Huntington Beach city clerk race heats up
For the first time in more than eight years, Huntington Beach voters will seat a new city clerk when the general election is held in November.
Current City Clerk Robin Estanislau is retiring, and two candidates — Regina Blankenhorn and Lisa Lane Barnes — are vying for a four-year term.
The first couple of weeks of the campaign have already proven contentious.
Barnes hired an attorney to challenge Blankenhorn’s ballot designation of “city executive coordinator.” Her team argued that this was misleading, since Blankenhorn held that position in the city of Tustin — not in Huntington Beach.
“The ballot designation is very important, and when you use the word ‘city’ … it implies that you work in that city,” Barnes said. “Your ballot designation cannot be misleading, and that is misleading.”
The issue did not require litigation. On Monday, Estanislau agreed to reject Blankenhorn’s initial ballot designation and change it to her second alternative “municipal executive coordinator.”
Blankenhorn said she respected the decision.
“Executive coordinator is my job title, and I work for a city,” she said. “I thought it made sense. They said it was misleading, that people would think I was appointed to something or that I worked in Huntington Beach. I was like, everyone Googled me already and found out I worked for Tustin.”
For the record, Barnes’ ballot designation lists her as “businesswoman/Huntington Beach commissioner.”
Blankenhorn has been an executive coordinator for Tustin for 11 years, providing support to its city manager and city council in their dealings with the public and outside agencies, including media, while ensuring that policies and procedures are adhered to by the council.
A 25-year resident of Huntington Beach, she was previously an instructor in the Coastline Regional Occupational Program. She’s currently the chairperson for the Enterprise Corp. for the Coast Community College District, a for-profit corporation that operates the swap meets at Orange Coast and Golden West colleges.
Blankenhorn, who said she was listed as No Party Preference for years before recently registering as a Democrat, believes her experience in municipal government sets her apart.
“I want to make sure that a person who’s in there is experienced, because that person is going to be a department head and they’re going to have to lead that department and staff,” she said. “It’s not just a matter of conducting city council meetings. The city clerk is the elections official, and they’re also the records keeper.”
Among Blankenhorn’s endorsements are the city clerk of Laguna Beach, Ann Marie McKay.
Blankenhorn said that when she found out that Barnes was the only one running at the time, she decided to throw her hat in the ring.
“I didn’t know her name,” Blankenhorn said. “I just knew someone was running that was a Realtor in town and had absolutely no municipal government experience. I thought that was wrong. As a resident myself, I would not want to have an inexperienced person in that position. So that’s why I decided to run.”
Barnes countered that she directly serves the City Council in her current role as a Community and Library Services Commissioner, a position to which she was appointed by Councilman Tony Strickland in 2022.
Her background is is business. She said she previously worked for a global chemical manufacturing company before settling in as a local real estate agent two years ago.
“It’s always been one of my goals to be deeply involved with my community,” said Barnes, who has lived in Huntington Beach for a dozen years. “When I was working corporately, I did a lot of travel, and that really prohibited spending as much time as I would like to within our community. When that changed and I became a Realtor, it was a great opportunity for me to really anchor myself in the city and just become involved.”
She sees becoming the city clerk as an extension of that. As to Blankenhorn’s contention that she is unqualified, she noted that she’s proud to be on a commission that advises the City Council on what to do with Huntington Beach’s 78 parks, five libraries and one golf course.
Barnes said she has conservative values. She has endorsements from the Republican Party of Orange County, Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns, City Atty. Michael Gates and state Sen. Janet Nguyen, whose District 36 includes Huntington Beach.
“I’m embedded in the fabric of this community,” Barnes said. “I’ve never met [Blankenhorn], I’ve never seen her at a City Council meeting. I’ve never seen her at a city event in Huntington Beach, because she’s in Tustin.”
As the conductor of municipal elections, the city clerk could see increased importance in Surf City in future years.
In March, Huntington Beach voters approved Measure A, which means the city could require voter identification, provide more in-person voting locations and monitor ballot drop-boxes starting in 2026. Weeks later, California Atty. General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court, arguing that Measure A was illegal and preempted by state law.
Blankenhorn said she’d be ready to go on day one if elected.
“When I don’t know something, I’m going to have my staff to help me, guide me and direct me,” she said. “And I’ll have other city clerks that I can turn to. I know city clerks.”
Barnes also believes she is qualified, adding that the livelihood and well-being of the community were important to her.
“When I became involved, I loved it,” she said. “I absolutely loved it, and I wanted to do more for our community … I believe I am the best candidate.”
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