Mission Viejo City Council Likely To See New Faces: 2022 Election

MISSION VIEJO, CA — The polls are closed in Mission Viejo, and residents are likely to see new faces appearing on the Mission Viejo City Council, according to preliminary results reported by the Orange County Registrar of Voters.

As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, the Orange County Registrar of Voters reported a 26.6 percent voter turnout, with over 466,558 ballots counted so far. Of those ballots, 452,856 were vote-by-mail ballots and 31,404 were vote center ballots.

The Registrar of Voters said that it would continue to update its website with election results throughout the night.

As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, Mission Viejo District 1 City Council candidate Robert "Bob" Ruesch was leading the race with 51.58 percent of the vote. District 1 City Council candidates Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik and Linda Shepard tailed Ruesch at 28.43 percent and 19.99 percent, respectively.

Mission Viejo District 2 City Council candidate and incumbent Brian Goodell led the election with 54.63 percent of votes as of 10:30 p.m., with his opponent, candidate Stacy Holmes, following behind at 45.37 percent.

In District 3, City Council candidate Cynthia Vasquez led the race with 42.71 percent of the vote at 10:30 p.m. City Council candidate and incumbents Greg Raths and Ed Sachs followed Vasquez at 32.44 percent and 254.85 percent of the vote, respectively.

In District 4, Mission Viejo City Council candidate and incumbent Patricia "Trish" Kelley led the race with 60.85 percent of the vote. Her opponent, candidate Terri Aprati, followed with 39.15 percent of the vote as of 10 p.m.

Lastly, Mission Viejo District 5 City Council candidate and incumbent Wendy Bucknum led the race with 60.89 percent of the vote. District 5 candidate Jon Miller followed with 39.11 percent of the vote.

Here's what you need to know about each Mission Viejo City Council candidate.

Mission Viejo City Council Election 2022

Thirteen candidates were listed in the race to see who will serve on Mission Viejo's City Council, according to the city's website.

Scroll through the races below to see the real-time results of every election in Orange County.
Can't see the widget below? Click here for all California election results.

Robert "Bob "Ruesch, District 1 Candidate: Bob Ruesch has been a resident of Mission Viejo for over 25 years. He said in his candidate statement that he hopes to prioritize the following if elected to the Mission Viejo City Council:

• Preserve the quality of life for all Mission Viejo residents.
• Maintain a balanced budget for the City of Mission Viejo.
• Work with police to maintain excellent community safety.
• Stop traffic from increasing through high-density housing.

To read his full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Linda Shepard, District 1 Candidate: Linda Shepard has been a Mission Viejo resident for roughly 28 years. She said in her candidate statement that if elected to office, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Maximize public safety by working with law enforcement and fire authorities.
• Support strong relationships between the city and local businesses.
• Maintain the public resources and open space that Mission Viejo has to offer.

To read her full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik, District 1 Candidate: Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik initially moved to Mission Viejo with her family in 1987. If elected to office, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Building honest and open communication between the City Council and the community at large.
• Increasing studies on traffic in Mission Viejo.
• Promoting a clean and green economy in Mission Viejo.

To read her full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Stacy Holmes, District 2 Candidate: Stacy Holmes is a Mission Viejo resident with over 40 years of experience in public service. If elected to office, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Pursuing projects that do not diminish water supplies, increase traffic congestion or further stretch city services.
• Heightening transparency between city council members, projects and the community.
• Maintaining a fiscally responsible and balanced budget.

To read her full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Brian Goodell (incumbent), District 2 Candidate: Council member Brian Goodell will seek another term on the Mission Viejo City Council after serving the city through the COVID-19 pandemic. If re-elected to office, he hopes to prioritize the following:

• Bringing new housing, cultural and business opportunities to Mission Viejo.
• Completing the Oso Creek Golf Course vision plan.
• Ensuring that City Hall is accessible for all members of the Mission Viejo community.

To read his full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Greg Raths (incumbent), District 3 Candidate: Council member Greg Raths will seek another term on the Mission Viejo City Council. If re-elected to office, he hopes to prioritize the following:

• Promoting and maintaining Mission Viejo as a safe, family-oriented community with excellent schools.
• Supporting neighborhood associations and senior facilities in the community.
• Ensuring healthy and productive relationships with local Mission Viejo businesses.

To read his full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Cynthia Vasquez, District 3 Candidate: Cynthia Vasquez is a Mission Viejo resident, small business owner and mother. If elected to office, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Maintaining community safety, as well as speaking out against hate speech.
• Ensuring taxpayer dollars are used to benefit the community.
• Collaborating and engaging with the Mission Viejo community.

To read her full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Ed Sachs (incumbent), District 3 Candidate: Council member Ed Sachs will seek another term on the Mission Viejo City Council. If re-elected to office, he hopes to prioritize the following:

• Maintaining good and productive relationships between small businesses and the city.
• Promoting and implementing the city's Core Vision plan.
• Heightening the focus on public safety in the community.

