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
Last updated August 31, 2026.
City of Rancho Santa Margarita
Rancho Santa Margarita City Council, District 2
This person holds your district's seat on Rancho Santa Margarita's five-member City Council. They vote on city laws, the budget, and land use. An appointed city manager runs daily operations. Rancho Santa Margarita directly elects its Mayor citywide, currently L. Anthony Beall. His term is not up in 2026. There is no mayoral race this cycle. Not all four council districts are elected the same year. District 3, held by Keri Lynn Baert, is not up in 2026. Only Districts 1, 2, and 4 have terms expiring. The term is four years.
Three candidates are running for Rancho Santa Margarita City Council District 2. They are Rod Ganjifard, Natalie Guse, and Anne Figueroa. Figueroa is the city's sitting Mayor Pro Tem. Whoever gets the most votes on November 3 wins. There is no runoff.
This person holds District 2's seat on Rancho Santa Margarita'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. 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. The term is four years.
The city's own City Council page independently confirms Anne Figueroa as the sitting Mayor Pro Tem, corroborating their ballot designation ("Councilmember, City of Rancho Santa Margarita") -- though the county's own Contest/Candidate Proof List lists this contest's incumbent-of-record field as "No Incumbent Elected" rather than naming them directly. Beyond each candidate's own filed occupation, no campaign site, news coverage, or other independent source could be found for Ganjifard or Guse despite a real search effort -- documented below as a gap, not filled in with speculation.
Rod Ganjifard
Rod Ganjifard's ballot title is "Technology Executive." No campaign site or news story about them was found. No other source on their background or platform was found.
Natalie Guse
Natalie Guse's ballot title is "Businesswoman, Mother, Entrepreneur." No campaign site or news story about them was found. No other source on their background or platform was found.
Anne Figueroa
Anne Figueroa's ballot title is "Councilmember, City of Rancho Santa Margarita." The city's own council page confirms they serve as Mayor Pro Tem. They already sit on the council. They hold one of its two officer titles. The county's own list still marks this contest as having no incumbent elected. No campaign site, news story, or other source on their platform was found.
Your pick
A nonpartisan office: candidates do not run as Democrats or Republicans, and no party appears on the ballot.