2026 Irvine elections
November 3, 2026
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4 out of 7 seats on the City Council 4 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||
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| Elections in California |
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The 2026 Irvine elections will be held on November 3, 2026 to elect municipal officials in Irvine, California. Four of the seven seats are up for election on Irvine City Council.
It is widely expected that an Irvine open space protection ballot measure will also be on the ballot in 2026. [1]
Municipal elections in California are officially nonpartisan; candidates’ party affiliations do not appear on the ballot.
Mayor
Incumbent mayor Larry Agran was elected mayor of Irvine in 2024, defeating a field of challengers and eligible for re-election in 2026.
City council
District 1
District 1 covers north Irvine, including Orchard Hills, West Irvine, Northpark, Stonegate, and parts of Northwood.The incumbent is Melinda Liu, who was first elected in 2024 to a short term after defeating John Park.
Candidates
Potential
- Melinda Liu (Democratic), incumbent Irvine city councilmember, serving a short term
Filed paperwork
- Sukhee Kang (Democratic), Former Mayor of Irvine [2]
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025[b] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Melinda Liu (D) | $78,071 | $5,326 | $25,910 |
| Sukhee Kang (D) | no filing | no filing | no filing |
| Source: City of Irvine[3] | |||
District 5
District 5 includes the neighborhoods of Rancho San Joaquin, University Park, Westpark, and Woodbridge. The incumbent is Betty Martinez Franco, who was first elected in 2025 to a short term after defeating former councilmember Anthony Kuo.
Candidates
Potential
- Betty Martinez Franco (Democratic), incumbent Irvine city councilmember, serving a short term
Filed paperwork
- Byron Salvatierra (Democratic), Iraq War Army Veteran [4]
- Alex Mohajer (Democratic), 2024 Candidate for State Senate District 37[5]
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025[b] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Byron Salvatierra (D) | $21,819 | $1,898 | $19,920 |
| Betty Martinez Franco (D) | $3,500 | $962 | $2,537 |
| Alex Mohajer (D) | $-4,580 | $1,055 | $11,115 |
| Source: City of Irvine[3] | |||
District 6
District 6 includes the neighborhoods of University Hills, Irvine Business Complex, and the University of California, Irvine. While technically vacant, Irvine councilmember Kathleen Treseder, serving at-large since 2022, resides in District 6.
Candidates
Potential
- Kathleen Treseder (Democratic), at-large Irvine city councilmember
Fundraising
| Campaign finance reports as of December 31, 2025[b] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
| Kathleen Treseder (D) | $23,445 | $3,070 | $20,374 |
| Source: City of Irvine[3] | |||
Notes
- ^ While District 6 remains vacant under Measure D, the measure treated at large incumbents residing in District 5 and 6 as districted incumbents if a vacancy were to occur. At-large councilmember Kathleen Treseder resides in District 6 and is being reflected here as a "Democratic incumbent".
- ^ a b c Raised and spent figures reflect campaign activity during calendar year 2025 only and do not include prior periods.
References
- ^ "Irvine Open Space Protection Ballot Measure Kicked to 2026". Voice of OC. August 14, 2025.
- ^ "Sukhee Kang for Irvine City Council 2026".
- ^ a b c "City of Irvine - Campaign Finance Disclosure". City of Irvine. Retrieved March 13, 2026.
- ^ "Salvatierra for Irvine City Council 2026".
- ^ "Alex Mohajer for City Council 2026 Statement of Organization".