Irvine Decides Tomorrow: What the Nov. 3 Election and a Ranked-Choice Voting Measure Could Mean for City Council Representation

The short version: Irvine's city council election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Every Irvine voter picks a mayor and votes on Measure D, which would move future city elections to ranked-choice voting starting in 2028. Only voters in Districts 1, 5 and 6 also pick a councilmember. If you live in Great Park or Portola Springs, you're in District 2, so your ballot has the mayor's race and Measure D but no council race this year.

I get some version of this question every election cycle, usually from clients who just closed on a home: "Who actually decides what gets built around us?" In Irvine, that's the City Council. It's seven seats, and it votes on zoning, Great Park development, traffic and infrastructure, and the city budget. Four of those seven seats are on tomorrow's ballot. So this isn't a who-to-vote-for post. I'm not doing that here. It's a plain-English guide to what's on the ballot, who's running, and which parts actually apply to your street.

What's on the Irvine Ballot Tomorrow?

According to the City of Irvine's official notice, the November 3 General Municipal Election fills four offices:

• Mayor — citywide, two-year term
• District 1 Councilmember — four-year term
• District 5 Councilmember — four-year term
• District 6 Councilmember — four-year term (no incumbent)

On top of those races, every Irvine voter will see Measure D, the ranked-choice voting question. It isn't the same as the 2024 Measure D that expanded the council to seven members. More on it below.

Who's Running for Irvine City Council in 2026?

Here are the qualified candidates in the order they'll appear on the ballot, with their official ballot designations, from the City Clerk's candidate list. City races in California are officially nonpartisan.

Mayor (citywide)

• Larry Agran — Mayor of Irvine
• Maksim V. Egorov — Software Engineer/Businessowner

District 1 (Orchard Hills, West Irvine, Northpark, Stonegate, parts of Northwood)

• Sukhee Kang — Small Businessman/Educator
• John Park — City of Irvine Commissioner/Businessowner
• Melinda Liu — City of Irvine Councilmember/Attorney

District 5 (Rancho San Joaquin, University Park, Westpark, Woodbridge)

• Anthony Kuo — City of Irvine Commissioner
• Steven Alves — Small Businessowner/Dad
• Byron Salvatierra — Cybersecurity Manager/Father
• Julie Glossbrenner — Housing Specialist
• Betty Martinez Franco — Councilmember/Businessowner

District 6 (University Hills, Irvine Business Complex, UC Irvine)

• Scotty Hong — City of Irvine Sustainability Commissioner
• Kathleen Treseder — Councilmember, City of Irvine/Educator

To look into any candidate, start with the city's candidate statements and the county's sample ballot rather than social media.

What Does Measure D Actually Do?

Right now Irvine uses a pick-one system, and whoever gets the most votes wins, even without a majority. Under ranked-choice voting you'd rank the candidates in order. If nobody gets a majority of first-choice votes, the last-place candidate is dropped and those ballots go to each voter's next choice. That repeats until someone has a majority.

A few details worth knowing, from LAist's voter guide and the city's ballot notice:

• It's an ordinance, not a charter amendment. It directs the city to use ranked-choice voting for mayor and council elections after January 1, 2028, "to the extent technically and financially feasible."
• It has a cost cap. Implementation is tied to a limit of 0.23% of the city's general fund budget, roughly $710,000 at current levels.
• Nothing changes tomorrow. This election and any 2027 contests would still use today's system.
• The council was split. It voted 4-3 in July to put the measure on the ballot.

Supporters say ranked-choice voting means winners take office with majority support, it removes the "spoiler" worry in crowded races, and it would make Irvine the first city in Orange County to use it. Opponents say the current system works fine and the switch is an unnecessary cost while the city projects a budget deficit later this decade. Both arguments are in the official voter information. Read them and decide for yourself.

Why Your Address Matters: Great Park, Portola Springs and District 2

This is the part that surprises people. Since Irvine moved to district elections in 2024, your council race depends on where you live. Great Park, Portola Springs, Woodbury and Cypress Village are all in District 2. That seat was filled in 2024 for a four-year term, so it isn't up again until 2028.

So if you're in Portola Springs or Great Park, your ballot tomorrow has the mayor's race and Measure D, but no council race. Your neighbors across Portola Parkway in Orchard Hills are in District 1 and do have one. That's the kind of detail that's easy to miss in a new neighborhood, and the mayor's race still affects you. The mayor votes on every Great Park decision the council makes.

Why This Matters to Homeowners and Buyers

I'm not going to tell you how to vote. I will say that the council's agenda over the next few years runs straight through the parts of Irvine I work in every day: the next phases of the Great Park, traffic on Culver and Portola, how new housing gets planned, and the city budget. If you own here, or you're thinking about buying, the people in those seats shape the Irvine you'll be living in in five years. That alone is worth 15 minutes with your sample ballot.

How to Vote Before Polls Close

• In person: Vote Centers are open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find the nearest one at ocvote.gov.
• By mail: Your ballot must be postmarked on or before November 3 and received within seven days after. If you're mailing on Election Day, a drop box or Vote Center is the safer bet.
• Drop box: Orange County's official ballot drop boxes stay open until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
• Missed the registration deadline? California allows same-day conditional registration at a Vote Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 Irvine city council election?

Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Vote Centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, and mailed ballots must be postmarked by November 3.

Which Irvine council districts are on the ballot in 2026?

Districts 1, 5 and 6, plus the citywide mayor's seat. Districts 2, 3 and 4 were elected in 2024 and are next on the ballot in 2028.

Do Great Park and Portola Springs residents vote for a councilmember this year?

No. Both villages are in District 2, which isn't up until 2028. Residents there vote for mayor and on Measure D.

If Measure D passes, when would Irvine start using ranked-choice voting?

No earlier than elections held after January 1, 2028, and only if the city decides it's technically and financially feasible within the measure's cost cap.

Is the 2026 Measure D the same as the 2024 Measure D?

No. The 2024 Measure D expanded the council to seven members and created districts. The 2026 Measure D is a separate ordinance about ranked-choice voting.

Let's Talk About Your Corner of Irvine

Whatever happens tomorrow, the questions I hear most from clients stay the same: what's coming to the Great Park, what new construction means for resale, and which village fits their family. If you're weighing a move, or wondering what your home is worth heading into 2027, I'm always happy to talk it through. Start with a home value review or just reach out.