of business administration from Harvard Business School. He urged the city to work with hotels and downtown businesses to draw visitors during the Olympics.

Worner is a journalist and small business manager serving on the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission. She said budget pressure "affects nearly every issue: public safety, streets and sidewalks, the sewer system, parks, the Pier, and our ability to respond to emergencies."

How to vote

The nearest vote center is at Hermosa Kiwanis Club, 2515 Valley Dr. It is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. A vote-by-mail drop box is located at Hermosa Beach Library, 550 Pier Ave. Voters may cast ballots for up to three candidates, according to the city's official notice of nominees.