New Lake Elsinore City Council Member Selected For 4th District

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — The sitting council members heard from the community and candidates regarding the filling of the vacant District 4 seat left behind by Natasha Johnson at the Tuesday council session.

On a vote of 2 to 1, with one council member abstaining, Michael Carroll was appointed as the council member for District 4.

Carroll was one of six applicants for the vacant seat from a field that included Nicole Marie Dailey, Jason Devor, Lisa Orr, Everado Tello and Timarie Wooley.

Sitting council members, including Mayor Brian Tisdale (District 1), Mayor Pro Tem Robert 'Bob' Magee (District 5), Timothy J. Sheridan (District 3) and Steve Manos (District 2) heard supporting statements of support for all candidates prior to the vote. The comments overwhelmingly supported Michael Carroll in his endeavors across the city, including family members, friends, and members of his homeowners' association and sports teams.

Carroll was named the top pick by the special council committee to fill the available seat, nominated and seconded by Magee and Tisdale.

Steve Manos nominated candidate Nicole Dailey, while Sheridan abstained from the nomination process.

"It was an extremely tough decision to narrow the field down to two candidates so that our fellow council members could have a choice," said Tisdale. "We did decide on a clear top candidate and a second candidate."

The second candidate on their list was not named during the session.

"It was tough, as we knew we would have to tell some of our friends, 'no.' We narrowed it down to the top two candidates," said Magee.

Former Mayor Steve Manos spoke about how each candidate has their own strengths and unique qualities. "It makes it incredibly difficult to decide with this great number of candidates," he said, suggesting a special election may have served the residents best.

"Each candidate had a clear desire to serve," Timothy J. Sheridan said. "This is democracy. It is (District 4's) decision. It's not up to us to select one person to serve, I believe the people who deserve to make that decision are the people who live in District 4."

District 4 will have the chance to vote for its representative in the November 3rd municipal election of 2026.

Natasha Johnson was sworn into office on Sept. 8 to serve the 63rd Assembly District, completing U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli's term. She plans to run again for a full term, according to reports. She defeated her Democratic opponent, Chris Shoults, in the special election to fill the former Riverside County Assemblymember Bill Essayli's seat.

Carroll will be voted in for the two-year remainder of Johnson's term as a council member at the next session, in November.

Related:

Lake Elsinore City Council Looks to Fill Empty Seat Left By Natasha Johnson

Republican Natasha Johnson Declares Victory Over 63rd Assembly District

A correction was made to this report.