<body><div><h2>ouncil incumbents leading race to keep seats</h2>As Orange County continues to count ballots, early results in Laguna Beach show all three City Council incumbents holding the top three spots.As of Thursday evening, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, Alex Rounaghi led with 5,384 votes, or 22.4% of the vote, followed by Sue Kempf with 4,380 (18.22%) and Mark Orgill with 3,542 (14.73%).Challenger Nick Aronoff was the next closest, trailing with 3,020 votes (12.56%). Other candidates in the busy race followed: Ashley Cintas with 2,295 (9.55%); Joy Berry with 2,183 (9.08%); Laura Parisi with 1,836 (7.64%); Karen Martin with 982 (4.08%) and Edward Bayuk with 419 (1.74%).Stu News Laguna reached out to each of the candidates, with many expressing gratitude and commitment to staying involved.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3MsiX6_1Gq86u4E00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3MsiX6_1Gq86u4E00" width="1350" height="1800" ></figure>Click on photo for a larger imageAlex Rounaghi and Sue Kempf check results on election nightRounaghi noted that while the vote isn’t yet final, he appreciated the overwhelming support from Laguna Beach residents.“As someone born and raised in Laguna, it’s been an honor to serve this special community,” he said. “I look forward to the opportunity to keep serving and tackling the complex challenges we face.”Kempf also highlighted several issues she’s looking to tackle in her next term, including revamping how the city spends money to focus on “outcome-based budgeting” to ensure quality returns with notable community benefits. She also noted working on improving revenue, a more efficient use of capital and better planning of expenditures.“Of course I’ll continue to pick up trash, like I always do,” added Kempf, who often spends time collecting litter around town.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1fV3fX_1Gq86u4E00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1fV3fX_1Gq86u4E00" width="1030" height="1800" ></figure>Click on photo for a larger imageSue Kempf and Alex Rounaghi cheer with supporters at an election night eventAlthough she’s glad the election is over, she gathered a lot of good feedback during the campaign.“As always, I like connecting with the community,” Kempf said. “When you’re campaigning, you talk to a lot more people and you get a really good sense of the town and a really good sense of how things are going from a resident’s viewpoint.”Orgill, the current mayor, was also encouraged by the results so far, although he also noted that ballots are still being counted. He also pointed to work still to be done.“It’s an honor to serve Laguna Beach,” Orgill said. “There’s important work ahead keeping our community safe, caring for our infrastructure and protecting the culture, heritage and environment that make Laguna special. I look forward to continuing that work and bringing people together around our shared love for this town.”He also thanked supporters, volunteers and his campaign team for their hard work and encouragement.Not far behind on the ballot as votes are still being counted, Aronoff said he’s disappointed with the results so far.“I genuinely wanted the opportunity to serve my community and give back to the town that raised me,” he said. “Regardless of the final outcome, I believe there is a strong desire for new voices who will bring greater accountability, transparency and fresh perspectives at city hall.”He noted that despite a disparity between what the different campaigns spent, he’s proud of what was accomplished and grateful to supporters.“I love Laguna Beach, and I plan to stay actively involved and continue advocating for our residents,” Aronoff confirmed.Parisi, currently serving as the city’s treasurer, will continue to focus on important local issues.“I look forward to working collaboratively with our elected officials, city staff and residents to preserve Laguna’s financial future while preserving the unique character of our community,” she said. “The election may be over but our responsibility to the community continues.”Bayuk noted that the process gave him insight into the political system and operations of different agencies during an election.“Running for City Council was a valuable experience,” he said. “My experience also raised serious concerns about whether those processes operate fairly and effectively for every candidate.”~~~~~~~~Sara Hall covers City Hall and is a regular contributor to Stu News Laguna.</div></body>

Block Source: stunewslaguna.com

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

As Orange County continues to count ballots, early results in Laguna Beach show all three City Council incumbents holding the top three spots. As of Thursday evening, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, Alex Rounaghi led with 5,384 votes, or 22.4% of the vote, followed by Sue Kempf with 4,380 (18.22%) and Mark Orgill with 3,542 (14.73%).

Early election results show c

NewsBreak

As Orange County continues to count ballots, early results in Laguna Beach show all three City Council incumbents holding the top three spots. As of Thursd

Early election results show c

Comments