Ballots have hit the mailboxes of local voters in the high-stakes November 2022 election.
Voters’ decisions will impact who runs our government – and impacts local quality of life – from control of local school curriculum, to oversight of police, to addressing issues like homelessness and criminal justice.
But it can be tough to quickly compare the candidates – especially for local seats like school boards and city councils.
That’s why Voice of OC put together this voter guide – to offer clear, easy-to-follow rundowns of local contests. We also link to the answers candidates gave about where they stand on the issues – based on questions from readers and our newsroom.
Voters have the option of mailing back the ballot, dropping it off at any of the ballot drop boxes across the county, or delivering it to any vote center in the county.
Or, voters can cast their ballot in person at a vote center.
[Click here for more info on voting options.]
In local races, a handful of voters – sometimes as few as 15 or just one voter – can end up deciding who wins when the results are close.
Below is a summary of key races on the ballot.
You can also find links to all of our candidate questionnaires here.
Click Below to Skip to a Particular Contest:
U.S. House of Representatives
38th District | 40th District | 45th District | 46th District | 47th District | 49th District
State Senate:
30th District | 32nd District | 34th District | 36th District | 38th District
State Assembly:
59th District | 64th District | 67th District | 68th District | 70th District | 71st District |72nd District | 73rd District | 74th District
County Board of Supervisors
2nd District | 4th District | 5th District
Orange County Superior Court Judge
Superior Court Judge, Office No. 30
City Council and Mayor:
Aliso Viejo | Anaheim | Brea | Buena Park | Costa Mesa | Cypress | Fountain Valley | Fullerton | Garden Grove | Huntington Beach | Irvine | La Habra | Laguna Beach | Laguna Niguel | Mission Viejo | Orange | Santa Ana | Tustin | Westminster | Yorba Linda
K-12 School Boards
Anaheim Union High School District, Trustee Area 1
Capistrano Unified School District, Trustee Area 2, Short-Term
Capistrano Unified School District, Trustee Area 4
Capistrano Unified School District, Trustee Area 7
Cypress School District, Trustee Area B
Cypress School District, Trustee Area C
Fullerton Joint Union High School District, Trustee Area 4
Fullerton School District, Trustee Area 4
Garden Grove Unified School District, Trustee Area 2
Huntington Beach City School District, Trustee Area 4
Huntington Beach Union High School District, Trustee
Irvine Unified School District, Trustee Area 2
La Habra City School District, Trustee
Lowell Joint School District, Trustee Area 2
Newport-Mesa Unified School District, Trustee Area 2
Newport-Mesa Unified School District, Trustee Area 4
Newport-Mesa Unified School District, Trustee Area 5
Newport-Mesa Unified School District, Trustee Area 7
Ocean View School District, Trustee
Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 4
Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 7
Rowland Unified School District, Trustee Area 5
Saddleback Valley Unified School District, Trustee Area 5
Santa Ana Unified School District, Trustee Area 4
Community College Boards
Coast Community College District, Trustee Area 1
North Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 1
North Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 6
Rancho Santiago Community College District, Trustee Area 2
South Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 4
South Orange County Community College District, Trustee Area 6, Short Term
Water Districts
Municipal Water District of Orange County
County Supervisor – 2nd District
This central county district covers central and eastern Anaheim, as well as Santa Ana, East Garden Grove, Orange and Tustin.
For the first time in history, Latinos are a majority of voters for a seat on the county’s powerful Board of Supervisors.
And the choice comes down to two Democrats: Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento, or Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Bernice Nguyen.
The winner will have a four-year term as supervisor helping decide how to spend $8 billion a year on local law enforcement, mental health, homelessness, public health and other priorities.
Sarmiento is endorsed by the OC Democratic Party, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Katrina Foley.
Nguyen is endorsed by the county sheriff’s deputies’ union, as well as Republican OC Supervisor Andrew Do and Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-Irvine).
Sarmiento points to his leadership of one of the largest cities in California along with his efforts during the Covid pandemic for rent relief and boosting vaccination access.
Some of Sarmiento’s largest funding has come from attorneys who have represented the family of Brandon Lopez – a cousin of Santa Ana Councilman Johnathan Hernandez who was shot and killed in Santa Ana by Anaheim police in September.
The attorneys are the Alhambra-based law firm of Sarmiento’s sister, Vicki Sarmiento, as well as Woodland Hills-based Dale Galipo, who has sued on behalf of families of people killed by police in Santa Ana and Anaheim.
Vicki Sarmiento contributed $40,000 to a political action committee backing Sarmiento, and Galipo contributed $10,000.
Nguyen is supported by a wave of ads financed by the sheriff’s deputies union, which has spent at least $326,000 promoting her.
She is running on having a plan to tackle the homelessness crisis and says she’s the only candidate with direct experience working with county agencies and the public health care plan CalOptima.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
County Supervisor – 4th District
This north county district covers all or part of Fullerton, West Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, La Habra, Placentia and Stanton.
Right now, voters in north and west OC are faced with a rarity in local politics:
A party turning on their own incumbent.
Supervisor Doug Chaffee, a Democrat, has been under fire from Democratic Party leaders for often siding with his Republican colleagues on key issues like banning health officials from joining coronavirus news conferences.
He’s also sided with Republicans on decisions like mask mandates and trying to reset all of the supervisors’ term limits with a ballot measure that was widely condemned from across the political spectrum as misleading.
