Mayoral elections in Irvine, California

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

Contents

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

Irvine mayoral election, 1988
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
June 7, 1988 [1] 1990  
  Official City Portrait of Larry Agran (1).jpg 3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Candidate Larry Agran Barry J. HammondHal Maloney
Popular vote15,6518,7073,111
Percentage57.0%31.7%11.3

Mayor before election

Larry Agran

Elected mayor

Larry Agran

The 1988 mayoral election, held on June 7, was the first direct-election for mayor in the city's history. [1] Larry Agran was re-elected.

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Larry Agran (incumbent)15,65157.0
Barry J. Hammond8,70731.7
Hal Maloney3,11111.3
Total votes27,469

1990

Irvine mayoral election, 1990
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  1988 June 5, 1990 [1] 1992  
  3x4.svg Official City Portrait of Larry Agran (1).jpg
CandidateSally Anne Sheridan Larry Agran
Popular vote14,25613,584
Percentage51.2%48.8%

Mayor before election

Larry Agran

Elected mayor

Sally Anne Sheridan

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Sally Anne Sheridan14,25651.2
Larry Agran (incumbent)13,58448.8
Total votes27,840

1992

Irvine mayoral election, 1992
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  1990 November 3, 1992 [1] 1994  
  Mike ward.jpg 3x4.svg 3x4.svg
CandidateMike WardMarc GoldstoneHelen T. Cameron
Popular vote16,43511,73011,204
Percentage37.3%26.6%25.4

Mayor before election

Sally Anne Sheridan

Elected mayor

Mike Ward

The 1992 mayoral election, held on November 3, was the first Irvine mayoral election to be consolidated with the statewide general election [1] (the two previous direct mayoral elections had instead been held coinciding with the statewide primary elections). Mike Ward was elected. [1]

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Mike Ward16,43537.3
Marc Goldstone11,73026.6
Helen T. Cameron11,20425.4
Les Racey1,9734.5
Al Nasser1,6993.9
David Fondots1,0322.3
Total votes44,073

1994

Irvine mayoral election, 1994
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  1992 November 8, 1994 [1] 1996  
  Mike ward.jpg
CandidateMike Ward
Popular vote26,055
Percentage100%

Mayor before election

Mike Ward

Elected mayor

Mike Ward

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Mike Ward (incumbent)26,055100
Total votes26,055 100

1996

Irvine mayoral election, 1996
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  1994 November 5, 1996 [1] 1998  
  ChristinaShea.jpg 3x4.svg
CandidateChristina L. SheaSally Anne Sheridan
Popular vote19,47911,537
Percentage49.8%29.5%

 
CandidatePaul JohnsonGuy E. Mailly
Popular vote4,7473,314
Percentage12.18.5

Mayor before election

Mike Ward

Elected mayor

Christina L. Shea

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Christina L. Shea19,47949.8
Sally Anne Sheridan11,53729.5
Paul Johnson4,74712.1
Guy E. Mailly3,3148.5
Total votes39,077 100

1998

Irvine mayoral election, 1998
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  1996 November 3, 1998 [1] 2000  
  ChristinaShea.jpg
CandidateChristina L. Shea
Popular vote29,067
Percentage100%

Mayor before election

Christina L. Shea

Elected mayor

Christina L. Shea

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Christina L. Shea (incumbent)29,067100
Total votes29,067 100

2000

Irvine mayoral election, 2000
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  1998 November 7, 2000 [1] 2002  
  Official City Portrait of Larry Agran (1).jpg
Candidate Larry Agran
Popular vote34.905
Percentage100.0%

Mayor before election

Christina L. Shea

Elected mayor

Larry Agran

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Larry Agran 34,905100.0
Total votes34,905

2002

Irvine mayoral election, 2002
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2000 November 5, 2002 [1] 2004  
  Official City Portrait of Larry Agran (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Larry Agran Mike House
Popular vote19,88617,358
Percentage53.4%46.6%

