In the seven people race to become the next mayor of Garden GroveCouncilwoman Stephanie Klopfenstein is the favorite.

Klopfenstein has obtained more than 27% of the votes counted as of Wednesday night. He has a lead of almost four percentage points (more than 1,600 votes) over former councilor Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen.

The new mayor will replace Steve Jones, who was unable to run again due to term limits to lead the bench. He has been mayor since 2016.

Klopfenstein joined the City Council in 2016 and represents District 5.

Its connection with the city goes back much further. Klopfenstein’s family has roots in Garden Grove dating back to the city’s beginnings in the late 19th century. She graduated from Garden Grove schools and her daughter is a fifth-generation Garden Grove Unified student, she said.

Klopfenstein worked in broadcasting before joining the board.

She also serves as a board member of the Orange County Transportation Authority and the OC Sanitation District, and is president of the Orange County Association of California Cities, a regional policy nonprofit organization composed of leaders of local municipal governments and non-governmental organizations.

“My years of experience on the council and working in the community have helped prepare me to lead as mayor.” Klopfenstein told the Register in an election questionnaire. “I also believe that my regional leadership, policy experience and legislative work make me a well-rounded candidate.”

Klopfenstein campaigned on a platform committed to police funding, fiscal responsibility and combating homelessness “with both services and law enforcement.”

“Since I joined the council in 2016, one of the top priorities facing our city has been homelessness,” he said. “I am proud to have addressed this issue head-on in Garden Grove with a strategic, comprehensive and forward-thinking plan. This plan provides emergency housing, rental assistance, supportive services, medical/mental health services, and more. We have a strong partnership with our Garden Grove Police Department Special Resource Team, Be Well OC, and the CalOptima Street Medicine Program, and we opened our Central Cities Navigation Center in June on time and on budget. “I look forward to tackling other important issues in our city with the same creative solutions and tenacity.”

Garden Grove voters are also electing a new District 5 representative as well as council members for Districts 2 and 6.

Yesenia Munetonsubstitute teacher, has a considerable lead in District 5. She has won 48.7% of the vote, compared to 39% for Sandy L. Thomas and 12.2% for Mariyan Bahadarakhann. The District 5 seat represents residents living in the eastern part of Garden Grove, generally bounded by Orangewood Avenue to the north, Euclid Street to the west, Garden Grove Boulevard to the south, and a small section extending east to Westminster Boulevard. and Haster Street. .

In District 2, Phillip Nguyen comfortably leads his head-to-head race against John Ramirez: 4,286 votes to 3,364 votes. Nguyen runs a tax preparation business. The northern section of Garden Grove, centered along Brookhurst Street, south to approximately Chapman Avenue, constitutes District 2.

In District 6, which includes the eastern neighborhoods of the city, Tri Lam Ariana Arestegui leads: 2,291 votes against 2,077 votes. Lam is a US Army veteran and director of biomedical operations at a medical device company.

The Registrar of Voters said results will be updated daily at 5 p.m., except on weekends, until counting is complete.