To read his full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Terri Aprati, District 4 Candidate: Terri Aprati is a Mission Viejo resident who has called Mission Viejo her home for 21 years. If elected to office, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Ensuring transparency and communication between the city and community members.
• Promoting fiscal transparency and the spending of government dollars pragmatically.
• Building Mission Viejo for a greener and stronger future.

To read her full statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Ken Golemo, District 4 Write-In Candidate: Ken Golemo is the only write-in candidate running in this year's election. If elected to office, he hopes to prioritize the following:

• Expanding transparency and accessibility between community residents and the city.
• Building open communication between residents and the city.
• Ensuring that residents are aware of important city projects before the projects are voted on.

To read more about this candidate, visit his website.

Patricia "Trish" Kelley (incumbent), District 4 Candidate: Council Member Trish Kelley will seek another term on the Mission Viejo City Council. If re-elected, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Maintaining excellent public safety in the city.
• Enhancing Mission Viejo's roads, parks and natural resources.
• Attracting businesses to Mission Viejo to further economic health.

To read her full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Wendy Bucknum (incumbent), District 5 Candidate: Mayor Wendy Bucknum will seek another term on the Mission Viejo City Council after serving for eight years. If re-elected, she hopes to prioritize the following:

• Ensuring that the City of Mission Viejo may maintain local control.
• Maintaining Mission Viejo's safe-city status.
• Improve traffic flow and decrease congestion in the city.

To read her full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

Jon Miller, District 5 Candidate: Jon Miller is a Mission Viejo resident who served as a Navy Supply Officer for 22 years. If elected to office, he hopes to prioritize the following:

• Maintaining constant and transparent communication with residents and the city.
• Keeping a balanced and fiscally responsible budget.
• Improving the city's parks, roads and traffic flow.

To read his full candidate statement, visit the City of Mission Viejo's website.

In the Golden State, Oct. 10 was the deadline for counties to send out vote-by-mail ballots, which every registered voter will automatically receive, according to the California Secretary of State’s office.

Through Nov. 8, residents can vote at over 300 sites in Orange County. Find a complete list of sites and other election information here.

"We're urging all Californians to vote early this year,” said California Secretary Of State Shirley Weber. “ You don't have to wait until Election Day because voting-by-mail makes it easy as soon as you get your ballots. Every person who votes early will help keep lines shorter and reduce wait times at in-person voting locations on Election Day."

Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Nov. 8, and ballots returned at a designated ballot drop box must be deposited by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

In most instances, Californians are not required to show identification to cast a ballot. However, those who did not provide a driver’s license number or a social security number while registering to vote may be asked to do so while voting for the first time in person.

Drop box locations in Mission Viejo are:

• Marketplace at Mission Foothills, Suite L2 - 28715 Los Alisos Blvd Ste L2 (Btwn Marguerite Pkwy & 241 Toll Rd).
• Mission Viejo Church of Christ - 26558 Marguerite Pkwy (Corner of Felipe Rd).
• Norman P. Community & Senior Center – 24932 Veterans Way (Off La Paz Rd, E of Marguerite Pkwy).
• Orange County Islamic Foundation (OCIF) - 23581 Madero (Corner of Via Linda, N of Alicia Pkwy).
• Saddleback College, Student Services Center - 28000 Marguerite Pkwy (Enter @ Medical Center (Park in Lot 5).
• Saddleback Valley Unified School District - 25631 Peter A. Hartman Way (Enter Jeronimo Rd, E of Los Alisos Blvd).
• Mission Viejo City Hall - 200 Civic Center (Corner of Marguerite Pkwy & La Paz Rd).
  • Drive-thru ballot drop off option.

For information on hours, visit the city's website.

Statewide Races

Millions of Californians will be called back to the ballot boxes this year to decide who will occupy the governor’s seat as well as a slew of other important statewide positions.
Golden Staters will be asked to vote on candidates for:

Governor

Gov. Gavin Newsom is up for re-election in 2022, and he’s likely to sail to another victory with ease after surviving a recall election last year and managing and dominating in the primary election.

Nonetheless, he will face opponent state Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), whom he beat by nearly 40 points in the June primary.

Dahle’s campaign has raised just $2 million, while Newsom’s campaign has raised more than $23 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Newsom leads Dahle by a 27-point margin — 58 to 31 percent — among likely voters, according to a September Public Policy Institute of California survey.

The Democratic governor will debate the lesser-known Dahle on Oct. 23.

READ MORE: Rumors Of Presidential Run Swirl As Newsom Seeks Re-election

Attorney General

Attorney General Rob Bonta was appointed after Xavier Becerra became the first Latino to hold the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services seat.