His challenger is Buena Park Mayor Sunny Park, who is backed by the party.
Chaffee, meanwhile, points to his long experience in both city and county government, as well as his efforts to add homeless shelter beds and permanent supportive housing and supporting the creation of a mental health campus known as Be Well OC.
Chaffee is getting major financial support from the county sheriff’s deputies’ union, which has spent around $300,000 promoting him so far.
Park points to her endorsements from the county Democratic Party, Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) and unions representing county firefighters and hotel workers.
The winner will have a four-year term as supervisor helping decide how to spend $8 billion a year on local law enforcement, mental health, homelessness, public health and other priorities.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
County Supervisor – 5th District
This south and coastal district includes Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, southern Irvine, Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch.
Will Democrats or Republicans control the $8 billion county government?
It all comes down to this hard-fought race.
Right now, voters in coastal and south OC have the power to decide who will control decisions around local law enforcement, mental health, homelessness and public health.
Supervisor Katrina Foley is a Democrat backed by her party as well as the unions representing county sheriff’s deputies, health and social service employees.
She’s facing off against Republican state Sen. Pat Bates, who’s backed by the OC Republican Party and one of the biggest conservative donor groups around, the Lincoln Club of Orange County.
The sheriff’s deputies union has spent over $263,000 on ads for Foley, and about $100,000 against Bates.
The conservative Lincoln Club has spent about $210,000 on ads against Foley, and $43,000 supporting Bates.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Orange County Superior Court Judge
Judges are among the most powerful officials in Orange County, tasked with administering justice on everything from personal injury lawsuits to murder cases.
And they’re among the toughest offices for voters to pick from because there’s such little information about the people running.
This time around, there’s only one judge race on the ballot.
It’s between OC Superior Court Commissioner Michele Bell, and Deputy Attorney General Peggy Huang – who also is a Yorba Linda councilwoman and Republican former candidate for Congress.
Bell is endorsed by the Democratic Party, while Huang is endorsed by the Republican Party.
The OC Bar Association rated Bell as “Well Qualified” and Huang as “Qualified.”
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Anaheim Mayor
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Months after federal agents revealed a corruption probe into city hall, former Mayor Harry Sidhu and the now-nixed Angel Stadium land sale, Anaheim voters will have a chance to select a new mayor as well representatives for three districts in the city.
There are four candidates in the race for Anaheim’s next mayor: Trevor O’Neil, Ashleigh Aitken, Lori Galloway and political newcomer Dick Lopez – most of whom responded to Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaire.
As the current Mayor Pro Tem, O’Neil has been leading city council meetings following the resignation of Harry Sidhu and had initially been a staunch supporter of the now-canned Angel Stadium deal. O’Neil, a Republican who often voted with Sidhu, was among the former mayor’s allies who called for his resignation earlier this year.
O’Neil has publicly admitted to being one of the council members FBI agents described in a criminal complaint and voted against proposed campaign finance reforms this year. He also returned contributions from the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce as well as Angel executives.
Aitken, a Democrat, narrowly lost to Sidhu in 2018 and is endorsed by the OC Democratic Party, the OC Register as well as the Anaheim Police Association and Anaheim Firefighters Association.
The Orange County Republican Party of OC did not endorse any candidates for Anaheim city council, according to their website.
Galloway also lost her mayoral bid in 2018.
The Helping Working Families Get Ahead PAC, funded by labor unions, has spent more than $46,000 to support Aitken’s campaign. The union-backed committee got a $100,000 contribution from the political action committee of hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE.
And the Anaheim firefighters’ PAC has spent more than $35,000 to support her campaign.
One of Orange County’s biggest Republican spending groups, The Lincoln Club of Orange County, has spent over $176,000 to oppose Aitken, while also spending at least $77,000 to boost her opponent, Galloway – who, like Aitken, is a Democrat.
The Lincoln Club’s officially endorsed candidate is O’Neil, a Republican.
Disney’s main political spending vehicle, known as SOAR, has stayed out of the mayoral race, as it did during the last mayor election in 2018.
SOAR however has spent nearly $872,000 in total among three different Anaheim City Council races to support resort-friendly candidates.
[Read: Disney’s PAC Continues Spending Big To Sway Voters in Anaheim]
All of the SOAR-backed council candidates declined to answer Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaires.
[Read: How Anaheim Candidates Answer Key Questions on FBI Corruption Probe, Disney and Little Arabia]
Anaheim City Council – District 2
In District 2 – which emcompasses Little Arabia and parts of West Anaheim – current Councilwoman Gloria Ma’ae is running against Business Development Manager Carlos Leon.
Ma’ae, who sat on Disney-funded SOAR’s advisory board, was appointed to the council by Sidhu and his majority following the resignation of Jordan Brandman in 2021. She also voted this summer against proposed campaign finance reforms.
SOAR has spent over $230,000 to bolster Councilwoman Ma’ae’s campaign, as of Oct. 19.
She has been endorsed by the Anaheim Firefighters Association, Anaheim Police Association, and the Orange County’s Business Council PAC.
Leon has been endorsed by the OC Register, OC Democratic Party and the Orange County Labor Federation.
