Special election results: Betty Martinez Franco set to become Irvine’s newest councilmember

Betty Martinez Franco appears set to join the Irvine City Council, filling out the seven-member dais as the District 5 representative.
A day after polls closed in a special election to fill the vacant seat, Martinez Franco had maintained her lead in the returns over former councilmember Anthony Kuo. Dana Cornelius, an HOA board member, was in a distant third.
Kuo said in a statement that he reached out Tuesday night to congratulate Martinez Franco.
“Tonight, we concluded a spirited campaig