LBREPORT.com has learned that the LB City Clerk's office has received similar complaints and is now looking into the matter.

This issue arises with a June 5 citywide election approaching for LB Measure M (would let City re-impose water/sewer fees to cover City Hall spending), plus City Council runoffs in districts 5 and 7 and for an LB School board seat.)

Thus far, exactly what happened in connection with the April 10 election remains a mystery.

[Scroll down for further.]

LB City Clerk Monique De La Garza said she became aware of the issue via calls and emails to her office and subsequently from social media postings. A majority of those reported late deliveries in the 7th Council District, mainly in the 90807 zip code.

LBREPORT.com has separately learned that some residents in the 5th Council district and 8th Council district also report not receiving their Voter Information Booklets until after the election or not at all.

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City Clerk De La Garza says the City is in the process of compiling a list of resident reports and addresses to determine exactly what happened and why. Ms. De La Garza asks any residents who failed to receive their Voter Information Booklet or received it after the election to phone her office at (562) 570-6101 or email the City Clerk at cityclerk@longbeach.gov.

City Clerk De La Garza says her office is working with USPS on the matter and says all election materials were delivered to the Post Office in March with verified drop dates confirmed with the post office. She adds that the City works closely with the USPS to assure smooth and timely processing and delivery of election materials by using approved bar coding and notification of timetables required by the City.

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Retired LB Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske -- a co-author of the ballot argument opposing City Hall's Measure M in the upcoming June 5 election -- tells LBREPORT.com: "I originally contacted the City Clerk in April to complain that I hadn't received the sample ballot and was told that they all went out. I have since contacted the City Clerk's office by email, indicated that I believe the April City Council election candidates deserve a refund for the cost of their ballot statement (over $1,000 each)."

Retired Councilwoman Schipske added: "The materials for the June 5 election should be arriving any day now. I plan to watch closely, and I urge voters across the City to watch closely and make sure they receive them, and if they don't, to complain loudly and immediately."

For more than a week, Long Beach residents have been voicing surprise and some shock in social network reports. Some messages asked whether others had experienced the same thing and a lengthy list of reports formed a thread of responses stating that they too had only just received their sample ballot. Some reported receiving their booklet for the April 10 LB election at the same time as the booklet for the upcoming California statewide election on June 5th.

Most of the NextDoor postings visible in this writer's 7th district neighborhood were from Cal Heights with some from the Wrigley area. Some speculated that what happened wasn't simply due to a USPS delivery blunder. Others said that by registering as an absentee voter they already had what they needed to vote despite not receiving their voter information booklet. In this writer's household, two of three persons received their absentee ballots although all were still registered as absentee voters.

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Total April 10 citywide voter turnout was only 15.83% (41,415 of 261,577 registered voters cast ballots) in an election that re-elected LB's incumbent Mayor and two Council incumbents (districts 3 and 9.) Council incumbents in districts 5 and 7 now face June 5 runoffs. The Council incumbent district 1 and incumbent citywide City Attorney, City Prosecutor and City Auditor faced no challengers and weren't on the ballot.

In the 7th district, 6,040 ballots were cast out of 31,234 7th dist. registered voters (19.34%.) In the 5th district, 9,298 ballots were cast out of 36,299 5th district registered voters (25.61%)

On April 18, the City Council held a special meeting for the purpose of certifying the results of the April 10 election No members of the public spoke. Only 5 of 9 Council members (a minimum quorum) showed up and voted 5-0 to certify the results of the April 10 election (Yes: Pearce, Price, Supernaw, Uranga and Richardson; Absent: Gonzalez, Mungo, Andrews and Austin.)

City Clerk De La Garza asks any resident(s) who failed to receive their April 10 election information booklet and/or received theirs after the election should contact the City Clerk's office by phone at (562) 570-6101 or by email her at cityclerk@longbeach.gov.

Developing. Further as we learn it on LBREPORT.com.

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