The Helping Working Families Get Ahead PAC has spent nearly $20,000 to help Leon’s campaign, and Planned Parenthood of San Bernardino has spent roughly $2,800 as of Oct. 23.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Anaheim City Council – District 3
In District 3, Anaheim Union High School District Trustee Al Jabbar is facing off against OC Business Council COO and OC Fair Board Chair Natalie Rubalcava.
Jabbar is endorsed by the Democratic Party of OC, the Orange County Labor Association, the OC Register and Planned Parenthood.
The Anaheim Resort Workers for an Honest Council PAC has spent more than $11,000 benefitting Jabbar’s campaign. The Anaheim Municipal Employees Association donated $10,000 to the PAC, while UNITE HERE gave $50,000.
Rubalcava is endorsed by Anaheim Firefighters Association, Anaheim Police Association, Save Our Anaheim Resort and the Orange County Business Council.
Disney-funded SOAR has spent nearly $280,000 in support of Rubalcava, as of Oct. 21.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Anaheim City Council – District 6
In District 6 – which encompasses Anaheim Hills – Attorney Hari Shankar Lal is facing off against City Planning Commissioner and former Public Works Director Natalie Meeks.
Lal has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of Orange County and the OC Register.
Meeks has been endorsed by the Anaheim Police Association and the Anaheim Taxpayers Association.
As of Oct. 21, Disney-funded SOAR spent nearly $362,000 to bolster Meeks’ campaign – the most out of the three candidates the political action committee is backing in Anaheim this year.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Irvine Mayor
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Mayor Farrah Khan is running for re-election for the first time against four political newcomers, including one of her former commissioners who’s become one of her fiercest critics.
Khan has been caught in a series of controversies over the past year, including questions over her role in leaked texts between her and Congresswoman Katie Porter, her ties with an Armenian genocide denier and her chief consultant being publicly accused by the FBI of trying to bribe Irvine City Councilmembers.
She’s also benefited from over $50,000 in campaign money spent by developers through a series of committees that also have spent $100,000 against Councilman Larry Agran – despite the two being endorsed by the county Democratic Party.
[Read: Orange County and Los Angeles Democrat Parties Clash in Irvine City Council Race]
Her opponents in the race are author Katherine Daigle, pastor Simon Moon, paralegal Branda Lin and technology account executive Tom Chomyn.
While Daigle has run in every mayoral election for the past decade and never broke more than 20% of the vote, the rest have not run for office in Irvine before.
Khan is endorsed by the county Democratic Party. The county Republican Party declined to endorse any of the candidates against Khan.
All the candidates aside from Daigle recently attended a debate hosted by the Associated Students of UC Irvine, which can be viewed here.
Irvine City Council
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Six candidates are running for the two open seats on the Irvine City Council, with a chance to tip the balance toward either side of the political aisle depending on the outcome.
Incumbent councilmen Larry Agran and Anthony Kuo are both seeking reelection, alongside UCI professor Kathleen Treseder, college student Navid Sadigh and city commissioners John Park and Scott Hansen.
The biggest funding in the race has come in support of Kuo and Park, who’ve both benefited from over $100,000 apiece in supportive ads from the Lincoln Club of Orange County, a major conservative donor group.
Developers including the Irvine Company and FivePoint have also sent $100,000 toward a committee aimed at denying Agran re-election and supporting Mayor Khan.
The Democratic Party has endorsed Treseder and Agran for the two council seats, while Republicans are backing Kuo and Park.
Some of the candidates recently attended a debate hosted by the Associated Students of UC Irvine, which can be viewed here.
To read through their answers to Voice of OC’s questionnaire about how they would run the city, click here.
Santa Ana Mayor
It’s a battle between council veterans, a fresh face, and a local school board trustee.
Former Santa Ana council members Sal Tinajero and Jose Solorio have thrown their hat in the ring to be the face of a city that’s fixed itself at the center of national debates around housing, homelessness, immigration and policing.
Tinajero currently heads up the Santa Ana Unified School District’s speech and debate program and has the support of the council’s progressive camp under current Mayor Vicente Sarmiento. In Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaire, he listed his top issue as housing.
Solorio works for the Moulton Niguel Water District, was a former council member, and was also a state Assembly member in the aughts. He lists his top issues as homelessness and crime.
Solorio was once backed by the police union, but it appears the bulk of their support in this race is going to Valerie Amezcua, a retired county probation officer and Santa Ana Unified School Board member.
Jessie Nestor is fresh blood – a 20-year-old self-described libertarian with the endorsement of the Libertarian Party of Orange County to back it up.
The OC Democratic Party is backing Tinajero, while the Republican Party did not endorse anyone.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 2
It’s between incumbent Councilmember Nelida Mendoza and progressive community volunteer Benjamin Vazquez this year.
Mendoza, a former US Army Signal Corps sergeant, is among the more moderate sitting council members amidst a wave of progressive policies over the last few years, and is supported by police union mailers.
She first took office in a special recall election that ousted former council member Cecilia Iglesias, in a recall campaign funded primarily by the police union.
She lists crime as a top issue.
Vazquez is a school teacher and leader at the cultural center called El Centro Cultural de Mexico near the federal courthouse downtown.
He notably faced off against city officials who moved to fine the center in 2021 for protesting the city’s homelessness approach and refusing to remove an encampment in El Centro’s parking lot.
He lists affordable housing as a top issue.
The OC Democratic Party is backing Vazquez, while the Republican Party did not endorse anyone.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 4
The next incumbent-newcomer face off is in the district covering the city’s south end, this time between two people with urban planning backgrounds but different political leanings.
