Community Leaders Weigh in on Irvine’s First District Elections
Irvine’s first election since expanding to seven Council seats and switching to Districts has concluded. The switch to District elections (away from at-large voting) was overwhelmingly supported by Irvine voters last year largely because Irvine was last among other larger OC cities in representation (only five Councilmembers for a 310k+ population), the threat of looming litigation, and to curb special interest spending.
This past November, of the six new Districts, only District 1, 2, 3, and 4 were up for election and the Mayoral race was at-large. Attorney Melinda Liu won District 1, real estate investor William Go won District 2, business owner James Mai won District 3 and incumbent Mike Carroll held on to his seat in District 4. Due to Councilmember Larry Agran winning the Mayoral race, District 5 will now have a vacancy to be filled by D5 voters in a special election on April 15, 2025.
While election results are in, the reviews are mixed. Opinion on whether these District elections achieved the desired outcome may depend on who you ask. Irvine Watchdog surveyed various community leaders, former candidates, and active voters, for their impression of Irvine’s first District election. Below, in alphabetical order, are their thoughts.
When you step into the voting booth for the Irvine district election, you’re not just casting a ballot; you’re amplifying your voice in the most immediate and personal way possible. Unlike national elections, where your vote might get lost in the sea of millions, your local vote carries far greater weight. Each vote has a direct impact, often swinging the results by a larger percentage due to the smaller pool of voters. – Raj Bhatia, Irvine Planning Commissioner
I believe the district elections did increase the number of candidates who felt that running was a viable option because of the smaller geographic scope. There are some aspects of district elections that are a little more complicated than a city-wide election but overall do make running more accessible. I do hope that representing a district, as opposed to the entire city, will not decrease the unity of purpose in helping the entire city as council members may feel obligated to cater to the issues in only their 20% of the city. – Paul Bokota, Former IUSD Board Member
I too am concerned about council members catering to voters in their district rather than the residents of the city as a whole. I agree district elections may attract more candidates because it seems easier to target a smaller population. But the potential unintended consequence is that a candidate may win with a very small number of votes, therefore not representing many voters. – Wendy Sterman Bokota, Community Advocate
Irvine’s council expansion to seven seats and shift to District elections was a step forward, but residents still lack the level of representation seen in most cities of our size. This disparity benefits special interests, not the families who call Irvine home. Irvine deserves full, fair democratic representation, and that means expanding the City Council to ensure every voice is truly heard and represented. – Ayn Craciun, Former District 4 City Council Candidate
I’m glad to see Irvine transition to district-based elections, as it provides a more democratic form of representation. Despite this,, only one sitting City Council member was elected with majority voter support, and that needs to change. – Ryan Dack, Trustee, South Orange County Community College District Vice President
District elections has led to increased representation in underserved areas and empowered these communities, ensuring a stronger voice for residents and fostering a sense of hope for the future. Despite the shift to district-based elections, money’s political influence remains a significant issue. The mayoral race also serves as a testament that change is not possible, with the battle for the position being fought among the donors, indicating a potential shift in the power dynamics of local politics. For example, the allegation against Candidate Tammy Kim regarding the $500,000 cash infusion from sources like the OC Fire Authority* underscores the influence of outside groups in local politics, where such resources can amplify a candidate’s visibility, outreach efforts, and overall message. While legal, this infusion of external funds highlights the organization’s influence on policy decisions related to fire services, the long overdue repayment of taxpayer funds, or broader public safety concerns. – Katherine Daigle, Editor, Writer, Former Irvine City Council Candidate
*Firefighters Union, not the Authority, financially supported Tammy
I had hoped district elections would reduce the cost of campaigns and the role of independent expenditures, so it was disappointing that it didn’t work out that way in this election. We need ranked choice voting for future elections to ensure that the winners actually represent the majority of the voters. We also need to have an independent redistricting board in place to draw new districts following the 2030 census. – Doug Elliott, Irvine Community Services Commissioner
It’s still expensive to run a winning campaign. But I sense District elections helped candidates focus on issues important to their neighborhoods. – Scott Hansen, Former Irvine Transportation Commissioner
The City of Irvine’s first District election was a great first step forward into a new era for the residents. Informing our residents of local issues and encouraging involvement in the civic process can only be of benefit to the City. I’m also hopeful that as we move forward, the City can greatly expand the number of candidate forums and debates at both the district and the citywide level to give residents an opportunity to be informed of candidate policy positions. – Michelle Johnson, District 1 Candidate and Former Finance Commissioner
Irvine has moved in the right direction by adopting more localized representation and a stronger focus on community needs. However, special interests continue to send hundreds of thousands of dollars to influence our elections, which undermined the voices of residents. Until we achieve meaningful campaign finance reform, I urge all residents to stay engaged, advocate for transparency, and hold our elected officials accountable. – Jackie Kan, Former D1 City Council Candidate
