Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Garden Grove Mayor & City Council Election 2026

4 of 7

council seats up

4 contests

12 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

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

Mayor · 1 seat

Stephanie KlopfensteinIncumbentMayor of Garden Grove since 202414sourced
Thu-Ha NguyenClinical scientist and educator for more than 25 years; former Garden Grove council member and Mayor Pro Tem.5sourced

City Council District 1 · 1 seat

City Council District 3 · 1 seat

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

All Garden Grove voters pick one candidate for mayor. Voters in District 1, 3 or 4 also pick one council member for their district. The top vote-getter wins each race.

5 notes on these statements

District 1 is an open seat: the city's election notice lists eligible incumbents only for Mayor, District 3 and District 4. City of Garden Grove · Aug 5, 2026

Thu-Ha Nguyen's campaign site lists Council Members Phillip Nguyen, Yesenia Muñeton and Ariana Arestegui among her endorsers. Thu-Ha Nguyen for Garden Grove Mayor

Roger Flanders lists Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein among his endorsers. Roger Flanders for Garden Grove City Council: Endorsements

Patrick Phat Bui lists Mayor Stephanie Klopfenstein among his endorsers. Phat Bui for Garden Grove City Council

Hieu Nguyen lists Council Members Yesenia Muñeton and Ariana Arestegui and former Mayor Pro Tem Thu-Ha Nguyen among his endorsers. Hieu Nguyen for Garden Grove City Council: campaign site

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Ariana AresteguiCouncil Member, District 6; elected 202411sourced Yesenia MuñetonCouncil Member, District 5; elected 202410sourced Phillip NguyenCouncil Member, District 2; elected 20247sourced

Officeholders' pages compare what they've said with how they've voted, with sources.

Start here

Match quiz6 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesNickelodeon hotel resort referendum, Hotel workers and tourism revenue, GKN Aerospace chemical emergency Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Mail ballots available

Mon, Oct 5, 2026

TodayAll key dates

What the next council decides

Nickelodeon hotel resort referendum

Where it standsThe council reapproved zoning for a 500-room Nickelodeon hotel resort on Harbor Boulevard in June 2026; a referendum petition qualified, so voters decide on June 8, 2027.

What's on the tableThe new council will oversee the special election and, if voters approve the zoning, the project's next approvals.

The project is a 500-guest-room resort hotel at Twintree Lane and Harbor Boulevard (Site B2). City of Garden Grove staff report · Sep 22, 2026
The Planning Commission unanimously recommended the project entitlements on May 7, 2026, and the council adopted the zoning ordinance on June 23, 2026. City of Garden Grove staff report · Sep 22, 2026
The Registrar of Voters found 9,700 valid signatures on the referendum petition; 9,674 were required. City of Garden Grove staff report · Sep 22, 2026
The petition drive was organized by Unite Here, a hotel workers union. Orange County Tribune · Sep 23, 2026
The special election is estimated to cost about $1,000,000 from the General Fund. City of Garden Grove staff report · Sep 22, 2026

Hotel workers and tourism revenue

Where it standsThe council adopted a hotel panic-button law that takes effect Jan. 1, 2027; Unite Here Local 11 is gathering signatures for a broader hotel worker initiative.

What's on the tableHow to respond if the hotel worker initiative qualifies, and how to protect hotel tax revenue.

The council adopted the panic-button law unanimously in September 2026. Los Angeles Times (TimesOC) · Sep 12, 2026
The union's proposed initiative includes a wage scale rising to $25 an hour by July 1, 2030. Los Angeles Times (TimesOC) · Sep 12, 2026
Bed taxes from two dozen hotels bring $28 million a year into the city's general fund. Los Angeles Times (TimesOC) · Sep 12, 2026
The proposed initiative would also set room-cleaning workload standards, limit subcontracting and require worker retention after a change in control. City of Garden Grove staff report · Sep 22, 2026

GKN Aerospace chemical emergency

Where it standsA May 2026 chemical tank emergency at GKN Aerospace forced mass evacuations; the plant needs court approval of a safety plan before it fully resumes work.

What's on the tableWhat the city demands of GKN and similar sites before and after the plant restarts.

About 50,000 residents across north Orange County were ordered to evacuate. Voice of OC
At a June 4 special meeting, the council voted to send GKN a letter demanding answers. Voice of OC
GKN must get Orange County Superior Court approval of a comprehensive safety plan before resuming operations. OC Register · Sep 28, 2026
An up-to-$100 million claims program for those affected was announced in August 2026. OC Register · Sep 28, 2026

Homelessness and park safety

Where it standsThe city runs the Central Cities Navigation Center, is switching its mobile crisis teams to Healthcare In Action, and tested private security in parks.

What's on the tableWhether to keep the park security and crisis-team programs, and how to handle encampments.

In August 2026 the council unanimously approved a $1.5 million first-year contract with Healthcare In Action to phase out Be Well OC's services. Voice of OC · Sep 21, 2026
Be Well operated 18 hours a day; Healthcare In Action will operate eight hours a day. Voice of OC · Sep 21, 2026
In January 2026 the council approved a park security pilot of up to $185,000 on a 5-1 vote. Garden Grove City Council minutes, Jan. 27, 2026 · Jan 27, 2026
In August 2026 the council turned down a proposal to ban smoking in city parks for the second time that year. Orange County Tribune · Aug 26, 2026

City budget

Where it standsThe amended 2026-27 General Fund budget is $198.2 million; staff project temporary operating deficits for the next three to four years.

What's on the tableThe next council writes the 2027-29 budget and decides how to close projected deficits.

The proposed amended FY 2026-27 General Fund budget totals $198.2 million, up $3.4 million from the adopted budget. City of Garden Grove staff report · Jun 9, 2026
Staff projected the General Fund may run a temporary operating deficit for three to four years due to slowing revenue growth and rising costs. City of Garden Grove staff report · Jun 9, 2026
The council approved the 2025-26 and 2026-27 biennial budget on June 10, 2025. City of Garden Grove staff report · Jun 9, 2026

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. Should the Nickelodeon hotel resort be built on Harbor Boulevard?
2. Should hotels have to give workers who work alone a panic button?
3. What should come first in Garden Grove's response to homelessness?
4. Should Garden Grove pay private security guards to patrol city parks?
5. Should Garden Grove ban smoking in city parks?
6. Should the city consider a new tax to cover projected budget deficits?

Seat the Council →

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

Key dates

Mail ballots availableOC Registrar of VotersOct 5, 2026
Last day to register to vote (conditional registration after)OC Registrar of VotersOct 19, 2026
Vote centers openOC Registrar of VotersOct 24, 2026
Election DayCity of Garden GroveNov 3, 2026

The seat math

3 stay (not up this year): Ariana Arestegui, Yesenia Muñeton, Phillip Nguyen4 on this ballot

7 council seats. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

The City Council is made up of a mayor elected citywide and one council member from each of Districts 1 through 6. City of Garden Grove
The mayor serves a two-year term and council members serve four-year terms. City of Garden Grove · Aug 5, 2026
The Nov. 3, 2026 election fills the mayor's seat and the District 1, 3 and 4 council seats. City of Garden Grove · Aug 5, 2026
The mayor votes on council items; Mayor Klopfenstein is listed in council roll calls. Garden Grove City Council minutes, Dec. 9, 2025 · Dec 9, 2025
The council holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. City of Garden Grove

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