Phil Bacerra, another council centrist who’s pushed back against progressive-backed measures like rent control, is likewise getting support from police union mailers this election cycle.
He lists homelessness and getting drugs off the street as top priorities.
Amalia Mejia, a progressive candidate pursuing an urban planning and public policy Ph.D. at UCI, touts experience researching the OC Streetcar’s impacts and gentrification in Santa Ana.
She lists an affordable housing shortage as her top issue.
The OC Democratic Party is backing Mejia, while the Republican Party did not endorse anyone.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 6
In this race, the incumbent is Councilmember David Penaloza, a police union-backed moderate who with Bacerra has stuck to the center on issues like rent control and police compared to the progressive council faction elected in 2020.
He listed homelessness and drug addiction as his top issues.
Running against him is Manny Escamilla, a former city staffer, local historian and past council candidate aligned with progressives.
Escamilla listed homelessness as a top issue.
The OC Democratic Party is backing Escamilla, while the Republican Party did not endorse anyone.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Huntington Beach City Council
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Huntington Beach residents are about to get one of the city’s biggest political shake ups in years, with four brand new council members coming to the dais.
Voters will have to choose from a crowded field of sixteen candidates, ten of which responded to Voice of OC’s campaign questionnaire on what their plans for the city are.
Read: How Huntington Beach Candidates Answer Key Questions like Beach Traffic, Transparency, Housing
Both major parties have each endorsed four candidates for the race. The OC Republican Party is backing Pat Burns, Casey McKeon, Gracey Van Der Mark and Tony Strickland, while the county Democratic Party endorsed Gina Clayton-Tarvin, Jill Hardy, Kenneth Inouye and Oscar Rodriguez.
Mobile home park owners have been organizing themselves in this year’s election, spending close to $25,000 so far on the Republican-endorsed candidates (McKeon, Burns, Strickland and Van der Mark) through the Manufactured Housing Educational Trust PAC. City leaders have been debating whether to implement rent control for residents at their parks.
The Huntington Beach Police Officers Association split its donations on candidates in both major parties, spending $11,000 apiece supporting Tarvin, Rodriguez, McKeon and Strickland.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Huntington Beach City Attorney
Huntington Beach is the only city in Orange County that still elects its city attorney, and this year it’s an intense competition.
Incumbent Republican Michael Gates has repeatedly butted heads with the City Council majority over the past year, arguing the two positions are independent of each other, while the council argues he works for them.
Read: Battle Between Huntington Beach City Council and Elected Attorney Continues
Gates’ opponent Scott Field used to work for Gates in the city attorney’s office and sued him, alleging age discrimination, and is now trying to take his seat.
Gates is endorsed by the Republican Party, while Field is endorsed by the Democratic Party.
Garden Grove Mayor
One of Little Saigon’s core cities has the chance for a new mayor.
But Garden Grove’s guaranteed to keep its longtime incumbent Mayor Steve Jones for another term.
He’s running unopposed.
Garden Grove City Council, District 1
In this race, incumbent George Breitigam seeks to hold onto a seat with reelection goals that include increasing firefighter response times and building a homeless shelter to service the city, according to his candidate statement.
He did not respond to Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaire.
Challenging him is family physician and resident Allen Raymond Rodriguez, who in his response to the Voice of OC questionnaire listed road infrastructure upgrades, uneven sidewalks and vacant stores as his top issue.
Neither major party endorsed anyone in this race.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Garden Grove City Council, District 3
In this district it’s between five candidates to take the seat currently held by Deidre Nguyen, who’s not up for reelection.
There’s Gia Nguyen, a business owner who didn’t respond to Voice of OC’s questionnaire but lists top priorities in her official candidate statement, which include grants, tax incentives and faster permit approval for local storefronts.
There’s Asia Nguyen Cunningham, who in her response to Voice of OC’s questionnaire listed affordable housing and cost of living disparities as her top priorities.
Cindy Tran, a business owner and teacher, didn’t return the questionnaire but in her official candidate statement listed small business grants and homelessness as priorities.
Laurie Merrick, a business analyst manager and co-founder of the Garden Grove Neighborhood Association listed homelessness, crime and police response road repairs, and ADU buildings as her top priorities, in her response to the Voice of OC questionnaire.
Then there’s James ‘Jimmy’ Webb, an EMT first responder who in his response to the questionnaire listed homelessness – namely, support for a city homeless shelter – as his top issue.
The OC Republican Party endorsed Merrick, while the Democratic Party did not endorse anyone.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Garden Grove City Council, District 4
In this race it’s between three residents hoping to succeed council member Phat Bui.
There’s Joe Dovinh, who lists his top issue as financial recovery from the pandemic.
Duy Nguyen and Trung Ta did not return the questionnaire.
Nguyen lists experience serving on various commissions and boards, largely around the Vietnamese American community. He’s a financial consultant who lists small business pandemic recovery and dual literacy in local schools as a top issue, in his official candidate statement.
The main issues for Ta, a retired aerospace engineer, include combatting property crimes and protecting property values, and the revitalization of local business, according to his candidate statement.
The OC Republican Party endorsed Nguyen, while the Democratic Party did not endorse anyone.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Fullerton City Council – District 3
Three candidates are vying for a seat on the Fullerton City Council to represent the city’s 3rd District, which encompasses most of the east side of the city.