District elections were touted to make campaigns cheaper and more grassroots-driven. However, the reality has been different because Districts also make it easier for special interests to influence outcomes, requiring candidates to raise significant funds to counteract their influence, leading to campaigns being as expensive as at-large citywide races. Additionally, campaign messaging has become increasingly hyper-local and remains uncertain how this shift will influence the development of cohesive policies that align with the city’s overall master plan. The question is whether this approach will foster collaboration or lead to territorial disputes as we navigate the challenges ahead. – Tammy Kim, Former Irvine Councilmember
The establishment of Districts in Irvine resulted in a more representative City Council. Districts made running much more affordable, the nonpartisan ideal was, however made moot by the endorsements made by political parties. If this could be prevented going forward, the people of Irvine would benefit further from Districting. – Jeff Kitchen, District 2 candidate
Finding people willing to run for an elected position is difficult, whether it’s the PTA, HOA, or City Council. While the ratio of elected representatives to residents has improved with district elections, thereby increasing representation, the challenge of finding good candidates increased along with it. And what happened to the supposed benefit that district elections were to encourage more grassroots candidates by requiring less in fundraising? The result was business as usual, as the candidates with the most money (whether self-funded or through PACs) ended up benefiting the most regardless of other criteria. It’s a broken system that starts and ends with the individual. It doesn’t have to be played this way. Meanwhile, the importance of community journalism like Irvine Watchdog, continues to grow. We need more engaged residents and more eyes on our local government. – Branda Lin, Former Irvine Planning and Community Services Commissioner, and 2022 Mayoral Candidate
I care about the well-being of all, but running for office to represent the people and community I call “home” was a daily motivator throughout the campaign. This was my first time running for office, but being able to tell people, “I live just down the street and share the same concerns as you,” was incredibly impactful. The encouragement from those I’ve connected with over the years reinforced my belief in the strength of our community and my commitment to serve it. – James Mai, Irvine D3 City Councilmember
I remain pleased that we’ve increased the size of the Council and implemented district-based elections. But I have concerns, and chief among them is the need for Ranked Choice Voting. Government by those who win with only around 30 percent of the vote is no kind of democracy, and voters shouldn’t have to see their best choice as a costly luxury when it might not be the choice most likely to win. – Josh Moore, Woodbridge Resident & Watchdog Contributor
While I remain hopeful with District elections, I did not see a change to the problems we face in local politics. Campaign issues were not addressed, the candidates were hard to reach, we saw negative campaigning, there was inadequate education and outreach on issues, and special interest money still influenced the outcome. It’s now up to the residents in each District to hold their District Councilmember accountable. – Camiar Ohadi, MD, Great Park Community Advocate
I think Districts are a great way for electeds to represent the areas where they live. If all council members can work together and focus on the city as a whole and not be bound by only the needs of their district, it would be perfect. – Ron Scolesdang, Mayoral Candidate and Business Owner
Now that district elections are in our rear-view mirror, I wondered did the new process help create a fairer playing field for candidates and the public at large? Special interest money, such as union and party affiliated independent expenditures, clearly dominated mailboxes and flowed into multiple Districts, including the Mayor’s race, thru-out the community, so the hope of minimizing that unfair fiscal influence, by district voting, failed. However, for candidates old and new to the process, the cost for signs, mail and door knocking was reduced by the smaller geographical boundaries. The real test of the success of voters choosing to go to smaller manageable districts, will still need analysis, over time, as we watch and learn: can a larger Council work together in harmony or will we still see the same acrimony of the past several years. Other cities manage to succeed, let’s hope Irvine will follow in their footsteps. – Christina Shea, Former Irvine Mayor
It’s a good idea to have seven Councilmembers now that our city has grown so much. Too many ribbon-cuttings for only five people! The key thing for the district-elected council members will be to make decision on behalf of the whole city, not just for their districts. I hope all of them will consider all of us in every decision. – Therese Sorey, Retired President of Irvine Teachers Association
I was proud to be part of the first District elections in Irvine. A lot of residents were unaware of the change and which district they vote in. Hopefully, we elected councilmembers that are attuned to the specific needs of their district and able to help solve those unique problems. – Jeff Starke, District 2 Candidate and Planning Commissioner
The district election is supposed to bring down candidates’ campaign expenses and make grass-roots campaign more viable, but this time it did not with a flurry of PAC money to influence the fallout of the elections. – Jing Sun, Former Community Services Commissioner and District 3 Candidate
1 Comments
edmondsmeyerson
December 19, 2024 at 7:06 pmThat’s a pretty funny statement coming from Tammy Kim considering she received more money, by far, from special interest groups.
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