Mayor before election

Larry Agran

Elected mayor

Larry Agran

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Larry Agran (incumbent)19,88653.4
Mike House17,35846.6
Total votes37,244

2004

Irvine mayoral election, 2004
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2002 November 2, 2004 [1] 2006  
  Berth Krom Official City Portrait.jpg Mike ward.jpg
Candidate Beth Krom Mike Ward
Popular vote26,15724,153
Percentage44.0%40.6%

 
CandidateEarle ZuchtRonald Eugene Allen
Popular vote4,9844,171
Percentage8.4%7.0%

Mayor before election

Larry Agran

Elected mayor

Beth Krom

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Beth Krom 26,15744.0
Mike Ward24,15340.6
Earle Zucht4,9848.4
Ronald Eugene Allen4,1717.0
Total votes59,465

2006

Irvine mayoral election, 2006
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2004 November 7, 2006 [1] 2008  
  Berth Krom Official City Portrait.jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Beth Krom John Duong
Popular vote26,08217,657
Percentage59.6%40.4%

Mayor before election

Beth Krom

Elected mayor

Beth Krom

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Beth Krom (incumbent)26,08259.6
John Duong17,65740.4
Total votes43,739

2008

Irvine mayoral election, 2008
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2006 November 4, 2008 [1] 2010  
  Kanglarge (1).jpg ChristinaShea.jpg
Candidate Sukhee Kang Christina L. Shea
Popular vote38,50535,481
Percentage52.0%48.0%

Mayor before election

Beth Krom

Elected mayor

Sukhee Kang

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.

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Sukhee Kang 38,50552.0
Christina L. Shea35,48148.0
Total votes73,986

2010

Irvine mayoral election, 2010
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2008 November 2, 2010 [1] 2012  
  Kanglarge (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Sukhee Kang Christopher Gonzales
Popular vote34,63419,383
Percentage64.1%35.9%

Mayor before election

Sukhee Kang

Elected mayor

Sukhee Kang

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Sukhee Kang (incumbent)36,63464.1
Christopher Gonzalez19,38335.9
Total votes54,017

2012

Irvine mayoral election, 2012
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2010 November 6, 2012 [1] 2014  
  Steven Choi Official City Portrait.jpg Official City Portrait of Larry Agran (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Steven Choi Larry Agran Katherine Daigle
Popular vote32,50528,7419,951
Percentage45.7%40.4%13.9%

Mayor before election

Sukhee Kang

Elected mayor

Steven Choi

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Steven Choi 32,50545.7
Larry Agran 28,74140.4
Katherine Daigle9,95113.9
Total votes71,197

2014

Irvine mayoral election, 2014
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2012 November 4, 2014 [1] 2016  
  StevenChoi (1).jpg 3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Candidate Steven Choi Mary Ann GaidoKatherine Daigle
Popular vote18,33317,3804,698
Percentage45.4%43.0%11.6%

Mayor before election

Steven Choi

Elected mayor

Steven Choi

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Steven Choi (incumbent)18,33345.4
Mary Ann Gaido17,38043.0
Katherine Daigle4,69811.6
Total votes40,411

2016

Irvine mayoral election, 2016
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2014 November 8, 2016 [1] 2018  
  Donald Wagner Official City Portrait (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Donald P. Wagner Mary Ann Gaido
Popular vote30,00226,278
Percentage37.7%33.0%

 
CandidateGang ChenKatherine Daigle
Popular vote11,8168,299
Percentage14.8%10.4%

Mayor before election

Steven Choi

Elected mayor

Donald P. Wagner

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

Results [1]
CandidateVotes%
Donald P. Wagner 30,00237.7
Mary Ann Gaido26,27833.0
Gang Chen11,81614.8
Katherine Daigle8,29910.4
David Chey3,2064.0
Total votes79,601

2018

Irvine mayoral election, 2018
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2016 November 6, 2018 [1] 2020  
  Donald Wagner Official City Portrait (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Donald P. Wagner Ed Pope
Popular vote35,59224,682
Percentage45.3%31.4%

