The Brief

The contractor building the LAX Automated People Mover will soon initiate a simulation of how the train will operate when it begins shuttling travelers between airport terminals and the L.A. Metro system.

If you catch yourself at the airport once this phase of testing begins the week of April 20, you'll see empty cars traversing the 2.25-mile-long tracks on the same 24/7 schedule the train will use when it opens.

“It’s a big milestone for the project, and a visible milestone,” said Jake Adams, an airport executive who is overseeing $5.5 billion in LAX upgrades, including the people mover.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that manages LAX, and its contractor for the people mover have escalated their rhetoric over a dispute that began last year over faulty electrical equipment, according to an LAist review of correspondences received through a public records request.

Adams said he’s “fairly optimistic” that the dispute can be resolved separately from opening the train to the public, even if it intensifies into a legal battle.

Considering the projected timeline for this next phase of testing, the train likely won’t be open in time for the World Cup in June, which was once slated to open in 2023.

Adams said the airport’s peak summer traveler count “far exceeds” the number of people expected for the World Cup and that he doesn’t anticipate any issues.

Testing the reliability of the train

The testing milestone that is slated to begin the week of April 20 is designed to assess the reliability of the train.

“The requirement is that [the contractor has] to operate it for 30 consecutive days without a hiccup,” Adams said of the testing phase known as “system demonstration.”

What a “hiccup” could look like ranges, Adams said. An example of a major issue that could restart that 30-day clock is if one of the train cars breaks down. A more minor one would be if a train door fails to open at a platform.

Adams said the process is likely to take a total of 60 days based on conversations with other airports that have developed similar people mover systems.

Contractual dispute over electrical maintenance remains open

In November, LAist reported on a dispute over repairs to equipment in a metering cabinet. That work required power to be partially shut down between February and July 2025, temporarily delaying critical testing of the technology that allows for central control of the people mover’s systems.

Though the technical issue has been resolved, the contractual dispute remains open. LINXS, the group of companies contracted to design, build and operate the train, has taken the position that the repair work isn’t included in its scope of work. Los Angeles World Airports disagrees.

As of October, LINXS said the extra work cost $36 million, according to a document detailing LINXS’ claim that LAist received through a public records request.

The contractor group in December filed a claim under a section of state law that governs complaints against public entities. The L.A. City Attorney's Office rejected the claim in January, initiating a six-month window within which LINXS can sue the city.

“We will not comment on active disputes,” a spokesperson for LINXS said in an email when LAist reached out about the issue last month.

In January 2026, when there was concern that the technical issue with the metering cabinet was reoccurring, LAX officials directed LINXS to investigate the issue. The contractor group initially refused to do so.

William Dachs, CEO of LINXS, said in a letter to the city in January that “failure to resolve this … will ultimately lead to contract termination this coming fall, resulting in the City of Los Angeles having to repay the Lenders’ Liabilities which, at this early stage, is estimated to be over $1.1 Billion.”

Ultimately, a joint investigation found the concerns about the reoccurring issues were unfounded. Still, the episode reflects how uniquely contentious the dispute is.

Whereas past disputes between LINXS and the airport were resolved through settlements that have so far totaled hundreds of millions of dollars and resulted in schedule extensions, the dispute over maintaining electrical equipment is the one that has gotten closest to potential litigation.

“Other relief events that we’ve dealt with up to this point … we could agree there were some things that were not totally within LINXS’ control,” Adams said. “This relief event is very different. We believe there is absolutely no merit to this claim.”

Disputes between LINXS and two of its subcontractors have already resulted in litigation, with one subcontractor accusing LINXS of “secretive, deceptive and improper conduct” and neglecting to pass settlement money down to subcontractors.

An L.A. County Civil Grand Jury report released last year claimed that LINXS has used the dispute resolution process and “political pressures,” such as L.A.’s status as host city for several upcoming mega-events, to force contract extensions and additional compensation throughout the design and construction process.

What happens next? Is there a date for opening? 

There are still a few more steps to complete once the system demonstration is successful, including resolving a dispute involving damage to the sprinkler systems that water plants along roads near the airport. Those roads received new landscaping as part of the project.

“LINXS is taking a very contractual position that they have to complete all of the work that's in their contract before they can open the train,” Adams said. “We are taking the position that the irrigation absolutely has nothing to do with operating the train.”

Adams characterized the conversations to “decouple” the sprinklers from the actual train itself as “active.”

The final steps include getting approval from the California Public Utilities Commission and testing the train with volunteers.

Adams did not commit to a date for when travelers will be able to fully use the train.

