Aliso Viejo, CAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Aliso Viejo City Council Election 2026

2 of 5

council seats up

2 contests

4 candidates

Updated Oct 4, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council District 2 · 1 seat

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

Aliso Viejo elects council members by district, and voters may only vote for candidates in their own district. Districts 2 and 3 each have one seat and two candidates; the top vote-getter wins.

4 notes on these statements

Garrett Dwyer holds the District 3 seat by council appointment in October 2025, after the vacancy created by the resignation of former Councilmember Richard Hurt. Aliso Viejo City Council minutes, Oct. 15, 2025 · Oct 15, 2025

Tiffany Ackley was appointed to the District 4 seat in August 2026 as the sole qualified candidate, so District 4 is not on the ballot. City of Aliso Viejo

Garrett Dwyer lists Max Duncan, Mike Munzing and Tim Zandbergen among his endorsers. Garrett Dwyer campaign website

Council minutes name the mover, seconder and any dissenters. For unanimous votes this guide shows only what the minutes name, so some members' votes are not listed. Aliso Viejo City Council minutes, June 17, 2026 · Jun 17, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Tiffany AckleyCouncilmember, District 4; appointed August 2026 in lieu of an election9sourcedMike MunzingMayor Pro Tem and Councilmember, District 5; term ends November 20285sourcedTim ZandbergenCouncilmember, District 1; term ends November 20287sourced

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesHousing on former office sites, Pump track, Street and bike safetyKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

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Next date

Vote-by-mail ballots available

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Housing on former office sites

Where it standsIn December 2025 the council approved a 61-unit townhome project at 95 Argonaut, and the city lists five more residential applications as active.

What's on the tableThe next council will rule on pending proposals, including a 405-unit project at 1-5 Polaris, and on the city's design standards for housing.

  • On Dec. 3, 2025 the council approved a general plan amendment, zone change, tract map and development agreement for a 61-unit townhome community at 95 Argonaut. City of Aliso Viejo
  • The city lists a 405-unit residential application at 1-5 Polaris to replace existing office buildings. City of Aliso Viejo
  • Aliso Viejo must plan for 1,195 new housing units by 2029 under state housing mandates. Voice of OC
  • The city's objective design standards for qualifying housing projects were adopted on June 3, 2026, and in August 2026 the council directed staff to return with amendments to the architectural styles. Aliso Viejo City Council minutes, Aug. 19, 2026 · Aug 19, 2026

Pump track

Where it standsOn June 17, 2026 the council voted 5-0 to direct staff to secure a location and land-use agreement with the Aliso Viejo Community Association and to procure design and construction.

What's on the tableThe next council will oversee the site agreement, construction contract and use of park in-lieu fees for the project.

Street and bike safety

Where it standsThe council amended its e-bike rules in 2025, adopted an ordinance declaring prima facie speed limits on certain streets in June 2026, and in August 2026 directed staff to buy speed-feedback signs.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide further traffic-calming projects, signs and enforcement priorities.

Campaign contribution limits

Where it standsOn Nov. 19, 2025 the council voted 4-1 to introduce an ordinance repealing the city's local campaign contribution limit so statutory default limits apply.

What's on the tableThe next council can keep relying on the state's default limits or adopt a city limit again.

Resident input and filling seats

Where it standsIn October 2025 the council filled the District 3 vacancy by nomination rather than an application process, and in August 2026 it appointed the sole District 4 nominee instead of holding that election.

What's on the tableThe next council will decide how it seeks resident input on spending and development, and how it fills any future vacancy.

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Developers have proposed replacing office buildings with homes, as in the 61-unit Argonaut project. What should the council do?

  2. 2. The council has set aside $825,000 in park in-lieu fees for a pump track. What should happen to the project?

  3. 3. How should Aliso Viejo address unsafe e-bike riding and speeding on its streets?

  4. 4. Aliso Viejo repealed its own campaign contribution limit in favor of the state's default limits. What should the city do now?

  5. 5. How much should residents weigh in before the council decides on spending and development?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Tiffany Ackley, Mike Munzing, Tim Zandbergen2 on this ballot

5 council seats. The council decides by a 3-vote majority.

  • Aliso Viejo is a general law city governed by a five-member City Council elected by district, with staggered four-year terms. City of Aliso Viejo
  • The mayor and mayor pro tem are selected annually by the City Council from among its members and are not directly elected by voters. City of Aliso Viejo
  • The Nov. 3, 2026 election fills District 2 (full term expiring November 2030) and District 3 (partial term expiring November 2028). City of Aliso Viejo
  • The council cancelled the District 4 election on Aug. 19, 2026 and appointed Tiffany Ackley, the sole qualified candidate, to that seat. City of Aliso Viejo
  • Regular council meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday of each month. City of Aliso Viejo

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