Voters in Orange City’s District 1, which includes Chapman University and the Old Towne Historic District, are guaranteed a new representative.
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With incumbent Arianna Barrios termed-out and running for mayor, the four-year District 1 seat is up for grabs.
Voters will choose between business owner and contractor Ernest Glasgow, real estate agent and Traffic Commission Vice Chair Albert “AJ” Ricci, business owner and Parks Commission Chair Brandy Romero and Jonathan St. Clair, a general manager at a local commercial printing company.
We asked the candidates questions about housing, city finances, transparency, and more, which you can read in our voter guide.
Here are their answers to why they would make good leaders:
Glasgow: I have been proud to call Orange home for more than 50 years. My desire is to serve and lead our community while helping ensure that Orange is on a strong and fiscally responsible path for the future. My three years of service on the Traffic Commission, followed by eight years on the Planning Commission, gave me valuable insight into how our city operates and just as importantly, the opportunity to listen to and consider the needs of residents throughout Orange. Orange is a diverse community made up of people from different neighborhoods, backgrounds, generations and perspectives. I believe effective leadership means listening to all of our residents, respecting those differences, and making thoughtful decisions that serve the community as a whole. I would bring that same independent perspective, commitment to fiscal responsibility, and dedication to representing all of Orange to the City Council.
Ricci: I’ll tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. That’s the kind of leadership Orange needs right now; someone who will ask the hard questions about spending, staffing, and city operations, even when the answer isn’t popular, so residents always know where we stand. I’m focused almost to a fault on results, not political theater. I don’t think council meetings are the place for national political fights the city has no authority over, and I won’t waste residents’ time on virtue signaling when there are potholes to fix, budgets to balance, and businesses that need a faster permit process. That focus is exactly how I represent Orange’s communities, the same standard, the same responsiveness, and the same willingness to listen, whether you’re a homeowner in Orange, a small business owner trying to make it, a renter of one of Orange’s beautiful homes, or a family that just moved here. Good representation isn’t about which group you’re speaking to. It’s about showing up, listening honestly, and following through on what this council actually controls, for every resident, every time.
Romero: Leadership to me means showing up, bringing people together, listening, and getting things done. That’s what I’ve been doing in Orange for years.
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When the city canceled Treats in the Streets, I stepped up and helped save it, raising over $40,000 in five weeks and putting it on as a private event. When other community events were at risk, I opened a store in the Orange Circle to help raise money and keep the traditions our community loves alive. I’ve served on boards, worked alongside our first responders and city staff, and now serve as chair of the Parks, Recreation & Special Events Commission. I was also honored to be named an Orange County Woman of the Year.
I have an extremely strong work ethic, and I’m not doing this for personal gain. I love Orange, and I’m willing to put in the work. I’m No Party Preference because I believe local government should be about people, not political parties. I will listen to every part of our community, work with people who have different viewpoints, and represent everyone in Orange, not just the people who agree with me. Our residents deserve a voice at City Hall.
St. Clair: I grew up in a farming community where people came from everywhere and worked side by side, and that shaped how I see this city. My own kids are in an Orange Unified dual immersion school, a choice my family made because we wanted them learning alongside the full community they’re growing up in. That’s a gift, and it’s also just an honest reflection of who Orange is.
I’m not endorsed by any sitting council member, and I’m not carrying anyone’s ideology or pet project. Representing diverse communities isn’t about speaking for people, it’s about being reachable, relatable, showing up in neighborhoods that don’t usually get a visit, and owing nothing to anyone but the residents who elected me.
Read more of the candidates’ answers at ocregister.com/voter-guide.
Voters can return ballots 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. Ballots can be cast in-person starting Saturday, Oct. 24, when the first vote centers open.
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