California voters will advance two candidates for governor to the November election in the most unsettled gubernatorial race in recent memory, concluding a long and winding primary campaign in which Democrats struggled to pick a new leader for the nation’s most populous blue state.

The decision comes at a particularly consequential time for California. Residents face a crushing cost of living, nation-topping gas prices made worse by the war in Iran, wildfire risks that have driven insurance companies out of state, an unstable state budget, impending federal cuts to the state’s expansive health system and an economy dampened by immigration enforcement.

Democratic former state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who has promised to fight Trump and freeze insurance and utility rates, is the leading Democrat in opinion polls and is favored by much of the state’s Democratic establishment. He appeared in contention to secure one of the top two spots for November heading into Election Day.

Republican Steve Hilton, a Donald Trump-endorsed former Fox News host who has vowed to cut income taxes and slash environmental regulations, was polling in second place ahead of Election Day, having consolidated support from many of the state’s conservatives.

But billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, a progressive Democrat who has self-funded his campaign to the tune of $213 million, was still fighting for one of the top spots. A series of polls released in the final days of the race showed Becerra in the lead with roughly a quarter of likely voters’ support, and Steyer and Hilton locked in a tight battle for second.

Votes could take days or weeks to tally. Pollsters and strategists noted that lingering Democratic uncertainty led some voters to wait so they could back whoever appears to be ahead.

“Those polls could become self-fulfilling,” said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist whose company tracks ballot return data.

The race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will leave office at the end of the year due to term limits, is the marquee contest on the ballot Tuesday. The seat is considered a shoo-in in November for Democrats, who have nearly twice as many registered voters as Republicans, and holds national importance for the Democratic Party’s pushback to the Trump administration.

It’s also been one of the most unusually open races in recent state history.

No Democratic stars in the race

In contrast to decades of California politics dominated by movie stars, family dynasties and larger-than-life personalities, none of the most recognizable Democratic names jumped into the race.

That led to a crowded field on the left, briefly causing liberals to panic that Hilton and a fellow Republican, the bombastic Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, could each garner more votes than any Democrat, locking the party out of the general election. The state Democratic Party began a public pressure campaign asking lower-polling candidates to drop out. Nearly all stayed in the race.

But when Democratic then-Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out over multiple sexual assault allegations, Becerra was the clear beneficiary, raking in many of Swalwell’s donors and supporters. He’s been surging ever since, successfully dodging criticism of his record. Steyer, who spent $200 million boosting his name recognition through campaign ads, consolidated much of the party’s left flank. Former Rep. Katie Porter, a progressive dogged by allegations about her temperament, fell behind. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a moderate backed by Silicon Valley billionaires, rose from single digits in the polls, but not enough.

Trump’s endorsement of Hilton quickly helped him pull away from Bianco, making it unlikely both Republicans would come in first and second. If Hilton advances to the November election, he faces long odds of being elected against a Democrat.

Both he and Steyer have spent the final weeks of the campaign portraying Becerra as a symbol of the status quo and themselves as agents of systemic change amid multiple state crises, with affordability dominating the race.

For Hilton, that would mean ending 16 years of “one-party rule” under Democrats, slashing spending and reversing many liberal policies such as greenhouse gas reduction mandates, the progressive tax system and parts of the social safety net.

“After 16 years of everything being in one direction, that’s left a lot of people dissatisfied,” he said last week. “Anybody who wants change or balance in our politics, the only choice is for me.”

His name recognition as a former Fox host helped him start the race with a fan base. Nancy LeVesque, a retired salesperson from Roseville, already admired him and said he was an easy choice as she dropped off her ballot at a Placer County vote center on Monday. She liked that he would bring an outsider’s perspective to the governor’s office and a change for those leaving California because of its liberal politics.

“We have lost so many good people,” to other states, she said.

Steyer styled himself as a populist “class traitor” who would force lower costs for Californians by taking on monied special interests like investor-owned utilities, the real estate industry and health insurance corporations. He made a litany of progressive promises on climate change, single-payer health care and raising taxes on the wealthy.

Undecided voter Tina Varnado attended a rally last week for Steyer hosted by her union, which represents home health aides. The South Sacramento resident is a full-time caretaker for her elderly mother and her adult daughter who had open-heart surgery. Between her mother’s social security checks and her pay as her daughter’s health aide, “we do have to spend everything we have every single month” to stay afloat, she said.

“Everything he touched on really touched home for me,” she said after hearing Steyer speak. “If we can lower prices, maybe we can start putting money down on a home for my future.”

Becerra has emphasized his long experience in government, including his lawsuits against the first Trump administration and his time as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary during the pandemic.

