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Santa Ana’s 1.5% sales tax increase — dubbed Measure X when it was approved by voters back in 2018 — is set to decrease in 2029. And that means the city expects to lose out on about $30 million in revenue a year. Voters will be asked whether to let it sunset or make the tax permanent via a new measure: Measure N.
What to keep in mind about these numbers
- For LAist's charts showing vote counts, we get numbers directly from the L.A. County and Orange County registrars of voters for local races. Totals are updated on our site as soon as possible after the registrars provide new tallies. For statewide races, counts come from the California Secretary of State's Office.
- Has your ballot been tallied yet? You can track the status of your ballot here.
- Keep in mind that, in tight races particularly, the winner may not be determined for days or weeks after election day. That's because early voting and mail-in ballots have fundamentally reshaped how votes are counted and when election results are known. The upshot: Ballots can be postmarked up to and including Election Day. They're counted as long as the ballot arrives within seven days of the election and that window contributes to the lag time before results are announced.
- In L.A. County, for example, daily updates on the counting are expected to take place at least once a day — usually around 5 p.m. — through Nov. 13. (There will be multiple updates on Nov. 5 and 6.) Then, the once-a-day counts will resume again on Nov. 17, 19, 25 and 27. The office is scheduled to certify election results by Friday, Nov. 27. In Orange County, there will be multiple updates after the polls close, and then daily updates weekdays at 5 p.m. until results are scheduled to be certified on or before Dec. 3.
- The California Secretary of State is scheduled to certify the election results on Dec. 11.
- Our priority during the vote count will be sharing outcomes and election calls only when they have been thoroughly checked and vetted by journalists. To that end, we will rely on official results and report when candidates concede. Otherwise, we rely on NPR and the Associated Press for race calls. We will not report the calls or projections of other news outlets. You can find more about NPR's and the AP's process for counting votes and calling races here and here.
Wondering how we got here? Here's the backstory to this race:
What’s at stake
The Measure X sales tax hike currently brings in about $84 million every year. These funds support city maintenance, police and other municipal functions. If the tax goes away as planned, city officials say they will need to make major cuts to services and programs to make up the difference.
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The ballot measure is the latest move in a years-long battle over where and how much housing should be developed in Newport Beach.
Why now
When voters first approved the 1.5% sales tax back in 2018, Measure X proponents said it would be a temporary fix for the city’s financial woes. And it came with a deadline: The tax rate would drop to 1% by 2029, then completely go away in 2039. The fall general election is seen as the city’s opportunity to make that tax revenue permanent, before it reduces or expires.
What you'll see on the ballot
Official title on the ballot: Measure N — Santa Ana Streets, Public Safety, Essential City Services Measure
Official language you will see on the ballot:To maintain city services, such as fixing potholes; keeping streets, sidewalks, parks, and playgrounds safe and clean; removing graffiti and litter; providing fire protection, paramedic, crime prevention, and 911 emergency response, shall City of Santa Ana’s ordinance be amended to maintain the 1.5 cent sales tax without sunset providing approximately $84,000,000 annually for services until ended by voters, with independent audits, resident oversight, and all money locally controlled?
What your vote means
- A "yes" vote means: The sales tax remains the same and will be in effect until voters say otherwise in a future election.
- A "no" vote means: The rate of the sales tax will go down to 1% in a couple of years and officially expire by 2039.
What supporters say
- Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua said police and fire response, graffiti removal, pothole maintenance and more services could be on the chopping block if the sales tax rate decreases. And if the tax is eliminated in 2039, she added, “Whoever’s sitting up here, good luck, because I don’t know how you’ll keep the lights on.”
- Key supporters include the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and Santa Ana City Councilmembers Thai Viet Phan and Benjamin Vazquez.
What opponents say
- Santa Ana Councilmember David Penaloza said the city’s problem is fiscal responsibility: “I’ve seen the waste from department to department of how much money we’re just throwing out there and misspending, and it needs to stop. We can’t just continue to raise our sales tax and turn to the voters every time that we’re in financial trouble."
- Opponents include Penaloza and fellow city councilmembers Jessie Lopez and Phil Bacerra.
Campaign financing
Further reading
Updated October 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM PDT
An earlier version of this story described councilmember Phil Bacerra as a key supporter of Measure N. Bacerra said he supported placing the measure on the ballot but does not support the measure itself.
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