Review note: CA Slates and Frank Talavera may have more bias because they are advocacy voter guides compared to other formal government and nonprofit journalism sources.
- lawndale.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Lawndale — Certified List of Qualified Candidates, November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election (signed 8/11/26)
- lawndale.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Lawndale — Election Information (nomination timeline and current officials/terms)
- caslates.com (opens in a new tab)CA Slates — Robert Pullen-Miles for Mayor, Lawndale (candidate's own campaign bio, paid content)
- facebook.com (opens in a new tab)Frank Talavera — mayoral campaign announcement, "Family and Friends of Lawndale" Facebook group (2026-08-08)
- theballotbook.com (opens in a new tab)The Ballot Book — City of Lawndale Candidates (unofficial aggregator)
- lawndaleca.hosted.civiclive.com (opens in a new tab)City of Lawndale — Campaign Finance document portal (FPPC Form 400/500-series filing index, CY 2026)
Last updated August 31, 2026.
City of Lawndale
Mayor of Lawndale
This person is Lawndale's mayor. They preside over City Council meetings and represent the city publicly, but vote as one of five members on the budget and city ordinances, the same as any other councilmember. The term is two years.
Two people are running for Mayor of Lawndale. Robert Pullen-Miles holds the job and faces City Councilmember Francisco "Frank" Talavera. There is no primary, so the November 3 winner takes the seat.
Lawndale's mayor presides over City Council meetings and represents the city publicly, but votes as one of five members on the budget and city ordinances, the same as any other councilmember. The term is two years, half the length of a council seat's four years. Day-to-day city government runs through an appointed city manager, not the mayor's office.
With two candidates on the ballot, the choice is between continuity — a mayor with two decades combined in Lawndale city government — and change in the office from a sitting councilmember who has not held it before. Because the seat is largely consensus-driven, one vote of five, the practical stakes are about priorities and relationships with the rest of the council more than any single decision the mayor alone can make.
Robert Pullen-Miles
Pullen-Miles is the sitting mayor, with more than 22 years in city government. Their priorities are public safety, economic development, and senior and youth services. They point to $6 million in state funding they secured.
Francisco M. Talavera
Talavera is a challenger and a sitting Lawndale City Councilmember. Their council term runs through November 2028. They announced their run on Facebook on August 8, 2026, with no platform details.
Your pick
A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.