Review note: No cited source describes the candidates; add descriptive coverage to lift the cap.
- ocvote.gov (opens in a new tab)OC Registrar of Voters -- Contest/Candidate Proof List, General Election 11/3/2026 -- City of Lake Forest section (pages 121-126 of 188): confirms City Council District 2 (5 qualified candidates), District 3 (2), and District 4 (2) as the city's three November 2026 races, each Vote for 1, with incumbent flags and every candidate's filed ballot designation
- lakeforestca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Lake Forest -- City Council page: the full sitting 5-member roster and district assignments (Mayor Robert Pequeño, District 5; Mayor Pro Tem Doug Cirbo, District 1; Mark Tettemer, District 4; Scott Voigts, District 3; Benjamin Yu, District 2) -- confirms which three districts (2, 3, 4) have terms expiring in 2026 and that Districts 3 and 4's incumbents, Voigts and Tettemer, are not among the qualified 2026 candidates for their own seats
- lakeforestca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Lake Forest -- Elections page: confirms Districts 2, 3, and 4 are up in the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election (consolidated with the Orange County Registrar of Voters), the district-based nomination structure, and the candidate-filing timeline (nomination period July 13 - August 7, 2026)
- lakeforestca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Lake Forest -- "List of Candidates for Members of the City Council -- Districts 2, 3, and 4," dated 8/7/2026 (the city clerk's own PDF): every qualified candidate's name, district, and filing dates for all 9 candidates, plus one withdrawn filer (Bob Stuart, District 2, pulled papers but never filed) -- independently matches the county's Proof List exactly
- lakeforestca.gov (opens in a new tab)City of Lake Forest -- Planning Commission page: confirms Tom Grable as the sitting Vice Chair (term through December 2028), corroborating his District 3 ballot designation ("Planning Commissioner/Businessowner")
Last updated August 31, 2026.
City of Lake Forest
Lake Forest City Council, District 3
This person holds your district's seat on Lake Forest's City Council. The council has five members. They vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use. An appointed city manager runs day to day operations. Lake Forest has no separately elected Mayor. The council chooses a Mayor from among its own members each year. It also chooses a Mayor Pro Tem the same way. Not all five council districts are elected the same year. Only Districts 2, 3, and 4 have terms expiring in 2026. The term is four years.
Anil D. Patel and Tom Grable are running for Lake Forest's open District 3 seat. Incumbent Scott Voigts did not file for re-election. Whichever candidate gets the most votes on November 3 wins outright.
This person holds District 3's seat on Lake Forest's 5-member City Council. They vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use, alongside an appointed city manager who runs day-to-day operations. Lake Forest is a general-law city with no separately, citywide-elected Mayor -- the council chooses a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem from among its own members each year. Not all five council districts are elected the same year -- only Districts 2, 3, and 4 have terms expiring in 2026. The term is four years.
This is one of Lake Forest's two open seats this cycle: no incumbent is on the ballot. The city's own Planning Commission roster independently confirms Tom Grable currently serves as the commission's Vice Chair, corroborating their filed ballot designation. No comparable independent detail was found for Anil D. Patel despite a real search effort.
Anil D. Patel
Anil D. Patel filed their candidacy as a Project Manager and Businessowner. No campaign site or news coverage about them was found.
Tom Grable
Tom Grable filed their candidacy as a Planning Commissioner and Businessowner. They serve as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, a term through December 2028. That commission reviews Lake Forest land use decisions before the City Council does.
Your pick
A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.