 
CandidateKatherine DaigleIng Tiong
Popular vote13,0185,341
Percentage16.6%6.8%

2018Irvinemayor.svg
Results by county supervisorial district
Wagner:     40–50%

Mayor before election

Donald P. Wagner

Elected mayor

Donald P. Wagner

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

2018 Irvine mayoral election [1]
CandidateVotes%
Donald P. Wagner (incumbent)35,59245.3%
Ed Pope24,68231.4%
Katherine Daigle13,01816.6%
Ing Tiong5,3416.8%
Total votes78,633 100%

2020

2020 Irvine mayoral election
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2018 November 3, 2020 2022  
Turnout80.24% [1] Increase2.svg 17.82 pp
  FarrahKhan.jpg ChristinaShea.jpg
Candidate Farrah Khan Christina Shea
Popular vote56,30442,738
Percentage47.56%36.10%

 
CandidateLuis HuangKatherine Daigle
Popular vote9,6849,654
Percentage8.18%8.16%

Mayor before election

Christina Shea

Elected mayor

Farrah Khan

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, [2] lost the seat to Councilwoman Farrah Khan, the first Democrat to be elected since 2010.

Declared candidates:

2020 Irvine mayoral election (party preference listed) [1]
CandidateVotes%
Farrah N. Khan 56,30447.56%
Christina L. Shea (incumbent)42,73836.10%
Luis Huang9,6848.18%
Katherine Daigle9,6548.16%
Total votes118,380 100.00%

2022

2022 Irvine mayoral election
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2020 November 8, 2022 2024  
  FarrahKhan.jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Farrah Khan Branda Lin
Popular vote29,37021,396
Percentage37.8%27.5%

 
CandidateSimon MoonKatherine Daigle
Popular vote14,7427,126
Percentage19.5%9.2%

Mayor before election

Farrah Khan

Elected mayor

Farrah Khan

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

2022 Irvine mayoral election [5]
CandidateVotes%
Farrah N. Khan (incumbent)29,37037.8%
Branda Lin21,39627.5%
Simon Moon14,74219.0%
Katherine Daigle7,1269.2%
Total votes77,730 100.00%

2024

2024 Irvine mayoral election
Flag of Irvine, California.svg
  2022 November 5, 20242026 
  Official City Portrait of Larry Agran (1).jpg Tammy Kim City of Irvine.jpg
Candidate Larry Agran Tammy Kim
Popular vote42,65237,924
Percentage38.8%34.7%

 
CandidateRon ScolesdangLiqing Lee Sun
Popular vote12,8916,001
Percentage11.7%5.5%

Irvine Mayor by Council District 2024.svg
2024 Irvine Mayor election results by Precinct.svg
Precinct results
Agran:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Kim:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
     No votes

Mayor before election

Farrah Khan

Elected mayor

Larry Agran

The 2024 mayoral election was held on November 5, 2024 and coincided with elections for city council. [6] Incumbent mayor Farrah Khan, who was first sworn into office in 2020, cannot seek re-election due to term limits. [7]

Background

Although Irvine's municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, candidates tend to associate themselves with either the Democratic or Republican Party. [6] 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. [8] In March 2024, Khan lost to Wagner, who received greater than 50% of votes, avoiding a runoff election. [9]

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. [10] 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. [11] Had the rule passed, Irvine would have been the largest city in the United States without a directly elected mayor. [10]

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. [6] 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, [12] alongside serving as mayor for five non-consecutive two-year terms. [13] 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". [14]

Candidates

Declared

Withdrawn

Endorsements

Larry Agran

Organizations

Tammy Kim

U.S. Representatives

Statewide officials

State senators

State assemblymembers

Municipal officials

Local officials

Labor unions

Organizations

Political parties

Ron Scolesdang
Political parties
Lee Sun
Local officials
Declined to endorse

Results

2024 Irvine mayoral election
CandidateVotes%
Larry Agran 42,65238.76
Tammy Kim 37,92434.46
Ron Scolesdang12,89111.71
Liqing Lee Sun6,0015.45
Felipe Delgado5,3254.84
Akshat Bhatia2,7612.51
Wing Chow2,4962.27
Total votes110,050 100.0

