OC voters finally know what measures did — and did not — make it to the 2026 general election ballot

Time is up for Orange County governments to add measures to the general election ballot. Here are some of the major ballot measure items headed to voters in November.

Costa Mesa 

Costa Mesa voters will be asked in November if business license taxes should be increased for some large businesses making more than $500,000 in annual revenue.

Currently, large businesses have a $200 limit for taxes to operate in the city. For example, big box stores like Home Depot and Target in Costa Mesa only pay $200 a year in business license taxes. The change, if approved, could increase that to as high as $15,000 based on gross income.

Small businesses — which the city defines as those with $500,000 or less in gross income — will not be affected.

Irvine

In Irvine, voters will be asked whether the city should switch the local election system to ranked-choice voting in 2028.

The system would allow voters to rank their candidates in order of preference instead of casting a vote for one candidate.

If approved, the change would only take effect if the costs stay below 0.23% of the city’s general fund. If the switch goes above that amount, the ranked-choice voting system could be delayed until a future election.

Orange

Orange is currently a general law city bound by state law and mandates. Voters will decide if Orange should become a charter city, joining other municipal governments such as Los Angeles, Santa Ana and Huntington Beach.

Charter cities still have to follow state and federal laws, but can establish their own rules on issues such as mayoral authority, term limits and financial management.

Voters in Orange will also decide on a one-cent sales tax increase that, if approved, would last for 13 years.

The city of Orange is looking at increasingly dire budget conditions. In the 2024 election, voters narrowly rejected a 10-year half-cent sales tax measure estimated to generate $20 million in annual revenue.

San Clemente

Residents of San Clemente got a sales tax initiative measure on the November ballot that proposes a 1% sales tax increase. If approved, the increase could generate about $15 million in revenue for local beach restoration and wildfire prevention.

Over the past few years, coastal erosion has shrunk portions of San Clemente beaches. To fix the problem, experts have turned to costly sand replenishment projects.

In 2024, voters rejected a 0.5% sales tax increase.

Santa Ana

Santa Ana’s 1.5% sales tax increase — called Measure X — is supposed to decrease in 2029 and then completely go away by 2039. Public officials have said the loss of Measure X could mean the city loses millions of dollars in revenue.

Santa Ana voters will decide in November whether to make the Measure X tax permanent.

The tax measure was approved by voters in 2018. Money from the tax has helped the city fund street maintenance, public safety, youth services and homelessness services.

Westminster 

Voters in Westminster will be asked if the transient occupancy tax, paid for by hotel and motel guests, should be increased to 12%. The hike is expected to generate about $452,000 in revenue for general services, including homelessness, park maintenance, and public safety.

Families within the Westminster School District will decide if the district could issue up to $128 million in bonds for school repairs and upgrades.

What didn’t make it to the ballot? 

In Anaheim, three ballot measures failed: One would have asked voters if a 3% tax should be added to entertainment tickets, like theme parks and sports venues. The City Council also chose not to move forward with a ballot item that would have taxed rideshare trips to and from Disneyland. And a rent control ballot item fizzled, with organizers saying signature-gathering had been suspended to focus on strengthening the ballot language.

A sales tax measure in Fullerton didn’t garner enough support with the City Council to make it to the November ballot. The proposal was a 0.5% sales tax to fix the city’s roads, but some council members expressed concern over whether the city could be trusted to actually use the funds toward the repairs.

What’s next? 

County election officials will begin sending vote-by-mail ballots to registered voters starting Oct. 5, according to the California Secretary of State’s office.