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Huntington Beach City Council

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City of Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach City Council

This person holds one of four at-large seats on Huntington Beach's seven-member City Council. Seats serve staggered four-year terms. Council members vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use. The Council picks its own Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem. Voters do not elect those titles directly. This November's election uses a traditional multi-seat vote, not ranked-choice voting.

Eleven candidates are running for four at large seats on the Huntington Beach City Council. The council has seven seats. Three incumbents are running again. They are Andrew Gruel, Casey McKeon, and Pat Burns. McKeon is the sitting Mayor. Eight challengers are also running. A fourth incumbent, Gracey Van Der Mark, is not on this ballot. She is running for State Assembly instead. You can vote for up to four. There is no primary.

Council seats carry staggered 4-year terms, so only four of the seven seats are up in any given cycle. Winners vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use; the council selects one of its own members to serve as Mayor and another as Mayor Pro Tem each year, rather than either title being separately elected. Day-to-day operations run through an appointed city manager. A June 2026 Orange County Superior Court order — reported as still tentative and subject to further litigation — would require the city to elect all seven seats at once using ranked-choice voting, ending the staggered-term system; the county's own official candidate document for this ballot lists this contest as a traditional plurality race (vote for up to four), so that order, if it takes effect, would apply to a future election, not this one.

Three of the four sitting officeholders whose terms are up are running again, and none of the eight challengers holds city office; one, Brian Burley, currently sits on the Huntington Beach City School District board. Candidate backgrounds below come from each filer's own occupation/title as declared to the county on their nomination paperwork — the only source this pass could independently confirm for the challengers in the time available.

Andrew Gruel

Andrew Gruel is an incumbent. He was appointed to the council in March 2025 to fill a vacancy. His ballot title is "Appointed City Councilmember."

Casey McKeon

Casey McKeon is an incumbent and the sitting Mayor. The council chose McKeon for that role in December 2025. Members pick the Mayor from among themselves each year. It is not a separately elected office. McKeon's ballot title is "Mayor of Huntington Beach/Businessowner."

Pat Burns

Pat Burns is an incumbent. Their ballot title is "Retired Policeman/Councilmember."

Brian Burley

Brian Burley is a challenger. He is a current trustee on the Huntington Beach City School District board. His ballot title is "Trustee, Huntington Beach City School District."

Ben Davis

Ben Davis is a challenger. Their ballot title is "Civil Rights Attorney."

Brenda Glim

Brenda Glim is a challenger. Their ballot title is "Business Woman."

Amory Hanson

Amory Hanson is a challenger. They are a current member of the city's Historic Resources Board. Their ballot title is "Historic Resources Boardman."

Taryn Taddeo Palumbo

Taryn Taddeo Palumbo is a challenger. Her ballot title is "Nonprofit Executive/Parent."

Rosalind "Roz" Price

Rosalind "Roz" Price is a challenger. Their ballot title is "Operations Manager/Commissioner." That means they also serve on a city commission.

Erin Spivey

Erin Spivey is a challenger. Their ballot title is "Retired Librarian."

Brian Thienes

Brian Thienes is a challenger. Their ballot title is "Small Business Owner."

Your picks · choose up to 4

A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.

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