Bonta, a Democrat and former state lawmaker, will face off against Republican Nathan Hochman, a former assistant U.S. attorney general and a criminal attorney. Hochman says the state needs a new attorney general who will combat rising crime.

Hochman got 18 percent of the vote in the June 7 primary, while Bonta won 54.8 percent.

Insurance Commissioner

Incumbent Democrat Ricardo Lara will run for a second term as insurance commissioner, a seat that is tasked with regulating the state insurance industry. Republican cybersecurity equipment manufacturer Robert Howell will challenge Lara in the general election.

He has described himself as a “Reagan Republican,” who says he’s committed to helping wildfire victims and insurance premiums that are “abusively inflated,” CalMatters reported.

Secretary of State

Incumbent Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, was appointed by Newsom after Alex Padilla ascended to his seat as a senator. She will face Republican Rob Bernosky, who describes himself as a “practical conservative.”

Bernosky, the chief financial officer of a tech company, is a longtime activist and former Hollister school board member. He previously ran for state Assembly in 2010 and in 2012 but was unsuccessful.

If reelected, Weber said she plans to change the state’s recall system after the attempted recall of Newsom last year. Democrats argue that the recall process was abused.

“Very little conversation occurred about: Does this man need to be recalled? Has he done something so egregious that we want to remove him from office?” Weber told CalMatters.

READ MORE: What Would Shirley Weber Do Next As California Secretary Of State?

Controller

The race for controller in a California general election doesn't typically generate much interest, but June’s primary was among the most interesting races statewide. That’s because a Republican, Lanhee Chen, was able to advance. Chen opened the door for a Republican to have a shot at their first statewide office since 2006.

The state’s fiscal officer typically facilitates audits and serves on some 70 state boards and commissions.

In November, Chen will face Malia Cohen, a Democrat and member of the state Board of Equalization. Chen is a Stanford instructor and former top Republican adviser.

READ MORE: Chen Advances To Runoff For CA Controller

State Treasurer

Democratic incumbent Fiona Ma will face Republican Jack Guerrero in November. Guerrero is a certified public accountant serving on the Cudahy City Council in Los Angeles County.

If re-elected, Ma said her priority would be to meet Newsom’s goal of building 3.5 million homes by 2025, she told CalMatters.

Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat, is being challenged by Republican Angela Underwood Jacobs, a bank manager who has experience serving as a member of the Lancaster City Council.

Kounalakis is the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor of California and said she wants to ensure a woman succeeds to the governor’s seat in 2026, hinting at a run herself.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Unlike the other statewide races, this competition is a nonpartisan one. In November, Lance Ray Christensen, an education policy executive, will try to unseat incumbent Tony Thurmond.

Propositions

Proposition 1

This measure would codify the rights to abortions and birth control within the California’s constitution. Read more about it here.

Proposition 26

California does not currently allow sports betting, but since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door to legalized sports wagering three years ago, California has become the jackpot for the gambling industry since it has the most professional and college teams in the nation in addition to the largest population and concentration of wealth.

Prop. 26 is a constitutional amendment that would allow it in tribal casinos and racetracks. Read more about it here.

Proposition 27

Prop. 26 seeks to allow it in tribal casinos only and racetracks while Prop. 27 is a constitutional amendment that would allow some tribes and gambling companies such as FanDuel and DraftKings to operate online or mobile sports betting outside of tribal lands. The dueling propositions present a political cage match between gambling entities battling for control over the future of the billion-dollar sports betting industry in California. Because both propositions are diametrically opposed, the passage of both would likely trigger legal battles. Read more about it here.

Proposition 28

Prop. 28 seeks to set aside funding every year for arts and music education in California’s K-12 public schools. Read more about it here.

Proposition 29

Prop. 29 would require clinics to have at least one physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant on site when patients are being treated and to report infections related to dialysis treatment. Read more about it here.

Proposition 30

Prop. 30 would increase the tax on personal income above $2 million by 1.75% and dedicate the revenue to zero-emission vehicle subsidies, building charging stations and zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, reducing greenhouse gasses and hiring and training firefighters to help combat wildfires. Read more about it here.

Proposition 31

A California law banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in stores and vending machines passed in 2020 but was placed on hold when a referendum initiated by the tobacco industry qualified for the 2022 ballot. Now, the issue is being put to the voters. Proposition 31 essentially asks voters: should the ban go into effect? A yes vote would uphold the ban. A no-vote would kill it. Read more about it here.

Prop 1: California's Abortion Rights Amendment Explained
Prop 26: CA’s Tribal Legalized Sports Betting Measure Explained
Prop 27: CA’s Legalized Online Sports Betting Measure Explained
Prop 28: CA’s K-12 Art and Music Education Initiative Explained
Prop 29: CA’s Dialysis Clinic Requirements Initiative Explained
Prop 30: CA’s Clean Cars And Clean Air Act Explained
Prop 31: CA’s Flavored Tobacco Ban Referendum Explained