The three candidates are Arnel Dino, who is a city planning commissioner; Shana Charles, who is a Cal State Fullerton professor; and John Ybarra, a real estate broker.
Dino has been endorsed by the Fullerton Police Officers’ Association, who as of Oct. 11 have spent $10,500 to elect him via digital ads, according to a city campaign finance disclosure form.
He has also been endorsed by the OC Register.
Charles has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of Orange County, Planned Parenthood and Orange County Labor Federation.
The Republican Party of OC has not endorsed anyone in this race.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Fullerton City Council – District 5
In District 5, incumbent Ahmad Zahra will be facing off against Oscar Valadez – a construction superintendent and OCTA advisory committee member, as well as Tony Castro – a digital media artist.
Zahra has been endorsed by the Democratic Party of OC, the Fullerton Police Officers’ Association, the OC Labor Federation and the Orange County Employees Association.
As of Oct. 11, the police union has spent $10,500 on Zahra for digital ads, according to a city campaign finance disclosure form.
Meanwhile, the Fullerton Fire Association donated $4,900 to Zahra’s campaign as of Oct. 7 and the OC Employees association donated $1,900 as of the same day.
Valadez has been endorsed by the OC Register.
Castro identifies himself as a “non-corporate, pro-union, progressive Democrat” who refuses corporate donations.
The OC Republican Party has not endorsed anyone in this race.
Candidates in both districts have responded to a Voice of OC questionnaire on important issues in the city.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Orange Mayor
In Orange, incumbent Mark Murphy will face off with Dan Slater – a real estate broker and business owner for the mayoral seat.
Murphy has been endorsed by the Orange City Firefighters and the Republican Party of Orange County.
The Orange Police Association PAC has spent over $25,000 in support of his campaign.
As of Sept. 24, Murphy has raised over $41,000 this year for his campaign while Slater has raised over $39,900 this year for his campaign.
The Atlas Political Action Committee has spent over $13,600 in mass mail against Slater, as of Oct. 14.
The Democratic Party of OC did not endorse any candidate in this race.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Orange City Council – District 1
In this district, incumbent Arianna Barrios is facing off against Jason White – a contract specialist.
Barrios is endorsed by the Orange City Firefighters union, the city of Orange Police Association, the Orange County Business Council PAC, and The OC Taxpayers Association PAC.
The Orange Police Association PAC has spent over $12,000 in support of her campaign, as of Oct. 20.
White is endorsed by the Democratic Party of Orange County.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Orange City Council – District 3
Councilwoman Kathy Tavoularis is facing off against John Russo – a real estate agent and IT support specialist.
Tavoularis was appointed to the city council in April last year after an Orange County Superior Court ruled Mike Alvarez was ineligible to serve a third term due to the city’s rules on term limits. Alvarez resigned.
Russo was one of the residents who filed the lawsuit challenging the validity of Alvarez’s third term.
Tavoularis is endorsed by the Republican Party of Orange County, Apartment Association of Orange County, the Orange City Firefighters union, the city of Orange Police Association, the Orange County Business Council PAC and Lincoln Club of Orange County.
The Orange Police Association PAC has spent over $12,000 in support of her campaign, as of Oct. 20.
Neither Tavoularis or Russo answered Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaire.
[Read: How Orange Candidates Answer Key Questions on Mary’s Kitchen, Old Towne and Transparency]
Orange City Council – District 4
Orange County Water District Director Dennis Bilodeau is running against John Newman – an assistant manager as well as business owner Chris Horton to represent district 4.
Bilodeau has been endorsed by the Orange County Taxpayers Association, Orange County Business Council PAC, the OC Register and the Republican Party of Orange County.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Orange City Council – District 6
Brian Harrington, a supply chain manager, is facing off against John Gyllenhammer, a businessman, and Adrienne Gladson, businesswoman and urban planner.
Gyllenhammer is endorsed by the Republican party of OC, Lincoln Club of OC, OC Taxpayers Association, Orange County Business Council PAC and the OC Register.
The Atlas Political Action Committee has spent over $6,000 in mass mail against Gladson, as of Oct. 14.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Costa Mesa Mayor
The mayor’s race in town is between two Johns with two differing views on the city’s most pressing issues.
The main priorities for John Stephens, the incumbent mayor, include recruiting and retaining first responders, community policing forums, and traffic calming and road safety design, according to his response to the Voice of OC candidate questionnaire.
The main issue for John Moorlach, a well-known California Republican and former county supervisor and state senator, is the city’s unfunded pension liability and its impact on city finances, according to his questionnaire response.
The OC Republican Party endorsed Moorlach, while the Democratic Party endorsed Stephens.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Costa Mesa City Council, District 3
It’s between an incumbent and two challengers for this council seat.
Incumbent council member Andrea Marr touts a reduction in street homelessness per county headcount data, and lists expanding the city’s homelessness efforts through things like collaboration of CARE Court as a top issue, according to her candidate questionnaire response.
John Thomas Patton is a financial advisor running on more stringent development standards and city revitalization in certain areas. His main concern, according to his questionnaire response, is a citywide ballot measure before voters this November that would roll back housing development restrictions.
Jorge Miron is a patient care advocate who in his questionnaire response mentioned parking as a top concern in town, and wants to start a shared parking agreement program between residences and businesses.
