Mayoral elections in Irvine, California explained

Mayoral elections in Irvine, California, are held every two years.

The first direct-election for mayor in the city's history was held in 1988. All such elections have been held under state laws that make municipal elections in California officially non-partisan.

1988

The 1988 mayoral election, held on June 7, was the first direct-election for mayor in the city's history. Larry Agran was re-elected.

1990

The 1990 election was held on June 5, 1990. Sally Anne Sheridan unseated incumbent mayor Larry Agran.

1992

The 1992 mayoral election, held on November 3, was the first Irvine mayoral election to be consolidated with the statewide general election (the two previous direct mayoral elections had instead been held coinciding with the statewide primary elections). Mike Ward was elected.

1994

The 1994 mayoral election was held on November 8. Mike Ward, who ran unopposed, was re-elected.

1996

The 1996 mayoral election was held on November 5. Christina L. Shea was elected.

1998

The 1998 mayoral election was held on November 3. Christina L. Shea, who ran unopposed, was re-elected.

2000

The 2000 mayoral election was held on November 7. Larry Agran, who had previously served two terms as mayor, ran unopposed and was elected.

2002

The 2002 mayoral election was held on November 5. Larry Agran was re-elected.

2004

The 2004 mayoral election was held on November 2. Beth Krom was elected. Among the candidates defeated by Krom was former mayor Mike Ward.

2006

The 2006 mayoral election was held on November 7. Beth Krom was re-elected.

2008

The 2010 mayoral election was held on November 4. Sukhee Kang was elected, becoming the first Korean American mayor of a major U.S. city. He defeated former mayor Christina L. Shea.

2010

The 2010 mayoral election was held on November 2. Sukhee Kang was re-elected.

2012

The 2012 mayoral election was held on November 6. Steven Choi was elected.

2014

The 2014 mayoral election was held on November 4. Steven Choi was re-elected.

2016

The 2016 mayoral election was held on November 8. Donald P. Wagner was elected.

2018

The 2018 mayoral election was held on November 6. Donald P. Wagner was re-elected.

2020

The 2020 mayoral election was held on November 3. Mayor Pro Tem Christina Shea, who had taken office on April 13, 2019, when Mayor Donald P. Wagner vacated the seat after winning a special election to the Orange County Board of Supervisors,^[1] lost the seat to Councilwoman Farrah Khan, the first Democrat to be elected since 2010.

Declared candidates:

• Katherine Daigle, small business owner and perennial candidate^[2] (party preference: Republican)
• Luis Huang, solar engineer and advocate (party preference: Democratic)^[3]
• Farrah Khan, business consultant and city council member (party preference: Democratic)
• Christina Shea, incumbent mayor and former city council member (party preference: Republican)

2022

The 2022 mayoral election was held on November 8. Farrah Khan was re-elected.

2024

The 2024 mayoral election was held on November 5, 2024.^[4] Incumbent mayor Farrah Khan, who was first sworn into office in 2020, cannot seek re-election due to term limits.^[5]

Background

Although Irvine's municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, candidates tend to associate themselves with either the Democratic or Republican Party. In July 2023, term-limited incumbent mayor Farrah Khan had announced that she would run for the 3rd district seat of the Orange County Board of Supervisors against incumbent supervisor Don Wagner.^[6] In March 2024, Khan lost to Wagner, who received greater than 50% of votes, avoiding a runoff election.^[7]

In June 2022, ahead of the 2022 mayoral election, councilmembers Tammy Kim and Mike Carroll had introduced an agenda item to the Irvine City Council, which would have removed the mayoral seat from the ballot and switched it to an office appointed by the city council.^[8] Kim alleged that she had never endorsed the move to change the seat, and had only agreed to serve as a second on the motion vote in exchange for Carroll's support for a different motion on the agenda. The day before the meeting, Carroll had attempted to pull the agenda-setting rule off the agenda following "strong public backlash", including official condemnation from the Orange County Democratic Party; nonetheless, it was brought to a vote and the city councilmembers voted to repeal the rule.^[9] Had the rule passed, Irvine would have been the largest city in the United States without a directly elected mayor.

