Stanton voters will be deciding races for City Council districts 1 and 3, and at least one race guarantees a new face on the dais following the November election.
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Incumbent Donald Torres is looking to hold off a challenge from Thomas Frazier, a member of the city’s Planning Commission, to keep the District 1 seat.
In District 3, Gary Taylor is termed out and can not run again. There are three vying for the seat: Debora Donathan, an educator; DeWayne Normand, an IT technical lead; and Marlon-Ray Velasco, a supervisor and member of the Community Services Commission.
We asked the candidates questions about housing, city finances, transparency, and more, which you can read in our voter guide.
Here is what each said was the biggest need facing the city and how they would address it:
District 1
Frazier: Stanton’s greatest need is protecting and improving residents’ quality of life while keeping our community safe, affordable, and financially secure. Families are facing rising costs, housing pressures, homelessness, crime, aging infrastructure, and concerns about whether government is listening.
I would make public safety a top priority by supporting law enforcement and firefighters, enforcing laws fairly, connecting people experiencing homelessness with appropriate services, and continuing to strengthen the City’s efforts to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable people.
Although the rising cost of living is a larger regional and statewide issue, I would make every effort locally to ease that burden. It is unacceptable that many of our children cannot afford to live, work, and raise their families in the same communities where their parents were able to put down roots.
We must attract quality businesses, create jobs, revitalize commercial areas, and grow our tax base before asking residents to pay higher taxes. The city must also steward taxpayer dollars wisely, reduce unnecessary spending, address pension liabilities, maintain strong reserves, and pursue grants.
Finally, residents deserve a meaningful voice through District 1 meetings, “Talks on the Block,” town halls, and accessible local government.
Torres: The biggest need facing Stanton is protecting the quality of life of the people who already call this city home.
That means being tougher on nuisance properties, illegal activity, dumping, prostitution, and locations that repeatedly create problems for surrounding neighborhoods. It also means continuing to work with partners like the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force to go after pimps and johns while connecting victims with services and support.
Stanton residents should not have to lower their expectations because we are a small city. My focus is making sure our neighborhoods are safe, clean, healthy, and treated with the same respect as any other community in Orange County.
At the same time, we have to keep investing in our parks, streets, youth, seniors, local businesses, and public safety.
Stanton has never been afraid to do its part when it comes to difficult regional issues like homelessness, mental health, public safety, and human trafficking. But a small, dense city like ours cannot be expected to carry a disproportionate share of problems that require countywide and regional solutions.
District 3
Donathan: Stanton’s greatest need is to improve its quality of life and overcome the poor reputation and low expectations that have followed our city for too long. Problems involving prostitution, drugs, neglected properties and some motels and businesses along Beach Boulevard affect residents and discourage responsible investment.
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Enforcement and property accountability are necessary, but repeatedly responding to the same people and places is not a complete plan. For people struggling with addiction, homelessness or reentry, the city should help connect them with real options, including city and county services, treatment, peer-recovery programs, and community or faith-based outreach. Participation should be voluntary, with nonreligious options available, and help people develop viable, natural supports rather than continuing to cycle through enforcement.
Stanton also needs responsible redevelopment and visible improvements. I would explore a professional, community-led rebranding effort to identify our strengths, raise expectations, build civic pride and attract responsible investment. Residents, businesses and community organizations should help shape that new identity.
Rebranding cannot simply place a new name, slogan or logo over continuing problems. We must make real improvements while deliberately changing Stanton’s reputation and outlook for the future.
Normand: Stanton’s biggest need is strengthening community stability while preparing for long‑term growth. Residents consistently express concerns about safety, housing affordability, traffic, and the pace of change. Addressing these together — not as isolated issues — is the city’s most important challenge.
The solution starts with safe, clean, well‑maintained neighborhoods. Investing in public safety, street repair, lighting, and code enforcement creates the foundation for everything else: economic development, housing, and quality of life.
Next, Stanton must manage growth responsibly. New housing should be directed to commercial corridors, paired with strong design standards, traffic management, and community benefits. This meets state mandates without overwhelming existing neighborhoods.
Economic development is equally critical. Revitalizing Beach Boulevard, supporting small businesses, and attracting new employers expands the tax base, funds services, and reduces pressure on residents.
Finally, transparent, district‑level engagement ensures residents feel heard and included. When people understand how decisions are made — and see real follow‑through — trust grows.
By focusing on safety, smart growth, economic vitality, and open communication, Stanton can protect what residents value while building a stronger future. Please confirm details with trusted local sources.
Velasco: In my opinion, homelessness in our city is one of the biggest challenges that we face today. In approaching homelessness, I would consider it a public health issue and a housing issue. The ultimate goal of addressing homelessness is to get people stably housed in order to promote good physical health, mental health, and overall well-being.
To address homelessness as a public health issue, I will promote coordination between the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, the county’s Office of Care Coordination, neighboring cities, nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, and housing agencies to connect residents with mental health care, substance-use treatment, healthcare, and other supportive services based on their individual needs
To address homelessness as a housing issue, I will develop more affordable housing opportunities and ways to keep current residents housed. If elected, I will support entry-level homeownership opportunities as well as additional protections and resources for renters in our city.
Read more of the voter guide, including what the candidates said would make them good leaders and how they would represent the city’s diverse community at ocregister.com/voter-guide.
Ballots may be returned by mail (must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received within a week of Election Day) or to the OC Registrar of Voters’ drop boxes around town now, and the first vote centers will open for casting ballots in person on Oct. 24.
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