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All five Mission Viejo council seats are up Nov. 3; three incumbents are not on the city's candidate list

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Campaign yard signs for Mission Viejo City Council and state candidates in front of the Mission Viejo Library lettering on a stone wall
Campaign signs for several offices along the wall at the Mission Viejo Library on Oct. 14. Photo: Mission Viejo Post.

Mission Viejo voters will elect all five City Council members on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The city's candidate list, current as of Aug. 7 at 5 p.m., has nine candidates for the five council districts. District 5 has one candidate on the list.

The city is staggering the terms. Districts 1, 3 and 5 will be elected to four-year terms. Districts 2 and 4 will be elected to two-year terms and then to four-year terms in 2028.

Council District 1

Current council member: Bob Ruesch (Council Member). Candidates, in the order the city lists them: Kristen Wilcox and Robert "Bob" Ruesch (incumbent). The seat carries a four-year term.

Council District 2

Current council member: Brian Goodell (Mayor Pro Tem). Candidates, in the order the city lists them: Saga Conroy and Peter Molinari. Brian Goodell does not appear on the city's candidate list. The seat carries a two-year term and returns to the ballot in 2028.

Council District 3

Current council member: Cynthia Vasquez (Council Member). Candidates, in the order the city lists them: Bryan Zahn and Cynthia Vasquez (incumbent). The seat carries a four-year term.

Council District 4

Current council member: Trish Kelley (Council Member). Candidates, in the order the city lists them: Laura Lacko and James Morrison. Trish Kelley does not appear on the city's candidate list. The seat carries a two-year term and returns to the ballot in 2028.

Council District 5

Current council member: Wendy Bucknum (Mayor). Candidate on the city's list: Steven Thornton. Wendy Bucknum does not appear on the city's candidate list. The seat carries a four-year term.

The period for write-in candidates to file ran Sept. 7 to Oct. 20. The candidate list is current as of Aug. 7 at 5 p.m., before that period began.

The city points voters to the Orange County Registrar of Voters at ocvote.gov for voting information and results. Residents can find their council district on the city's map. The city says residents must re-register if they move, change their name or change their party affiliation, and can register to vote online.


Sources: City of Mission Viejo election information; City of Mission Viejo City Council; Orange County Registrar of Voters.

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