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Three candidates are vying for the vacant seat for District 5 on the Irvine City Council. The seat was vacated when Larry Agran won the mayoral election in November, leaving his council position open. The person who wins will serve through the end of 2026.
Keep reading for a guide to the race, the candidates — and what they promise to do if elected.
About the District
All the candidates live in District 5, which encompasses City Hall and the Woodbridge, Westpark, University Park and Rancho San Joaquin neighborhoods.
What does an Irvine councilmember do?
In Irvine, legislative power rests in the hands of the seven-member City Council. They make decisions:
- To establish city policy
- Approve and adopt the city budget
- Hire the city manager
- Approve contracts and projects such as those in the Great Park
How to vote
All registered voters within Irvine Council District 5 should have received a Voter Information Guide and a vote-by-mail ballot by now. (If not, reach out to the Orange County Registrar of Voters. There is also an online tool to request a new ballot if one is lost or damaged.)
Completed ballots can be cast in one of the following ways:
- By visiting a vote center
- By dropping your ballot into a ballot drop box
- By dropping your ballot into a U.S. mailbox
- Completed ballots can also be hand-delivered to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, 1300 S. Grand Ave., Building C, Santa Ana
After the election, you can confirm your ballot was counted using this online tool.
Meet the candidates and read about their priorities
The candidates appear here in the same order they do on the ballot. We asked all three candidates the same series of questions about some of the key issues facing the district. Answers have been lightly edited for clarity and context.

Betty Martinez Franco
Small business owner
Campaign website: BettyForIrvine.com and official candidate statement.
Franco has been a resident of District 5 for 21 years. She runs a public relations agency and has served as the vice chair of the city’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
What are three specific and measurable ways you are committed to ensuring the city meets state housing requirements for affordable housing?I support strategically increasing housing density near transit hubs, shopping centers and job corridors to prevent overcrowding in existing neighborhoods. This approach will create walkable communities where residents have access to amenities while preserving the character of our villages. I will also advocate for projects that include a mix of market-rate and affordable housing to ensure working families, students, teachers, first responders and nurses can live where they work.
Future developments must be energy-efficient and environmentally responsible. I will push for new housing to be equipped with solar panels, EV charging stations and water-efficient infrastructure to align with Irvine’s sustainability goals. Responsible growth should not come at the expense of our environment or residents’ long-term quality of life. Affordable housing should be built with good-paying union jobs to support local workers and maintain high construction standards.
Irvine’s recent lobbyist regulations are a step in the right direction, but more must be done to ensure transparency, accountability and integrity in our city’s decision-making process. The responsibility to prevent corruption does not rest solely on lobbyists, it also lies with public servants and elected officials who must remain committed to serving the community, not special interests. One of the most critical steps we can take is to require public servants and elected officials to undergo a crash course in public administration, ethics and municipal codes.
Too often, those in positions of power forget the fundamental principles of public service and lose sight of their role as representatives of the people. This training would serve as an essential refresher on ethics, conflicts of interest and the duty to prioritize the public good over private gain. Additionally, I would push for increased transparency in campaign contributions, and public disclosure of meetings between city officials and lobbyists. Sunshine laws exist for a reason and residents deserve to know who is influencing their city government. Finally, as a communications expert, I know that we must create accessible channels for community engagement so that residents have as much influence on city policies as lobbyists do. This means more town halls, public forums and digital tools that allow for real-time feedback on key decisions.
The Great Park expansion is an exciting development for Irvine, and I fully support the city’s vision to create a world-class space for recreation, culture and community engagement. However, as a City Council member, I need to take a closer look at the budget to ensure that while we invest in the Great Park, we are not neglecting other parts of our city. District 5 is the oldest district in Irvine, and it has not received the same level of investment as newer areas. While schools and parks in the Great Park are getting major upgrades, many of our neighborhood parks have not been updated in decades, and our schools and libraries still look the same as they did 20 years ago. Our city’s development should be balanced, ensuring that every resident benefits, not just those in one area.
As for a collaboration with Live Nation, I don't think it is going to be brought up again. In the past, that collaboration wasn't well received by the community. What we need to do now is to think about developing a permanent venue to bring entertainment to our city. However, we must ensure that it does not overwhelm our resources, increase traffic, or disrupt the quality of life for residents. If there is a way to develop a smaller-scale entertainment venue that aligns with the needs of our city without creating excessive burdens, I would be open to that conversation.
Irvine has made incredible progress in addressing climate issues, and I fully support moving forward with strong environmental protections. However, we must be realistic in how we implement these policies. Banning something without providing viable alternatives often places a burden on certain groups, whether it be small businesses struggling to stay afloat or low-income communities already facing economic hardships. Our solutions must be comprehensive and equitable, ensuring that the cost of sustainability is not unfairly passed on to those who can least afford it. One thing I know for sure is that we need to protect our open spaces. They provide clean air, protect local wildlife and give residents and visitors a place to enjoy nature. These spaces are essential to Irvine’s identity and quality of life.
When we talk about pollution, we need to take a strategic approach. Without conducting a formal study, I can confidently say that one of the most polluted areas in our city is likely around Jamboree and the 405 Freeway, where thousands of cars sit idle in traffic every day during peak times of the day. A simple but effective solution is to plant more trees in this area, helping to improve air quality while making Irvine greener. Small changes can lead to big impacts. I support Irvine’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, but it must be executed in a way that works for everyone. By balancing innovation with practical solutions, we can achieve our sustainability goals without placing unnecessary burdens on businesses and working families.
About our guide: When information is missing
Some candidates did not reply to our requests for images. Some do not have a campaign website and/or list of endorsements available online at the time of publication. We will update this guide if more candidate information becomes available.

Dana Cornelius
HOA board member
The candidate did not reply to LAist's questionnaire.
Cornelius has been an Irvine resident since 1991. She wrote in her candidate statement that her priorities are preserving Irvine’s way of life, prioritizing first responders, supporting mom and pop stores, building connecting bridges between the city’s villages and improving the sound barrier along the 405 Freeway.

Anthony Kuo
Former Irvine commissioner / business owner
Campaign website: AnthonyKuo.org
The candidate did not reply to LAist's questionnaire.
Kuo previously served on the Irvine City Council from 2018 to 2022. He has lived in Irvine for over 30 years. Kuo wrote in his candidate statement that his priorities include taking control of Irvine’s public libraries from county management, building a library in Woodbridge, banning the building of warehouses near residential areas, planting trees within District 5 and ending Irvine’s involvement with the Orange County Power Authority.
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