Community Activists Begin Push for Vote on Cityhood

Advocates of incorporation for the community have begun circulating petitions to call for a vote on whether to make it Orange County’s 32nd city.

On July 4, volunteers for the Rancho Santa Margarita Incorporation Committee gathered their first signatures at a local department store. Organizers said they hope to get another 5,000 by November.

Only 3,300 registered voters are required on the petition, but with the possibility of duplication and nonresident signatures, organizers said, they want extra signatures to ensure the success of the campaign.

“We tied the start of the petition drive to Independence Day because it had kind of a nostalgic appeal,” committee chairman Gary Thompson said.

After more than two years of paperwork and planning, “the timing is right, the desire is there, and it’s time to get started,” Thompson said. “Now, we’re officially on the road. That’s a good feeling for the whole community.”