- ocvote.gov (opens in a new tab)OC Registrar of Voters -- Contest/Candidate Proof List, General Election 11/3/2026 -- City of Laguna Beach section (pages 111-115 of 188, re-parsed with pypdf from a full local copy of candlog.pdf already cached by a sibling fork's earlier pass rather than re-fetched): confirms "CITY OF LAGUNA BEACH Member, City Council" (District ID 5112, no district number) as the city's sole November 2026 race, Vote for 3, 9 qualified candidates, incumbent flags for Alex Rounaghi, Sue Kempf, and Mark Orgill, and every candidate's filing date and filed ballot designation -- verifying the local-authoring queue's "9 candidates" flag as accurate.
- en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)Wikipedia -- Laguna Beach, California article (government section): council-manager government adopted 1944; five-member City Council serving staggered 4-year terms; Mayor "not directly elected by voters" but "chosen annually among the members of the city council"; City Clerk and City Treasurer separately elected -- cited only for this civic-structure context, never for a candidate-specific claim
- stunewslaguna.com (opens in a new tab)Stu News Laguna -- "Fair Game" column (published 2026-08-25): independent local-press profiles of all nine qualified City Council candidates -- incumbents Alex Rounaghi, Mark Orgill (sitting Mayor), and Sue Kempf (two-time former Mayor), plus challengers Laura Parisi (elected City Treasurer since 1999), Karen Martin, Joy Berry (Village Laguna VP), Edward Bayuk, Nick Aronoff, and Ashley Cintas -- covering each candidate's background, stated motivation, and platform issues (wildfire preparedness, water reliability, community development, visitor management, financial stewardship)
Last updated August 31, 2026.
City of Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach City Council
This person would hold one of three at-large seats on Laguna Beach's City Council. The council has five members, serving staggered four-year terms. Laguna Beach is a general-law city. Members vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use. An appointed city manager runs day-to-day operations. Each year, the Council picks one of its own members as Mayor. There is no separate Mayor race on this ballot. The City Clerk and Treasurer are chosen in separate elections.
Nine candidates are running for three citywide seats on Laguna Beach's City Council. Three are incumbents. They are Alex Rounaghi, Mark Orgill, and Sue Kempf. Orgill is the sitting Mayor. The six challengers are Laura Parisi, Karen Martin, and Joy Berry. Also running are Edward Bayuk, Nick Aronoff, and Ashley Cintas. Voters may pick up to three. There is no runoff.
Council seats carry staggered 4-year terms on Laguna Beach's five-member council, which handles city ordinances, the budget, and land use alongside an appointed city manager who runs day-to-day operations. Laguna Beach is a general-law city with a council-manager government dating to 1944. The council doesn't elect its Mayor directly -- each year, members choose one of their own to serve as Mayor. The city's separately elected City Clerk and City Treasurer aren't part of this contest.
All three incumbents whose terms are up filed for re-election, facing six challengers for the same three seats: Alex Rounaghi and Mark Orgill are each completing their first terms (Orgill currently serving as Mayor), while Sue Kempf has already served two terms and two stints as Mayor. The six challengers include Laura Parisi, the city's elected Treasurer since 1999 making their first run at a council seat, and two candidates -- Karen Martin and Joy Berry -- with professional land-use and urban-planning backgrounds who frame their campaigns around development oversight and fiscal scrutiny. With three incumbents and six challengers competing for three seats in an at-large, vote-for-up-to-three contest, the practical choice is less which incumbent to keep and more whether any of the six challengers should displace one of them.
Alex Rounaghi
Alex Rounaghi is finishing his first term on the council. He entered local politics four years ago. His priorities are wildfire readiness, long-term water reliability, and faster development reviews. Locally he is seen as having wider political ambitions.
Mark Orgill
Mark Orgill is Laguna Beach's sitting Mayor. Fellow council members chose him during his first term. He calls the job one of his greatest honors. His platform covers fire safety, support for local artists, and visitor impacts.
Sue Kempf
Sue Kempf has the longest record of anyone in this race. She served two terms on the council and two stints as Mayor. Her record includes the city's Wildfire Mitigation and Fire Safety Plan.
Laura Parisi
Laura Parisi has been Laguna Beach's elected City Treasurer since 1999. They are running for council to have a more direct impact on residents. They have been on the ballot in past elections. Their ballot title is City Treasurer and CPA.
Karen Martin
Karen Martin has more than 30 years in urban planning and development. They want City Hall to make better decisions and spend more carefully. They say they would put residents first. Their ballot title is Urban Planning Entrepreneur.
Joy Berry
Joy Berry is a longtime Laguna Beach resident and a land-use professional. She is vice president of Village Laguna, a local civic group. Her focus areas are land-use policy, hillside and canyon protection, and city finances. Her ballot title is Small Business Owner.
Edward Bayuk
Edward Bayuk has lived in Laguna Beach for more than 30 years. He has served on state boards for motor vehicles, housing finance, and high speed rail. He wants to keep the city safe, beautiful, and fiscally strong. He also wants it ready for the future. His ballot title is Retired Business Entrepreneur.
Nick Aronoff
Nick Aronoff is tied to the local sports community through their father, Frank. They worry about changes to residents' quality of life. They want to bring common sense back to City Hall. Their ballot title is Small Business Owner.
Ashley Cintas
Ashley Cintas is a local business owner. Her platform covers wildfire readiness, emergency medical access, aging infrastructure, and the local economy. She says Laguna needs leaders who look past the next election. Her ballot title is Local Business Owner.
Your picks · choose up to 3
A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.