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.
Irvine mayoral election, 1988
Candidate
Larry Agran
Barry J. Hammond
Hal Maloney
Popular vote
15,651
8,707
3,111
Percentage
57.0%
31.7%
11.3
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Larry Agran (incumbent)
15,651
57.0
Barry J. Hammond
8,707
31.7
Hal Maloney
3,111
11.3
Total votes
27,469
Irvine mayoral election, 1990
Candidate
Sally Anne Sheridan
Larry Agran
Popular vote
14,256
13,584
Percentage
51.2%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Sally Anne Sheridan
14,256
51.2
Larry Agran (incumbent)
13,584
48.8
Total votes
27,840
Irvine mayoral election, 1992
Candidate
Mike Ward
Marc Goldstone
Helen T. Cameron
Popular vote
16,435
11,730
11,204
Percentage
37.3%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Mike Ward
16,435
37.3
Marc Goldstone
11,730
26.6
Helen T. Cameron
11,204
25.4
Les Racey
1,973
4.5
Al Nasser
1,699
3.9
David Fondots
1,032
2.3
Total votes
44,073
Irvine mayoral election, 1994
Candidate
Mike Ward
Popular vote
26,055
Percentage
100%
The 1994 mayoral election was held on November 8. Mike Ward, who ran unopposed, was re-elected.
Results[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Mike Ward (incumbent)
26,055
100
Total votes
26,055
100
Irvine mayoral election, 1994
Candidate
Christina L. Shea
Sally Anne Sheridan
Popular vote
19,479
11,537
Percentage
49.8%
29.5%
Candidate
Paul Johnson
Guy E. Mailly
Popular vote
4,747
3,314
Percentage
12.1
8.5
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Christina L. Shea (incumbent)
19,479
49.8
Sally Anne Sheridan
11,537
29.5
Paul Johnson
4,747
12.1
Guy E. Mailly
3,314
8.5
Total votes
39,077
100
Irvine mayoral election, 1998
Candidate
Christina L. Shea
Popular vote
29,067
Percentage
100%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Christina L. Shea (incumbent)
29,067
100
Total votes
29,067
100
Irvine mayoral election, 2000
Candidate
Larry Agran
Popular vote
34.905
Percentage
100.0%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Larry Agran
34,905
100.0
Total votes
34,905
Irvine mayoral election, 2002
Candidate
Larry Agran
Mike House
Popular vote
19,886
17,358
Percentage
53.4%
46.6%
The 2002 mayoral election was held on November 5. Larry Agran was re-elected.
Results[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Larry Agran (incumbent)
19,886
53.4
Mike House
17,358
46.6
Total votes
37,244
Irvine mayoral election, 2004
Candidate
Beth Krom
Mike Ward
Popular vote
26,157
24,153
Percentage
44.0%
40.6%
Candidate
Earle Zucht
Ronald Eugene Allen
Popular vote
4,984
4,171
Percentage
8.4%
7.0%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Beth Krom
26,157
44.0
Mike Ward
24,153
40.6
Earle Zucht
4,984
8.4
Ronald Eugene Allen
4,171
7.0
Total votes
59,465
Irvine mayoral election, 2006
Candidate
Beth Krom
John Duong
Popular vote
26,082
17,657
Percentage
59.6%
40.4%
The 2006 mayoral election was held on November 7. Beth Krom was re-elected.
Results[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Beth Krom (incumbent)
26,082
59.6
John Duong
17,657
40.4
Total votes
43,739
Irvine mayoral election, 2008
Candidate
Sukhee Kang
Christina L. Shea
Popular vote
38,505
35,481
Percentage
52.0%
48.0%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Sukhee Kang
38,505
52.0
Christina L. Shea
35,481
48.0
Total votes
73,986
Irvine mayoral election, 2010
Candidate
Sukhee Kang
Christopher Gonzales
Popular vote
34,634
19,383
Percentage
64.1%
35.9%
The 2010 mayoral election was held on November 2. Sukhee Kang was re-elected.
