Ex OC city councilmember lied about her residency while on council, running for mayor: DA
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Former Irvine City Councilmember Tammy Kim faces multiple felony charges, including perjury, for allegedly misrepresenting her residency in 2024.
This occurred while she was serving on the City Council and campaigning as a candidate for mayor.
What we know:
The charges include three felony counts of perjury by declaration, three felony counts of filing a false document, one felony count of a public official aiding the illegal casting of votes, one felony count of filing false nomination papers, one felony count of knowing registration of someone not entitled to vote, one felony count of voter registration fraud, and one misdemeanor count of making a false statement.
Timeline:
Kim served on the Irvine City Council from 2020 to 2024. In May 2024, Kim is accused of changing her California driver’s license and voter registration to an address on Alaris Aisle, where she allegedly never lived.
On November 4, 2024, Councilmember Kim lost her bid for Irvine mayor.
On November 5, 2024, she voted in Irvine’s City Council District 5 election, despite not living in that district.
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In December 2024, Kim allegedly filed nomination papers to run for a City Council seat in District 5 using the Alaris Aisle address.
On January 10, 2025, Kim is accused of putting a $400 deposit on a room for rent at a home on Willowrun in District 5, changing her driver’s registration to that address the same day, and a week later, filing new nomination paperwork reflecting the Willowrun address.
In January 2025, the Orange County Registrar of Voters received a Petition for Writ of Mandate and Injunctive Relief concerning Kim’s voter registration and candidacy.
On February 7, 2025, an Orange County Superior Court judge granted the petition, ordering Kim's name removed from the ballot for the April 15, 2025, Special Election.
Betty Martinez Franco subsequently won that special election.
The backstory:
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office was alerted to Kim’s potential residency issues by an Irvine resident.
The core of the allegations centers on Kim's changing of her driver’s license and voter registration to addresses where she purportedly did not reside.
Specifically, she is accused of certifying false information under penalty of perjury.
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It is alleged that she used an address on Alaris Aisle without the knowledge of its occupants, and later moved to a Willowrun address after responding to a Craigslist ad, again updating official documents.
Voters are required to live in the district in which they cast their votes, and candidates must reside in the district for which they are running.
Local perspective:
The alleged residency fraud impacted local elections in Irvine.
Despite not living in District 5, Councilmember Kim voted in its November 2024 election.
Her attempt to run for a City Council seat in District 5 was ultimately thwarted by a court order that removed her name from the ballot for the April 15, 2025, Special Election.
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This allowed other candidates, including Betty Martinez Franco, to compete for and ultimately win the District 5 seat.
What's next:
Kim is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, May 23.
If convicted of felony perjury, Kim would be banned for life from holding public office.
She faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and eight months in state prison and six months in county jail if convicted on all counts.
The Source: Information for this story is from the Orange County District Attorney's Office.