By Brett Callwood
While the ballots will continue to be counted throughout June, the makeup of Gardena’s City Council is looking clear thanks to some decisive leads in the recent election.
There were no surprises in the vote for City Clerk, where Becky Romero ran unopposed and so, naturally, got 100 percent of the vote.
“I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone in our community who supported me,” Romero told the GVN this week. “Even though I ran unopposed, this election has been a truly rewarding experience. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful residents, and I’m grateful for the constant encouragement from my family, friends, and colleagues. As I step into the role of City Clerk, I’m committed to ensuring that the Office of the City Clerk remains a welcoming place where every resident is treated with respect and offered clear, open access to their local government.”
In the race for City Treasurer, Kale Morita had 54.88 percent of the votes (5,525), with Tahron Jackson having 45.12 percent (4,543) at the time of writing.
“I want to thank everyone who placed their trust in me and made their voices heard throughout this election,” Morita told the GVN. “Thank you to those that gave me the time of day to learn more about me and what I stand for and especially those that shared their stories with me. The past couple of months have been such a unique experience where I had to push myself harder than I ever have before and it is a surreal moment for me to see the results. This was a tough fight; one that I could not have accomplished without my supporters. Once again, thank you to everyone who came out to vote.”
The race for Mayor isn’t as close, with incumbent Mayor Tasha Cerda getting 77.26 percent of the votes, or 8,304) at the time of writing. Councilwoman Wanda Love has 22.74 percent (2,444).
“To the Residents of the City of Gardena: now that the June 2, 2026 primary election has come and gone, this will be one of the most challenging chapters of my life,” Love told the GVN. “I want to take a moment to speak directly to the voters, the neighbors, and the community members I have had the honor of being a servant leader for the past four years. To those who voted for me, supported me, and believed in my campaign, thank you from the bottom of my heart. To those who did not, I hold no ill will. We are all Gardena strong! My prayers were never about winning or losing. My prayers were always that whatever God wanted for me was what I wanted for myself. Not my will, but His will be done.”
“Now that it is all over, I am genuinely grateful that I did not win the mayor’s seat, and here is why,” Love continued. “Had I won without Julie Nystrom or Valerie Loduem also winning their races, it would have been a hollow victory. I would have held the title of Mayor, sat in the center seat, and had virtually no power to move Gardena forward. For nearly a decade, the GPOA-backed voting bloc candidates Cerda, Henderson, and Tanaka has held majority control of City Hall. With Rodney Tanaka’s re-elected and Jeff Fukasawa’s new seat secured, that bloc has now grown to a 4-1 majority. Any meaningful progress I had planned for moving Gardena forward would have been dead on arrival. Holding the title of Mayor while being outvoted at every turn would not have been a victory, it would have been a disaster and a major disservice to every resident and every voter who believed in my candidacy. As for what my next chapter holds, I am not sure. But what I do know is that I will continue asking God for His guidance will to be done in my life as I continue serving my community. Your girl, Councilwoman Wanda Love.”
In the Council Member election, incumbent Rodney Tanaka looks to have retained his seat (there are two open). Tanaka has 39.33 percent of the counted ballots at the time of writing, which places him well in the lead.
“Four More Years!” Tanaka told the GVN. “To all those that voted, supported, contributed, to the Gardena POA, LACo 1014 firefighters and those that endorsed me for re-election… Thank You! I will continue to do my best for the Emerald City, Gardena and the community!”
The final seat on the council looks likely to be taken by Jeff Fukasawa, who is currently in second place with 31.37 percent of the vote. In third is Julie Nystrom, with 10.93 percent.
“Running for City Council has been an enriching and humbling experience,” Fukasawa told the GVN. “While I began this journey with a clear vision of how I wanted to serve our city, speaking with hundreds of neighbors across every corner of Gardena has given me an even deeper understanding of the needs and opportunities required to make our community better for everyone. If the current ballot positions hold and I am privileged to take the oath of office, I will be laser-focused on working with my fellow council members, city staff, and the community to bring effective solutions to our challenges.”
These results aren’t final, but the leads looks large.