Results[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Sukhee Kang (incumbent)
36,634
64.1
Christopher Gonzalez
19,383
35.9
Total votes
54,017
Irvine mayoral election, 2012
Candidate
Steven Choi
Larry Agran
Katherine Daigle
Popular vote
32,505
28,741
9,951
Percentage
45.7%
40.4%
13.9%
The 2012 mayoral election was held on November 6. Steven Choi was elected.
Irvine mayoral election, 2014
Candidate
Steven Choi
Mary Ann Gaido
Katherine Daigle
Popular vote
18,333
17,380
4,698
Percentage
45.4%
43.0%
11.6%
The 2014 mayoral election was held on November 4. Steven Choi was re-elected.
Results[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Steven Choi (incumbent)
18,333
45.4
Mary Ann Gaido
17,380
43.0
Katherine Daigle
4,698
11.6
Total votes
40,411
Irvine mayoral election, 2016
Candidate
Donald P. Wagner
Mary Ann Gaido
Popular vote
30,002
26,278
Percentage
37.7%
33.0%
Candidate
Gang Chen
Katherine Daigle
Popular vote
11,816
8,299
Percentage
14.8%
10.4%
The 2016 mayoral election was held on November 8. Donald P. Wagner was elected.
Results[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Donald P. Wagner
30,002
37.7
Mary Ann Gaido
26,278
33.0
Gang Chen
11,816
14.8
Katherine Daigle
8,299
10.4
David Chey
3,206
4.0
Total votes
79,601
The 2018 mayoral election was held on November 6. Donald P. Wagner was re-elected.
2018 Irvine mayoral election[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Donald P. Wagner (incumbent)
35,592
45.3%
Ed Pope
24,682
31.4%
Katherine Daigle
13,018
16.6%
Ing Tiong
5,341
6.8%
Total votes
78,633
100%
2020 Irvine mayoral election Turnout 80.24%[ 1] 17.82 pp
Candidate
Farrah Khan
Christina Shea
Popular vote
56,304
42,738
Percentage
47.56%
36.10%
Candidate
Luis Huang
Katherine Daigle
Popular vote
9,684
9,654
Percentage
8.18%
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:
Katherine Daigle, small business owner and perennial candidate[ 3] (party preference: Republican )
Luis Huang, solar engineer and advocate[ 3] (party preference: Democratic )[ 4]
Farrah Khan, business consultant and city council member[ 3] (party preference: Democratic )
Christina Shea, incumbent mayor and former city council member[ 3] (party preference: Republican )
2020 Irvine mayoral election (party preference listed)[ 1]
Candidate
Votes
%
Farrah N. Khan
56,304
47.56%
Christina L. Shea (incumbent )
42,738
36.10%
Luis Huang
9,684
8.18%
Katherine Daigle
9,654
8.16%
Total votes
118,380
100.00%
2022 Irvine mayoral election
Candidate
Farrah Khan
Branda Lin
Popular vote
29,370
21,396
Percentage
37.8%
27.5%
Candidate
Simon Moon
Katherine Daigle
Popular vote
14,742
7,126
Percentage
19.5%
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]
Candidate
Votes
%
Farrah N. Khan (incumbent )
29,370
37.8%
Branda Lin
21,396
27.5%
Simon Moon
14,742
19.0%
Katherine Daigle
7,126
9.2%
Total votes
77,730
100.00%
2024 Irvine mayoral election
The 2024 mayoral election will be held on November 5, 2024.[ 6] Incumbent mayor Farrah Khan , who was first sworn into office in 2020, cannot seek re-election due to term limits .[ 7]
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]
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 [ 15]
Akshat Bhatia, realtor[ 16]
Wing Chow (Republican),[ 17] retired Certified Public Accountant [ 16]
Felipe Delgado (Republican),[ 18] automation project manager[ 16]
Tammy Kim (Democrat), Vice Mayor (2020–2021, 2022–present) of the Irvine City Council (2020–present)[ 7]
Ron Scolesdang (Republican),[ 17] business owner[ 16]
Liqing Lee Sun (Democrat),[ 18] Irvine Finance Commissioner (2022–present)[ 16]
Tammy Kim
U.S. Representatives
Statewide officials
State senators
State assemblymembers
Municipal officials
Local officials
Labor unions
Organizations
Political parties
2024 Irvine mayoral election
Candidate
Votes
%
Larry Agran
Akshat Bhatia
Wing Chow
Felipe Delgado
Tammy Kim
Ron Scolesdang
Liqing Lee Sun
Total votes
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak "Municipal Election History 1971 to Present" . Irvine City Clerk's Office. Retrieved 16 August 2019 .
