IRVINE : Vardoulis Captures Open Council Seat

A conservative former councilman won his bid to fill an open council seat, defeating two slow-growth candidates.

With some absentee ballots still being counted Wednesday, unofficial results showed that Bill Vardoulis, 52, won the special election to fill the council seat vacated by Sally Anne Sheridan when she was elected mayor in June.

The other major item on the Irvine ballot, Measure E, went down to defeat by more than 3 to 2. The measure would have scrapped the city’s two-year-old system of having voters select the mayor. Measure E’s failure marked the third time since 1986 that voters have said they want to elect their mayor.

Vardoulis’ victory over his slow-growth competitors, Michael Tague and Carol Yocum, continues a trend by Irvine voters to elect more conservative leaders. In June, voters threw out Mayor Larry Agran and his council allies, who supported a slate of social, environmental and slow-growth proposals.

Vardoulis promised to cut spending and return Irvine to its more conservative past. Vardoulis was on the council between 1976 and 1984.

The other item on the ballot, Measure F, was passed by more than 2 to 1. The measure will move the city’s regular elections from June to November.

Measure E’s defeat means city officials will be left to grapple with the very problem that led to Tuesday’s election: how to fill a council seat if a sitting council member is elected mayor. The two possible methods of filling the seat under Irvine’s laws have prompted lawsuits and opinions by judges that the city’s process probably violates the Constitution.

Sheridan said she will propose a workshop for the public to suggest alternatives, such as requiring a council member to resign before running for mayor.