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November 3, 2026·Filing Deadline: August 7, 2026·4 at-large seats on ballot
Huntington Beach (population ~200,000) is Orange County’s fifth-largest city and one of the most politically consequential beach communities in Southern California. The city has a 7-member all at-large council — no geographic districts — meaning every voter chooses all 7 seats, and campaigns are citywide.
In November 2022, a four-candidate conservative slate backed by former state senator Tony Strickland swept three open seats and the city clerk race, consolidating a conservative council majority that has since grown to 7–0 following the 2024 elections. The 2022 class (McKeon, Van Der Mark, Burns) comes up for re-election in November 2026, along with Andrew Gruel, who was appointed in March 2025 to fill the seat Strickland vacated when he joined the California State Senate.
SoCal Public Ledger tracks all four of the incumbents’ campaign committees through the CHB NetFile portal. No challengers had publicly declared as of May 2026; the filing window opens in summer 2026.
Elected November 2022 as part of the four-candidate conservative slate. Serves as Mayor for the 2025–2026 term (council-elected role). Current four-year term expires December 2026. FPPC committee #1485186.
Incumbent — re-election status unconfirmed as of May 2026
Declared Challengers
No challengers have publicly declared as of May 2026. Filing deadline is August 7, 2026.
Data coverage: Contribution data for McKeon (FPPC #1485186) tracked through the CHB NetFile portal.
Elected November 2022 as part of the four-candidate conservative slate. Four-year term expires December 2026. FPPC committee #1429977.
Incumbent — re-election status unconfirmed as of May 2026
Declared Challengers
No challengers have publicly declared as of May 2026. Filing deadline is August 7, 2026.
Data coverage: Contribution data for Van Der Mark (FPPC #1429977) tracked through the CHB NetFile portal.
Elected November 2022 as part of the four-candidate conservative slate. Four-year term expires December 2026. FPPC committee #1485084.
Incumbent — re-election status unconfirmed as of May 2026
Declared Challengers
No challengers have publicly declared as of May 2026. Filing deadline is August 7, 2026.
Data coverage: Contribution data for Burns (FPPC #1485084) tracked through the CHB NetFile portal.
Appointed March 19, 2025 by the city council to fill the seat vacated by Tony Strickland (who left March 10, 2025 to join the California State Senate after winning the SD-29 special election). Gruel is a local restaurateur and prominent social media personality. His appointment fills the remainder of Strickland's 2022 term, which expires December 2026. Gruel must stand for election in November 2026 to serve a full term. FPPC committee #1484047.
Appointed — must stand for election in November 2026
Declared Challengers
No challengers have publicly declared as of May 2026. Filing deadline is August 7, 2026.
Data coverage: Contribution data for Gruel (FPPC #1484047) tracked through the CHB NetFile portal.
These council members were elected in November 2024 and serve through December 2028.
Elected November 2024. Four-year term expires December 2028. Not on the 2026 ballot.
Elected November 2024. Four-year term expires December 2028. Not on the 2026 ballot.
Elected November 2024. Serves as Mayor Pro Tem under McKeon. Four-year term expires December 2028. Not on the 2026 ballot.
All current Huntington Beach council members with campaign finance data tracked in this system. Click any name to view their full contribution history and voting record.
Huntington Beach’s current council majority traces to the November 2022 election, when Tony Strickland and three allied candidates — Casey McKeon, Gracey Van Der Mark, and Pat Burns — campaigned as a coordinated slate and all four won seats. The sweep gave conservatives a 5–2 council majority, which subsequently grew to 7–0 after the November 2024 elections brought in Don Kennedy, Chad Williams, and Butch Twining.
In March 2025, Strickland resigned from the council after winning the SD-29 California State Senate special election. The council appointed Andrew Gruel — a local restaurateur known for public opposition to COVID-19 dining restrictions — to fill the vacancy. Gruel now holds Strickland’s seat through November 2026.
The 2022 class faces voters again in November 2026. SoCal Public Ledger will track all campaign finance filings through the CHB NetFile portal once candidates begin filing disclosures.
Voter registration and vote-by-mail dates are estimates. Confirm at ocvote.gov.
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