In 2014, Irvine voters had approved a rule to its city charter such that councilmembers and the mayors can serve no more than two full two-year terms for life. Agran was one of the longest serving city council members in Orange County, having served for over three decades on and off the city council since 1978,^[10] alongside serving as mayor for five non-consecutive two-year terms.^[11] In December 2022, Agran had resigned with a week left on his term in order to run for another four years on the city council, which prompted his colleague and fellow mayoral contender Tammy Kim to call it a "slippery power grab" and ask Agran if "40 years on the city council [was] not enough".^[12]

Candidates

Declared

• Larry Agran (Democrat), at-large Irvine City Councilor (2022–present), former mayor of Irvine (1982–1984, 1986–1990, 2000–2004), and 1992 Democratic presidential candidate^[13]
• Akshat Bhatia, realtor^[14]
• Wing Chow (Republican),^[15] retired Certified Public Accountant
• Felipe Delgado (Republican),^[16] automation project manager at Fluor Corporation^[17]
• Tammy Kim (Democrat), Vice Mayor (2020–2021, 2022–present) of the Irvine City Council (2020–present)
• Ron Scolesdang (Republican), business owner and professional Muay Thai fighter
• Liqing Lee Sun (Democrat), Irvine Finance Commissioner (2022–present) and engineer

Withdrawn

• Katherine Daigle (Republican), writer and candidate for mayor in 2022 (running for South Orange County Community College District board trustee)^[18]

Results

See also

• Irvine, California
• Irvine City Council

Notes and References

1. Web site: Robinson. Alicia. 2019-03-27. Irvine Councilwoman Christina Shea set to take Don Wagner’s place as mayor. The Orange County Register.
2. Web site: Robinson. Alicia. 2020-10-10. Three challenge Irvine mayor for seat in Nov. 3 election. The Orange County Register.
3. Web site: Luis Manuel Huang // Assembly District #68 // PDN: Progressive Delegates Network . www.adems2021.vote . Progressive Delegates Network . 9 May 2021 . en.
4. Web site: General Municipal Election - November 5, 2024 . City of Irvine . September 28, 2023 . Petersen . Carl.
5. Web site: Vice Mayor Tammy Kim Announces Candidacy For Irvine Mayor . OC Independent . February 4, 2023 . September 28, 2023 . en-US.
6. Web site: Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan launches bid for seat on Board of Supervisors . Torres . Destiny . . July 22, 2023 . September 28, 2023.
7. Web site: Final 2024 Primary Results: Orange County's Top Race Results . . Pollack . Gina . en-US . April 19, 2024 . May 14, 2024.
8. Web site: Irvine City Council Looks To Limit Mayoral Power Ahead of Election . . Biesiada . Noah . June 23, 2022 . September 28, 2023 . en-US.
9. Web site: Irvine Council Leaves Mayor On Ballot and Reverses Controversial Agenda Setting Rules . Biesiada . Noah . July 5, 2022 . September 28, 2023 . en-US . Voice of OC.
10. Web site: Irvine voters oust Larry Agran, a decades-long fixture . . November 5, 2014 . September 28, 2023 . en-US . Foxhall . Emily.
11. Web site: Larry Agran resigns, temporarily, from the Irvine City Council . . Farzan . Yusra . December 6, 2022 . September 28, 2023 . en-US.
12. Web site: Irvine City Councilman Resigns for a Week To Skirt Term Limit Rules . Biesiada . Noah . December 6, 2022 . September 28, 2023 . en-US.
13. Web site: Irvine Councilman Larry Agran Announces Mayoral Campaign . Irvine Community News and Views . September 28, 2023 . May 2, 2023 . en-US.
14. Web site: Orange County Voter Guide: November 2024 General Election . Elattar . Hossam . Custodio . Spencer . Biesiada . Noah . . September 3, 2024 . September 9, 2024.
15. Web site: Irvine DTS Council Candidate’s Financial Troubles Exposed . July 31, 2024 . September 9, 2024 . en-US . Chmielewski . Dan . The Liberal OC.
16. Web site: Did Your Candidate Vote? Here's A Look Over the Past 10 Years . August 24, 2024 . September 9, 2024 . en-US . Irvine Watchdog.
17. Web site: Irvine Mayor: Get to Know the Candidates . . en-US . September 27, 2024 . December 4, 2024 . Garvey . Megan.
18. Web site: 2024 Contest/Candidate Proof List . Orange County Registrar of Voters . August 30, 2024 . September 9, 2024 . en-US.