Huntington Beach Faces Ranked-Choice Voting Mandate

Huntington Beach is in hot water after a judge mandated that the city implement ranked-choice voting for City Council members, raising concerns about the Republican supermajority being disrupted.

In late June, Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin ruled that, following years of legal disputes, this MAGA stronghold needs to separate from the broader electoral system.

Several municipalities in Southern California have recently been compelled to alter their voting methods, largely due to California voting rights decisions favoring minority voters.

This initiative is championed by Kevin Shenkman, a Democratic lawyer and Malibu activist, who has long pursued legal action against cities in the area to eliminate widely accepted voting practices.

Cindy Guinasso, a 56-year-old mother residing in Huntington Beach for years, expressed her discontent with ranked-choice voting. “I haven’t seen this system work well elsewhere. I think there’s talk of states trying to get rid of it as it doesn’t seem beneficial,” she mentioned.

Amidst these tensions, Huntington Beach had just showcased an impressive Fourth of July fireworks display, drawing nearly 500,000 people to its beaches.

Local residents are concerned that this voting change may be a calculated move by Democrats to shift the city’s political landscape.

Guinasso fears that residents would lose their “fair voice,” worried that the city might lose its unique character. She criticized Griffin’s ruling, suggesting that residents should, rather, have the power to decide how their leaders are elected.

The ranked-choice voting method requires voters to rank their preferences for candidates, with candidates being eliminated in rounds until one remains.

This system tends to benefit Democratic candidates more, allowing minority voters who receive fewer votes to have a better chance of being elected.

The legal action arises from a lawsuit initiated by Huntington Beach resident Victor Validares, with backing from Shenkman, under the California Voting Rights Act. The court opted for ranked-choice voting instead of district-based elections, arguing it would honor the city’s charter requirement that all voters elect all council members.

If county election officials can set up the new system promptly, it might be operational as early as this November. Otherwise, the rollout could be delayed until 2028, potentially shortening the two-year terms of recently elected council members.

Guinasso contends this move targets the city’s conservative leadership while advocating for more judicious spending and aiming to avoid a one-party dominance. “I believe they’re pushing us toward a one-party state,” she asserted, emphasizing the need for local governance over state influence.

Critics, including political consultant Jason Beck, echoed similar sentiments, viewing the court’s decision as a tactic to erode the power of the Republican City Council.

Beck described the situation as a strategic effort by Sacramento to undermine Huntington Beach’s conservative efforts, aiming to diminish what makes the community unique.

Longtime resident Charles Ullman also expressed strong disapproval of the ruling. He described the community as “very small” and underscored his predominately conservative neighborhood, noting a collective agreement to disagree on such matters.

Republican state Senator Tony Strickland, a former mayor of Huntington Beach, labeled the ruling as “insane” and “deeply liberal,” criticizing the feasibility of the ranked-choice voting system which he argued was designed to elevate Democratic influence.

In his ruling, Griffin acknowledged potential disturbances if ranked-choice voting is adopted this year, hinting at the possibility of abrupt changes to city council members’ terms.

Former Mayor Gracie Larrea-van der Mark defended the existing electoral system, asserting that it already ensures fair representation. She criticized the idea of implementing a system that has only gained traction in certain liberal areas.

Shenkman, in response to the ruling, expressed contentment with the judge’s decision, stating it would help previously marginalized voters, particularly Latinos, in engaging with local governance.