Here’s what’s on the ballot for the City of Huntington Park

 SELA Voting Guide | CALÓ News Midterm Coverage

Huntington Park in the Southeast L.A. (SELA) area is another city holding elections on Nov. 3. The three-square-mile city is comprised of about 52,000 residents, with 97% identifying as Latinos, according to the U.S. Census. 

There will be six candidates running for three seats and Measure HP on the ballot. The ballot measure establishes a lifetime limit of two terms for members of the city council. On partial terms, if the member has served for more than two years, it counts as a full term; if it’s less than two years, it doesn’t count against the term limits. 

The Districts open for election are District 2, 4 and 5. The candidates are the following.

District 2: Special election for one unexpired term of two years

Nancy Cindy Martiz

Huntington Park Councilwoman Martiz was appointed by the Huntington Park City Council in April 2025 after it was revealed that former Councilwoman Esmeralda Castillo didn’t live in the city. 

Martiz has resided in Huntington Park since 2012 and in 2018 she became a homeowner, planting roots in the city. 

Her biography on the Huntington Park website states that she has more than 15 years of public and private sector experience. 

“Huntington Park is ready for a new chapter—one built on transparency, accountability, and real responsiveness to our residents,” she said in her biography. “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues on the Council and engaging with residents to continue to move in that direction and ensure our community’s needs come first.”

Martiz says she’s a strong advocate for green space, clean air, fair housing, safe streets and community engagement. She believes local government exists to serve the people and earning the public’s trust begins with action, not words.

Karina Macias

Councilmember Macias was elected to the Huntington Park City Council in March 2013.  She was re-elected to a second four-year term in March 2017 and to a third term on June 7, 2022. She has served three times as the mayor of the city: the 2015-2016 term, the 2019-2020 term and the 2024-2025 term. 

In her biography, Macias says one of her accomplishments is increased transparency by opening conversations with the community on city issues and initiating the Youth Commission to help teach students the importance of civic engagement. She is focused on continuous support of the community through policy initiatives, but also on increasing resources that support the health and well-being of all residents. In addition, she has focused on attracting future investment to boost Huntington Park’s economic development and make it competitive both locally and globally.

Her tenure, however, has been under the microscope  since she’s one of the board members who have served in the council for 13 years, a period of time that the city has faced tumultuous situations, most recently Operation Dirty Pond in 2025, where the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office investigated a misuse of millions of dollars of public funds designated for an aquatic center in Salt Lake Park. This led to the raid of 11 locations, including the home of then-Mayor Karina Macias. 

District 4: One seat for a four-year term

Valentin Amezquita

Amezquita, a retired environmental scientist, served on Huntington Park City Council in 2013. He plans to return now after seeing the much-needed changes that the city needs. He said he hopes to work with council colleagues to solve issues including public safety, parking solutions, city services, expanding medical care capacity, emergency services and specialties with a new UCLA or USC community hospital. 

He wants to include more commercial, residential and retail use in areas such as Santa Fe and Slauson, as well as to advocate for a future MTA rail stop. 

Additionally, he wants to advocate for competitive contracts, city beautification and diversity in quality restaurants and shops.

“I own my home since 1988 and have lived in this city for 50 years. I worked for the Port of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for 35 years,” he said. 

He is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and current president of the Huntington Park Kiwanis Club.

Graciela Ortiz

CALÓ News attempted to obtain a biography of Ortiz, but didn’t receive it by the time of publication. Ortiz is a former Huntington Park councilwoman who was elected in 2015. She served as mayor in 2016-2017.

In 2015, her home was one of 11 locations investigated by the LA County District Attorney’s office. The bureau of investigation executed search warrants in connection with the Operation Dirty Pond, which focuses on the potential misuse of millions of dollars in public funds allocated for the construction of an aquatic center at Salt Lake Park in the City of Huntington Park.

District 5: One seat for a four-year term

Arturo Flores

Councilmember Flores joined the council in 2022 and served as a mayor in 2025. Son of Mexican immigrants, Flores was a foster youth and then joined the U.S. Marines, where he served as a Military Police Officer and Bomb Dog Trainer, completing combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. 

In Huntington Park’s website, Flores' biography indicates he has dedicated his career to championing immigrant rights, constitutional protections and human dignity. 

His tenure, however, has been tarnished after a USC student, who was pursuing his Master’s in Urban Planning, accused him of sexual harassment. The victim filed for a restraining order against Flores, but later dismissed it. 

Flores has denied all these accusations.   

Celia Beatriz Rivas

Rivas is native to El Salvador and migrated to the U.S. with her mother and siblings. Her biography on social media indicates that her personal journey, hard work, faith and perseverance have guided her personal and professional life. She has served as a Health Education commissioner for Huntington Park, where she has worked to promote initiatives focused on health, wellness and education for residents. 

“My mission is to serve, educate and empower people so they can reach their fullest potential, both professionally and spiritually,” she said. 

She is the founder and CEO of Celia’s Insurance Services Inc. and is a Christian minister. 

Keep up with elections timeline

Mail-in ballots will be sent starting Oct. 1. People can cast their ballot by mail, in person at a participating Vote Center and by drop box. Vote centers are open for in-person voting as early as 11 days prior to Nov. 3 elections. Additional vote centers will open for in-person voting four days prior to Nov. 3.

Residents who want to confirm the district where they live can search at this link: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3348748fd4354ffb8e0bedd056721d0d