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 "Municipal Election History 1971 to Present". Irvine City Clerk's Office. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  2. Robinson, Alicia (March 27, 2019). "Irvine Councilwoman Christina Shea set to take Don Wagner's place as mayor". The Orange County Register.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Robinson, Alicia (October 10, 2020). "Three challenge Irvine mayor for seat in Nov. 3 election". The Orange County Register.
  4. "Luis Manuel Huang // Assembly District #68 // PDN: Progressive Delegates Network". www.adems2021.vote. Progressive Delegates Network. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  5. "Current Election Results". OC Vote. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 Petersen, Carl. "General Municipal Election - November 5, 2024". City of Irvine. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Vice Mayor Tammy Kim Announces Candidacy For Irvine Mayor". OC Independent. February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  8. Torres, Destiny (July 22, 2023). "Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan launches bid for seat on Board of Supervisors". The Orange County Register . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  9. Pollack, Gina (April 19, 2024). "Final 2024 Primary Results: Orange County's Top Race Results". LAist . Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Biesiada, Noah (June 23, 2022). "Irvine City Council Looks To Limit Mayoral Power Ahead of Election". Voice of OC . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  11. Biesiada, Noah (July 5, 2022). "Irvine Council Leaves Mayor On Ballot and Reverses Controversial Agenda Setting Rules". Voice of OC . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  12. Foxhall, Emily (November 5, 2014). "Irvine voters oust Larry Agran, a decades-long fixture". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  13. Farzan, Yusra (December 6, 2022). "Larry Agran resigns, temporarily, from the Irvine City Council". The Orange County Register . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  14. Biesiada, Noah (December 6, 2022). "Irvine City Councilman Resigns for a Week To Skirt Term Limit Rules" . Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  15. "Irvine Councilman Larry Agran Announces Mayoral Campaign". Irvine Community News and Views. May 2, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Elattar, Hossam; Custodio, Spencer; Biesiada, Noah (September 3, 2024). "Orange County Voter Guide: November 2024 General Election". Voice of OC . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 Chmielewski, Dan (July 31, 2024). "Irvine DTS Council Candidate's Financial Troubles Exposed". The Liberal OC. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  18. 1 2 "Did Your Candidate Vote? Here's A Look Over the Past 10 Years". Irvine Watchdog. August 24, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  19. 1 2 3 Garvey, Megan (September 27, 2024). "Irvine Mayor: Get to Know the Candidates". LAist . Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  20. "2024 Contest/Candidate Proof List" (PDF). Orange County Registrar of Voters. August 30, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  21. "2024 CAIR Action Voter Guide General Election: Orange County Municipal" (PDF). CAIR Action. October 12, 2024. p. 4. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Chmielewski, Dan (February 2, 2023). "Tammy Kim announces [campaign] for Irvine mayor". The Liberal OC. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  23. Chmielewski, Dan (March 13, 2023). "Katie Porter endorses Tammy Kim for Mayor". The Liberal OC. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  24. Canlas, Kathia (September 3, 2024). "OCLF COPE Recommendations". Orange County Labor Federation . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  25. "Our Official 2024 General Election Voter Guide: Endorsements". Orange County Young Democrats. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  26. "2024 General Election Voter Guide". Planned Parenthood Action. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  27. "Democratic Endorsed Candidates". Orange County Democratic Party. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  28. 1 2 Momeny, Kian (November 2, 2024). "Irvine mayoral race enters final stretch before Election Day". The New University . Retrieved December 4, 2024. Sun is endorsed by Khan
  29. Chmielewski, Dan (May 13, 2023). "Agran falls just short of DGI Endorsement for Mayor". The Liberal OC. Retrieved May 14, 2023.