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Orinda City Council

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City of Orinda

Orinda City Council

This person would hold one of Orinda's five at-large City Council seats. An appointed City Manager runs daily operations. They vote on city laws, the budget, and land use. This is a Contra Costa County city. Terms are four years and staggered. The top three vote-getters win. There is no ranked-choice voting or June primary. The Council picks the Mayor from its own members each year. Voters do not elect the Mayor directly. The City Clerk is an appointed staff job, not an elected office. Orinda has no elected City Treasurer.

Three incumbents and one first-time challenger are running for Orinda's three open Council seats. The incumbents are Mayor Brandyn Iverson and Councilmembers Latika Malkani and Janet Riley. The challenger is Juana Rudati, a physicist and substitute teacher.

This person would hold one of Orinda's five at-large City Council seats on a council-manager government with an appointed City Manager. They vote on city ordinances, the budget, and land use for this Contra Costa County city. Terms are four years and staggered. The Council selects the Mayor from among its own members each year -- Brandyn Iverson currently holds that title, succeeding Latika Malkani, who served as Mayor the year before -- rather than voters electing a Mayor directly; the City Clerk is an appointed staff position (Joelle Fockler took over in 2026 after longtime Clerk Sheri Smith's retirement), not a separately elected office, and Orinda has no elected City Treasurer.

Three seats are open this cycle, decided by whichever three candidates get the most votes -- no ranked-choice voting or June primary is documented for Orinda. All three incumbents whose terms expire this cycle are seeking reelection; the two Councilmembers not up this cycle, Vice Mayor Darlene K. Gee and Cara Hoxie, hold seats that run through 2028.

Brandyn Iverson

Brandyn Iverson is the sitting Mayor. Their council colleagues chose Iverson for that title, rather than voters. They are finishing their first council term. Before that they spent 7 years on Orinda's Planning Commission. They want to balance the state's housing rules with the city's community character.

Latika Malkani

Latika Malkani is an incumbent Councilmember. They are an attorney and business owner. They have been on the council since 2022. They served as Mayor in 2025. They credit their term with leading Orinda's wildfire evacuation and safety planning.

Janet Riley

Janet Riley is an incumbent Councilmember seeking another term. They credit their term with leading the city's wildfire safety work. They have lived in Orinda more than 40 years.

Juana Rudati

Juana Rudati is a first-time candidate. Their ballot title is Physicist and Mother. They work as a substitute teacher. They have lived in Orinda more than 15 years. They center their campaign on evidence-based decisions. Those include safer walking and biking routes to school.

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

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