The OC Republican Party endorsed Patton, while the Democratic Party endorsed Marr.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Costa Mesa City Council, District 4
Incumbent Councilmember Manuel Chavez is guaranteed reelection running unopposed for his seat this November.
His main concern, according to his questionnaire response, is housing – and he supports efforts on the ballot this year to roll back the city’s development restrictions.
The Democratic Party endorsed Chavez.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Costa Mesa City Council, District 5
In this race it’s between an incumbent and one challenger.
Councilmember Arlis Reynolds, if reelected, hopes to build creative cohousing, efficient apartments for students and young professionals, and multi-use housing that invites walkable communities if reelected, according to her response to the questionnaire when talking about top priorities.
Challenging her is Robert Dickson, a senior paralegal who didn’t respond to Voice of OC’s questionnaire but, in his official candidate statement, voiced concern over more housing development in town and city finances.
The OC Republican Party endorsed Dickson, while the Democratic Party endorsed Reynolds.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Mission Viejo City Council – 1st District
All five city council seats will be on the ballot in Mission Viejo this year, and the city’s newly formed first district is guaranteed to see the council’s first new member since 2016.
Bob Ruesch, chair of the city’s Planning Commission, business owner Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik and accounting consultant Linda Shepard are all running for an empty seat.
Ruesch is endorsed by the county Republican Party, while Cunningham-Skurnik picked up the endorsement from the county Democratic Party. Whoever wins will be the first new face on dais in years, and the first to represent the city’s first district.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Mission Viejo City Council – 2nd District
Councilman Brian Goodell is running for reelection against retired school principal Stacy Holmes in the city’s second district.
Goodell was last elected in 2020 in a citywide election for a two year term, and while the council initially tried to extend both Goodell and Councilwoman Trish Kelley’s terms to the standard four years, they were blocked from doing so by an OC Superior Court Judge.
Goodell has been endorsed by the county Republican party, while Holmes is endorsed by Congresswoman Katie Porter and Canyon Democrats, a prominent south OC political group.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Mission Viejo City Council – 3rd District
Incumbent Councilmen Ed Sachs and Greg Raths are running against each other in this newly formed district, alongside businesswoman Cynthia Vasquez for a seat on the dais.
Both Sachs and Raths were nearly removed from office earlier this year after an OC Superior Court judge found they had illegally extended their terms, but the decision to remove them was stopped by the state appellate court so they could review the ruling.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Read: California Appeals Court Blocks Removal of Mission Viejo City Council Majority
While Sachs and Raths were both endorsed for years by the county Republican Party, the party chose to endorse only Sachs for the third district, and Vasquez has scored endorsements from several county employee unions and women’s groups.
Mission Viejo City Council – 4th District
Councilwoman Trish Kelley is running for reelection against paralegal Terri Aprati, in what would be her third consecutive term on the council and her sixth term overall.
Kelley is endorsed by the county Republican Party, and Aprati lists no endorsements on her website.
Write-in candidate Ken Golemo was also added to the ballot just weeks ahead of the election, and said on his website that he wanted to bring more transparency to city hall and organize a beach volleyball tournament on the edge of the lake.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Mission Viejo City Council – 5th District
Mayor Wendy Bucknum is running for reelection against Jon Miller, a Navy veteran who now works as a supply chain consultant.
Miller has been a strong opponent of the city’s efforts to buy and redevelop the old Steinmart property, a move Bucknum has supported along the way, and also criticized Bucknum for her part in the city council’s term extensions.
Bucknum is endorsed by the county Republican Party while Miller is endorsed by the Democratic Party.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Westminster Mayor
It’s between three sitting council members and a resident in the race to be the face of one of Orange County’s most troubled cities.
There’s Tai Do, a Long Beach Police Officer who was first elected on a platform of reform for City Hall in the wake of public corruption claims from top city officials in the 2010s.
In the years since, however, politics has gotten worse, as he bickered with fellow council members Chi Charlie Nguyen and Kimberly Ho until 2021, when political alliances shifted.
With Nguyen (who later switched his position and vote), he publicly opposed the continuance of a sales tax increase measure that city staff warned would bankrupt the city if it expired. Ho publicly advocated for the sales tax measure.
Another candidate is resident Moses Castilla, a personal injury specialist and former Los Angeles Police Dept. sergeant who lists crime as a top priority and supported the sales tax measure in his responses to Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaire.
It’s considered a top issue for Westminster, as the sales tax continuance is now on the ballot for this November for voters to decide on. The results of that ballot measure could determine what will be left of Westminster for these candidates to be mayor of.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Westminster City Council, District 1
It’s between two would-be council newcomers, Amy Phan West and John Gentile, the latter of whom’s also a retired Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. investigator. Both describe themselves as business owners.
In their official candidate statements, both say they intend to fully fund police and beef up public safety measures. Neither responded to Voice of OC’s candidate questionnaire.
Westminster City Council, District 4
In the ring for this race are attorneys Jimmy Pham and Lan Quoc Nguyen, as well as city planning commissioner Teri Vu Nguyen.
In their responses to Voice of OC candidate questions, Lan Quoc Nguyen downplayed the threat of an operational breakdown with the expiration of the sales tax while Teri Vu Nguyen said it could ease the constraints.