^ Robinson, Alicia (2019-03-27). "Irvine Councilwoman Christina Shea set to take Don Wagner's place as mayor" . The Orange County Register .
^ a b c d Robinson, Alicia (2020-10-10). "Three challenge Irvine mayor for seat in Nov. 3 election" . The Orange County Register .
^ "Luis Manuel Huang // Assembly District #68 // PDN: Progressive Delegates Network" . www.adems2021.vote . Progressive Delegates Network. Retrieved 9 May 2021 .
^ "Current Election Results" . OC Vote. Retrieved 29 November 2022 .
^ a b c Petersen, Carl. "General Municipal Election - November 5, 2024" . City of Irvine . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j "Vice Mayor Tammy Kim Announces Candidacy For Irvine Mayor" . OC Independent . February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ 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 .
^ Pollack, Gina (April 19, 2024). "Final 2024 Primary Results: Orange County's Top Race Results" . LAist . Retrieved May 14, 2024 .
^ a b Biesiada, Noah (June 23, 2022). "Irvine City Council Looks To Limit Mayoral Power Ahead of Election" . Voice of OC . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ Biesiada, Noah (July 5, 2022). "Irvine Council Leaves Mayor On Ballot and Reverses Controversial Agenda Setting Rules" . Voice of OC . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ Foxhall, Emily (November 5, 2014). "Irvine voters oust Larry Agran, a decades-long fixture" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ Farzan, Yusra (December 6, 2022). "Larry Agran resigns, temporarily, from the Irvine City Council" . The Orange County Register . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ Biesiada, Noah (December 6, 2022). "Irvine City Councilman Resigns for a Week To Skirt Term Limit Rules" . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ "Irvine Councilman Larry Agran Announces Mayoral Campaign" . Irvine Community News and Views . May 2, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ a b c d e Elattar, Hossam; Custodio, Spencer; Biesiada, Noah (September 3, 2024). "Orange County Voter Guide: November 2024 General Election" . Voice of OC . Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ a b c Chmielewski, Dan (July 31, 2024). "Irvine DTS Council Candidate's Financial Troubles Exposed" . The Liberal OC . Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ a b "Did Your Candidate Vote? Here's A Look Over the Past 10 Years" . Irvine Watchdog . August 24, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ "2024 Contest/Candidate Proof List" (PDF) . Orange County Registrar of Voters . August 30, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Chmielewski, Dan (February 2, 2023). "Tammy Kim announces [campaign] for Irvine mayor" . The Liberal OC . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ Chmielewski, Dan (March 13, 2023). "Katie Porter endorses Tammy Kim for Mayor" . The Liberal OC . Retrieved September 28, 2023 .
^ Canlas, Kathia (September 3, 2024). "OCLF COPE Recommendations" . Orange County Labor Federation . Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ "Our Official 2024 General Election Voter Guide: Endorsements" . Orange County Young Democrats . Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ "2024 General Election Voter Guide" . Planned Parenthood Action. Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ "Democratic Endorsed Candidates" . Orange County Democratic Party . Retrieved September 9, 2024 .
^ Chmielewski, Dan (May 13, 2023). "Agran falls just short of DGI Endorsement for Mayor" . The Liberal OC . Retrieved May 14, 2023 .