Twelve candidates ran for five open seats on the Orange City Council this year — the mayor and Districts 1, 3, 4 and 6.

For the mayor’s race, Mark Murphy was the incumbent, running against Dan Slater, a real estate broker and business owner. The mayoral race is the only seat elected at-large. 

The mayoral race is currently very close, but Slater was ahead with 50.5% of the votes as of Nov. 16. Murphy, who had 49.4% of the votes, has served as mayor and a city councilor for numerous terms, the first of which was in 1993.

The mayor’s race is too close to call as late mail-in ballots continue to trickle in.

Murphy raised over $60,000 for his reelection campaign, according to his campaign contribution forms. Slater raised over double that amount, reporting almost $124,000 in contributions.

In District 1, which includes Chapman University, incumbent Arianna Barrios won re-election with more than 75% of the vote. She defeated Jason White, a contract specialist.

“Thank you District 1 – for allowing me the honor to continue serving you,” Barrios posted on her campaign Facebook page. “I’m very grateful.”

In District 3, Kathy Tavoularis was reelected with over 65% of the vote. Tavoularis had been appointed to the city council in 2021 after a judge ruled that former council member Mike Alvarez was serving illegally after running for a third consecutive term. Alvarez eventually resigned, and following a selection process to choose a replacement, the council decided on Tavoularis. 

Tavoularis defeated John Russo, an Orange Unified School District employee who was instrumental in Alvarez’s removal. Russo — the runner-up to Alvarez in the 2020 District 3 election — filed the election challenge that resulted in Alvarez’s resignation.

Tavoularis raised approximately $32,000 in campaign contributions. Russo, on the other hand, raised under $5,000.

Russo was in the running to replace Alvarez’s seat when the council was considering appointment, but he ultimately was not chosen, despite large public support backing him as a potential appointee.

In the first election for District 4, Denis Bilodeau was elected to the council with over 55% of the votes. He is one of the new faces on the council this year. He defeated Christopher Horton and John Newman.

Bilodeau raised approximately $32,000 in campaign contributions. Horton, on the other hand, raised over $60,000 and Newman — who garnered less than 300 votes — had no reportable campaign contributions.

John Gyllenhammer was elected to represent District 6 in its first election with approximately 50% of the vote. He defeated Adrienne Gladson and Brian Harrington.
Gyllenhammer raised almost $35,000 in campaign contributions. Gladson raised almost $33,000 and Harrington had no reportable contributions.