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City of Rancho Santa Margarita · Statewide General Election

Rancho Santa Margarita City Council, District 1

Draft candidate list — early preview until the state’s official list publishes on August 27, 2026.

This is one contest. Enter your address to see every race on your November ballot, and keep track of your picks.

On the ballot

This person holds your district's seat on Rancho Santa Margarita's 5-member City Council: city ordinances, the budget, and land use, alongside an appointed city manager who runs day-to-day operations. Unlike some of its general-law neighbors, Rancho Santa Margarita does directly, citywide elect its Mayor (currently L. Anthony Beall) on a separate ballot line -- his term is not up in 2026, so there is no mayoral contest this cycle. Not all four council districts are elected the same year -- District 3 (Keri Lynn Baert) is not up in 2026; only Districts 1, 2, and 4 have terms expiring. A 4-year term.

Two candidates, Josh Bastian and Nicholas Reese, are running for Rancho Santa Margarita City Council District 1's open seat. No incumbent is on the ballot. Whichever candidate gets the most votes on November 3 wins outright; there's no runoff.

This person holds District 1's seat on Rancho Santa Margarita's 5-member City Council: city ordinances, the budget, and land use, alongside an appointed city manager who runs day-to-day operations. Unlike some of its general-law neighbors, Rancho Santa Margarita directly, citywide elects its Mayor (currently L. Anthony Beall) on a separate ballot line -- his term isn't up in 2026, so there's no mayoral contest this cycle. Not all four council districts are elected the same year -- District 3 (Keri Lynn Baert) isn't up in 2026; only Districts 1, 2, and 4 have terms expiring. A 4-year term.

This is the only one of the city's three 2026 council races with no incumbent-linked candidate on either side: neither filer's ballot designation identifies them as a sitting councilmember, and no source found in this pass names a prior officeholder for this specific seat. The city's own Planning Commission page independently confirms Bastian currently serves as the commission's Vice Chair, corroborating his filed occupation. No comparable independent detail was found for Reese despite a real search effort.

Josh Bastian

Filed his candidacy under the ballot designation "Planning Commissioner, City of Rancho Santa Margarita." The city's own Planning Commission roster page independently confirms Bastian currently serves as the commission's Vice Chair -- a resident since 2005 -- meaning he already sits on the body that reviews the city's land-use and development decisions before they reach the City Council. No campaign site, news coverage, or other independent source describing his platform could be found in this pass despite a real search effort.

Strengths

Sitting Vice Chair of the city's Planning Commission, giving him direct, current exposure to local land-use decisions before he'd even take a council seat.

Trade-offs

No prior elected office; a Planning Commission seat is appointed, not elected, so this is his first time on the ballot.

Keep in mind

No CAL-ACCESS record was checked for his campaign in this pass -- see Financial info.

Nicholas Reese

Filed his candidacy under the ballot designation "Financial Operations Manager." No campaign site, news coverage, or other independent source describing his background or platform could be found in this pass despite a real search effort.

Strengths

A financial-operations background suggests budget- and process-oriented experience relevant to municipal finance.

Trade-offs

No campaign statement or platform was found in this pass, so voters have no confirmed sense of his priorities beyond his listed occupation.

Keep in mind

No CAL-ACCESS record was checked for his campaign in this pass -- see Financial info.

Source review: Mixed (74/100) · 4 cited sources

Only procedural records are cited (candidate lists, results, finance filings); no source describes the candidates, so the score is capped.

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 Rancho Santa Margarita section (pages 168-171 of 188): confirms City Council District 1 (2 qualified candidates), District 2 (3), and District 4 (1, unopposed) as the city's three November 2026 races, each Vote for 1, with every candidate's filed ballot designation and filing dates
  • cityofrsm.org (opens in a new tab)City of Rancho Santa Margarita -- Mayor/City Council page: the sitting council roster (Mayor L. Anthony Beall, Mayor Pro Tem Anne D. Figueroa, Council Members Keri Lynn Baert, Jerry Holloway, Bradley J. McGirr) -- confirms the city directly, citywide elects a separate Mayor seat (not up in 2026) and independently corroborates Figueroa's and McGirr's current council service
  • cityofrsm.org (opens in a new tab)City of Rancho Santa Margarita -- Election Information page: confirms the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election fills City Council Districts 1, 2, and 4 (each a 4-year term), lists the candidates by district, and notes District 4's single nominee (Brad McGirr) is elected without opposition
  • cityofrsm.org (opens in a new tab)City of Rancho Santa Margarita -- Planning Commission page: confirms Josh Bastian as the sitting Vice Chair (resident since 2005), corroborating his District 1 ballot designation ("Planning Commissioner, City of Rancho Santa Margarita")

Last updated August 31, 2026.