Pham didn’t respond to the questionnaire.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
U.S. House of Representatives
38th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez will face off against Republican Eric Ching, mayor of Walnut.
The district barely touches the most northern tip of Orange County, covering most of La Habra and Democrats have a heavy advantage in voter registration – 48% of the district’s 442,879 voters are Democrats, compared to 22% Republican.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
40th Congressional District
Rep. Young Kim, a Republican, is defending her seat against Democratic challenger Asif Mahmood.
According to election forecaster, FiveThirtyEight, Kim is “clearly favored” to win against Mahmood in a district that has Republicans about 20,000 registered voters ahead of Democrats.
The district stretches down the easternmost sections of Orange County – from Anaheim Hills and Yorba Linda to Rancho Santa Margarita and Coto de Caza.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
45th Congressional District
Rep. Michelle Steel, a Republican and former OC supervisor, is looking to defend her seat against Democratic challenger Jay Chen – making national headlines in the process.
Recently, there’s been an uproar from some residents about ads depicting Chen as sympathetic to the Chinese Communist government – sent to the district’s Vietnamese voters. Chen, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, and others pushed back against the fliers as “red baiting.”
The district stretches from parts of Cerritos to Fullerton, Placenta and Brea, while dipping through Cypress and Buena Park and into Westminster and Garden Grove – the heart of Little Saigon.
FiveThirtyEight predicts Steel is “favored” to win the race, basically giving her a 75% chance – despite Democrats having a roughly 24,000-person edge in voter registration in a district that encompasses Little Saigon.
Neither candidate responded to Voice of OC’s candidate survey.
46th Congressional District
Longtime Democratic Rep. Lou Correa faces off against Christopher Gonzalez, a businessman and attorney, in a heavily Democratic district that stretches north from Santa Ana and beyond parts of West Anaheim and Stanton.
Nearly 50% of the district’s roughly 333,000 voters are registered Democrats, compared to 22% for Republicans.
Neither candidate responded to Voice of OC’s candidate survey.
47th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Katie Porter is looking to defend her seat against Republican challenger Scott Baugh, a former GOP Assembly leader. The coastal district stretches from Seal Beach to Laguna Beach, with a portion of it stretching into Irvine.
The contest is attracting national attention because Porter’s a Democratic star in what could be a tight race against Baugh.
While Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball considers the district leaning Democrat and FiveThirtyEight says Porter is “favored” to win, the difference in registered voters between the two parties isn’t much.
According to data from the OC Registrar of Voters, nearly 36% of the district’s 451,411 voters are registered Democrats, while 34% are Republican. Nearly a quarter of the district’s voters are No Party Preference.
Recently, David Wasserman, editor at the Cook Political Report, told Axios that Porter could lose to Baugh Nov. 8.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
49th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Mike Levin faces off against Republican Bryan Maryott, a former San Juan Capistrano City Councilmember – a rematch of the 2020 election in the southernmost congressional district in OC.
Levin beat Maryott by more than 24,000 votes in the 2020 General Election.
The district favors Democrats, who have 36% of the nearly 467,000 registered voters, compared to 33% for Republicans.
The district stretches from Ladera Ranch and Laguna Niguel down through Oceanside, Carlsbad and Encinitas into a small portion of Del Mar.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
State Legislature
30th State Senate District
Democratic State Sen. Bob Archuleta faces off against Republican challenger Mitch Clemmons in a district that heavily favors Democrats.
According to state voter registration data, just about half of the district’s roughly 460,000 voters are registered as Democrats, compared to 24% Republican.
32nd State Senate District
Republican Assemblyman Kelly Seyarto takes on Democrat Brian Nash in a district that favors the GOP.
According to state data, Republicans make up nearly 40% of the district’s 582,000 registered voters – compared to 32% for Democrats.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
34th State Senate District
Democratic State Sen. Tom Umberg is facing off against Republican Rhonda Shader, a Placentia City Councilmember.
The district heavily favors Democrats, who make up 49% of the district’s 430,000 registered voters. Just over 22% of voters are registered as Republicans.
36th State Senate District
Republican Assemblywoman Janet Nguyen heads up against Huntington Beach Councilwoman Kim Carr, a Democrat, in a district with nearly equal voter registration numbers between the two parties.
Just over 36% of the district’s 623,000 registered voters are Republican, while almost 35% are registered Democrats.
38th State Senate District
Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear, a Democrat, faces off against Republican small business owner Matt Gunderson.
The district largely stis in San Diego county, while touching the southernmost tip of Orange County, beginning with Mission Viejo. Democrats have an advantage with nearly 38% of the district’s nearly 598,000 voters, while Republicans have about 32%.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
59th Assembly District
Republican Assemblyman Phillip Chen is looking to defend his seat against Leon Sit, an engineering student who isn’t registered to a political party.
Republicans have the advantage in the district with just over 39% of the district’s roughly 303,000 registered voters, while Democrats sit at nearly 33%. No Party Preference voters make up 22% of voters.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
64th Assembly District
Downey Mayor Blanca Pacheco, a Democrat, faces off against Republican and pest control manager Raul Ortiz, Jr. in a district that primarily sits in Los Angeles County, but stretches into La Habra.
Democrats have a heavy advantage in the district with over 51% of 276,000 registered voters, while Republicans sit at 21%.
67th Assembly District
Longtime Democratic Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva looks to defend her seat against Republican Soo Yoo, an ABC Unified School District board member that serves Hawaiian Gardens and Cerritos.
