About the vote count
As you watch these results, keep in mind:
- As of Friday, Nov. 15, Orange County voters had returned nearly 1.4 million ballots and 1.36 million had been tallied.
- The county has about 1.9 million voters considered to be active.
Get full results:
Keep in mind that in tight races the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after Election Day. This is normal. Here's why.
In Orange County vote updates will the released each weekday by 5 p.m. until the last official results are posted.
In California, ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 5 are counted toward the results as long as they arrive within seven days of the election. The California Secretary of State's Office is scheduled to certify the final vote on Dec. 13.
What is at stake in this race
Santa Ana is asking voters whether they want to give a hefty salary increase to city council members, and index that salary to that of local judges. If successful, the initiative could encourage other cities to follow suit.
Under Measure FF, city council members, including the mayor, would get an immediate salary increase from $12,000 per year to $78,698 per year. Their pay would also increase automatically when salaries for O.C. Superior Court judges increase. The new council salaries would cost the city $550,000 per year compared to $84,000 per year currently.
Why this race mattered
In many small and mid-sized cities like Santa Ana (population 310,000), serving on city council is considered either a volunteer or part-time job, and not highly compensated.
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Scott Schmerelson was unanimously elected Tuesday to lead the LAUSD board after defeating a well-funded challenger in November’s election. -
Nguyen was able to take office weeks early to fill the vacancy caused Do’s resignation. -
Nathan Hochman succeeds George Gascón, known as the godfather of progressive prosecutors.
If the measure passes, Santa Ana council members would earn significantly more than their counterparts in other O.C. cities. For example, in Irvine, which has a similar population size, council members earned $11,440 in regular pay last year. If passed, the salary increase would take effect in January 2025.
