Irvine Election: Residents approve ranked choice voting

Irvine residents voted to adopt ranked choice voting for city council elections, with results released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters showing 51.5 percent of ballots cast in favor of the measure. The approval margin was narrow, with approximately 48.5 percent of voters opposing the change, a gap of about 2,000 votes according to the 5 p.m. results from Wednesday.

The new system will take effect for city council races beginning in 2028. Currently, Irvine uses a plurality system for district elections, where voters select a single candidate and the individual with the highest vote count wins. Under the approved ranked choice method, voters will rank candidates in order of preference. If three candidates run in a single district, a voter can list a first, second, and third choice. Tabulators will count these preferences in rounds until a candidate secures more than 50 percent of the votes.

The shift comes as the city faces fiscal pressure. Irvine is dealing with a structural deficit estimated to reach $37 million by July 1, 2028. If spending does not decrease, that deficit could grow to $47 million by the end of the decade. The transition to the new voting method carries its own financial weight, as preliminary estimates suggest the rollout and voter education efforts could quadruple the city's election costs.

Irvine would be the only city in Orange County to use this system, though Huntington Beach may also adopt it following a court order. The measure was approved during the general election cycle, with final numbers confirmed by the registrar's office. The change moves the city away from the traditional single-candidate ballot toward a process that eliminates the need for a separate runoff election.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters released the final tally at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The data confirms that the measure passed by a slim majority. The new voting rules will apply to all city council district elections starting in the 2028 cycle. City officials will now proceed with the administrative steps required to implement the system, including updating ballot formats and planning for the increased budgetary requirements.