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City of Rancho Santa Margarita · Statewide General Election

Rancho Santa Margarita City Council, District 4

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.

Incumbent Brad McGirr is the only candidate who filed for Rancho Santa Margarita City Council District 4, so he's elected without opposition -- the local-authoring queue's "uncontested" flag is accurate for this race (though not for Districts 1 or 2, both of which drew real challengers).

This person holds District 4'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.

The city's own City Council page independently confirms Brad McGirr as a sitting Council Member, corroborating his ballot designation ("Councilmember, City of Rancho Santa Margarita") -- though, as with District 2, the county's own Proof List lists this contest's incumbent-of-record field as "No Incumbent Elected" rather than naming him directly.

Brad McGirr

Filed his candidacy under the ballot designation "Councilmember, City of Rancho Santa Margarita." The city's own Mayor/City Council page independently confirms McGirr currently serves as a Council Member. No campaign site, news coverage, or other independent source describing his platform or the length of his prior council service could be found in this pass despite a real search effort.

Strengths

Sitting Councilmember, and the only candidate to file for this seat.

Trade-offs

No campaign statement or platform was found in this pass, so voters have no confirmed sense of what he'd prioritize in a new term; no source in this pass established when he was first elected.

Keep in mind

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

Source review: Mixed (74/100) · 3 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

Last updated August 31, 2026.