The district, which stretches into Los Angeles County from North Orange County, heavily favors Democrats, which make up nearly 44% of the district’s 249,000 registered voters. Republicans sit at just over 26% of registered voters.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
68th Assembly District
Anaheim City Councilman Avelino Valencia, a Democrat, faces off against Republican Mike Tardiff, a small business owner.
The district heavily favors Democrats, who make up half of the district’s 207,000 registered voters, while Republicans sit at roughly 21%.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
70th Assembly District
Garden Grove City Councilwoman Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen, a Democrat, faces off against Westminster Mayor Tri Ta, a Republican, for a district that represents Little Saigon.
Democrats have an edge in voter registration, making up just over 37% of the district’s 257,000 registered voters while Republicans make up 33%.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
71st Assembly District
Two Republicans are facing off against each other in the district that stretches from southeast Orange County into Temecula and Wildomar: Temecula Mayor Matt Rahn is against small business owner Kate Sanchez.
The district favors Republicans, who make up 40% of the district’s nearly 312,000 registered voters, while Democrats sit at nearly 31%.
72nd Assembly District
Newport Beach City Councilwoman Diane Dixon, a Republican, faces off against Democrat Judie Mancuso, an executive in the nonprofit sector.
The coastal district favors Republicans, who make up roughly 39% of the district’s 337,000 registered voters, while Democrats make up 33%.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
73rd Assembly District
Democratic Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris looks to defend her seat against Republican Assemblyman Steven Choi – the two state legislators have to run against each other after the recent redistricting.
The district heavily favors Democrats, who make up 40% of the nearly 256,000 registered voters, while Republicans have 27%.
74th Assembly District
Republican Assemblywoman Laurie Davies is up against San Clemente City Councilman Chris Duncan, a Democrat, in the southern coastal district that stretches down to Oceanside and Vista.
Voter registration is nearly even: Republicans make up just under 35% of the district’s roughly 297,000 voters, while Democrats have just over 35%.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
K-12 School Districts
Capistrano Unified School District – Trustee Area 2, Short Term
In area 2, small business owner Kira Davis is running against parent and business owner Michael Parham.
The seat became vacant earlier this year after former trustee Pamela Braunstein resigned her seat earlier this year saying policies against the mask mandate proposed by some of her former colleagues and harassment from parents pushed her to leave.
District trustees adopted a resolution last year calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to rescind his COVID-19 vaccination mandate for K-12 students. They also urged state public health officials to make masks optional at schools.
The district is the 9th largest district in the state and biggest in Orange County with close to 50,000 students enrolled in the 2021-22 school year, according to data from the California Dept. of Education.
Davis is running on a platform against mandates and keeping schools open. She is endorsed by the Republican Party of OC.
Parham served as Irvine Unified School District trustee for 12 years. The Capistrano Unified Education Association has endorsed him.
Jessica Hubbard, an Education Nonprofit executive, was originally in the race as well but has announced on her campaign website that she is no longer running and will vote for Parham.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Capistrano Unified School District – Trustee Area 4
Software Developer Darin Patel is running against Gary Pritchard, a community college dean and former school district trustee, as well as James Glantz, education consultant and businessman, to represent area 4.
Pritchard is endorsed by Capistrano Unified Education Association and the Democratic Party of OC while Glantz is endorsed by the Republican Party of OC and the Lincoln Club.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Capistrano Unified School District – Trustee Area 7
Incumbent Judy Bullockus is facing off with Library Director Jeanette Contreras to represent Area 7.
Bullockus is endorsed by the Republican Party of OC and the Lincoln Club.
She voted in favor of the resolution calling on Newsom to rescind the expected K-12 student vaccine mandates.
Contreras is endorsed by the Democratic Party of OC and the Capistrano Unified Education Association.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Santa Ana Unified School District – Trustee Area 4
In Area 4, Sylvia Iglesia, administrative manager, is running against Katelyn Brazer Aceves, family community liaison, as well as Attorney Andrew Linares.
Aceves is endorsed by the Santa Ana Educators Association – the teachers union, the Democratic Party of OC, and Chispa.
The district is the 12th largest district in the state and the second biggest in Orange County with over 44,000 students enrolled in the 2021-22 school year, according to data from the California Dept. of Education.
Santa Ana was the hardest hit city by the pandemic and the district was one of the last to return to in person instruction. It also held vaccination clinics at district schools.
In 2020, district trustees approved an ethnic studies graduation requirement – the first district in the county to do so.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Garden Grove Unified School District – Trustee Area 2
Incumbent Lan Quoc Nguyen is facing off against Mark Anthony Paredes, healthcare engagement manager, as well as Parent Nicole Jaimes.
Paredes is endorsed by the Democratic Party of OC and the Garden Grove Education Association.
Jaimes is running on a platform for special education reform, expanding language programs and against critical race theory, sexualization of children and gender neutral bathrooms.
The district is the 18th largest district in the state and the third biggest in Orange County with over 38,000 students enrolled in the 2021-22 school year, according to data from the California Dept. of Education.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to Voice of OC survey questions.
Nick Gerda covers county government for Voice of OC. You can contact him at ngerda@voiceofoc.org.
Nick Gerda covers county government for Voice of OC. You can contact him at ngerda@voiceofoc.org.