That appealed to Evan Cragin, of the California Young Democrats, which endorsed Becerra weeks before his sudden surge. Cragin said he wants the next governor to have government experience to push back on federal “abuses” from the Trump administration.

“Secretary Becerra has done that before,” Cragin said.

Surrounded by supporters at the offices of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California on Monday, Becerra dismissed his opponents’ promises, pointing to past accomplishments including passing the Affordable Care Act and defending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program.

“You can have all these great inflated promises,” he said. “Getting things done is not easy.”

Ryan Sabalow contributed reporting.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

May gray has come and gone, and now it's time for June gloom.

Overcast skies will be present this morning, especially along the beaches and valleys closest to the coast. Otherwise, we're in for a partly cloudy afternoon.

Today's temperatures at L.A. County beaches will stay around 66 to 71 degrees, and reach 76 to 80 degrees for places more inland.

In Orange County, expect similar temperatures with highs from 67 to 74 degrees for Huntington Beach and surrounding areas. More inland areas like Anaheim and Garden Grove will see temperatures of up to 79 degrees.

Moving on to L.A. County valleys, expect high temperatures in the low to mid 80s.

In the Inland Empire, temperatures will range 80 to 89 degrees.

Election Day is here, but now comes the waiting.

Do you have something to watch on Netflix? Maybe you've been meaning to pick up a hobby — how about crochet? Whatever you do, take a deep breath and keep busy because it could be days (or weeks) before we get some California election results.

The state is often knocked by the rest of the country as being "slow" to count votes. But here's the deal: that's a feature, not a bug, of the election system.

The backstory

Things take a while here largely because California works so hard to expand the ways people can vote. For example:

• Californians in recent years overwhelmingly vote by mail — nearly 90% of votes cast in the 2024 presidential election were mail-in ballots. In that same year's primary the percentage was just as high. Those ballots can be postmarked up to and including Election Day. They're counted as long as the ballot arrives within seven days (for the June primary, that's June 9).
• California offers same-day voter registration at any voting center. These new voters must cast a provisional ballot, which is counted once election officials confirm their eligibility (they are overwhelmingly accepted — for example, Los Angeles County reports that historically between 85% to 90% have been counted.
• Voters also have the right to cast provisional ballots if there's any problem on election day — like if poll workers aren't able to void an outstanding mail-in ballot, or if there’s any issue calling up voter information from e-pollbooks. Again (see above), provisionals take longer to process because eligibility has to be confirmed.
• Vote-by-mail ballots require signature matching. When the one received doesn't match the one on file, county registrars must contact that voter to let them know — and give them the chance to correct it.
• And, with more than 23 million registered voters, we're really, really big. In the 2024 general election more than 16 million Californians voted (down from nearly 18 million in the 2020 presidential election). Either way, that’s more people than the total populations of all but three other states.

Why things have sped up, some

But things have sped up considerably in the 30 counties that have adopted a 2016 law called the Voter's Choice Act, including L.A., Orange and Riverside counties. In recent elections, the changes associated with that law — like voters not being locked into a designated polling location — drastically cut down the number of provisional ballots cast, which helped move things along faster than they had before.

A closer look at ballot counting times in California where an increasing number of vote-by-mail ballots has slowed ballot counts.

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Courtesy California Voter Foundation

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Still, accuracy and a commitment to "expanding the franchise" — translation: allowing more people to vote — means the process is not designed to produce instantaneous results.

Why you should take a deep breath Election Night

You'll have to get that endorphin hit elsewhere on June 2.

A few things to keep in mind: You may recall that during the 2024 primary, it took about a week to call the results for L.A. City Council races in District 4, where incumbent Nithya Raman was fighting to avoid a runoff election, and District 14, where challenger Ysabel Jurado wound up overtaking incumbent Kevin de León by just a few hundred votes.

It took an even longer 15 days to call the results of Prop. 1, during which opponents conceded, walked back that concession, and conceded again when the measure won by a razor-thin 0.4% margin. And it took 23 days to call the second-place winner for Orange County's 45th congressional district — it ultimately went to Democrat Derek Tran who went on to beat Republican Michelle Steel in the general election. Tran is now up for reelection and rematch with Steel is considered likely in November.

Depending on how close some of these races end up being, we may face similar waits this election cycle.

TL;DR: Officially, county and state election officials have until July 10 to certify election results — including a mandatory audit that requires hand-counting all of the ballots at 1% of precincts. Nevertheless, you're going to see a lot of national media headlines about California's relative "slowness." Brush it off. We have sunshine, beaches, and a highly enfranchised population.