More than 1.9 million Orange County ballots began arriving in mailboxes Oct. 5, 2026. The Orange County Registrar of Voters handed 549 ballot styles to USPS early Oct. 3. The election is fully active: drop boxes are open, vote centers open progressively through Election Day, and no major disruptions to ballot delivery have been reported.

The ballot carries 14 statewide propositions, 430 candidates in 169 races, 13 city measures and two school bonds. Key local measures:

• Orange Measure K — would convert Orange from a general-law to a charter city, covering contracting, elections, term limits and public-works wages. Simple majority required. (Separate from Measures I and J, tracked in the OC cities budget-deficits situation.)
• Irvine Measure D — would shift mayor and council elections from plurality to ranked-choice voting beginning after Jan. 1, 2028, contingent on implementation costing less than 0.23% of the general fund (approximately $750,000). Irvine would be the first OC city to use RCV.
• Costa Mesa Measure C — would replace the city's $200 business-license tax cap, last updated in 1985. Businesses with gross receipts above $500,000 would pay 50 cents per $1,000, capped at $15,000. About 72% of businesses fall below the threshold. Revenue estimated at approximately $4.6–$5.6 million annually (a roughly $1 million discrepancy exists between city and ballot-title figures). General tax, simple majority.
• Westminster Measure O — would raise the transient occupancy (hotel) tax from 8% to 12%, generating approximately $452,000 a year. The rate has not changed since 1983; no ballot arguments were filed. Simple majority.
• Westminster School District Measure B — $128 million bond for 17 campuses, most 60–70 years old, at approximately $30 per $100,000 assessed value through 2060–61 (about $143/year for a typical homeowner). The K-8 district serves approximately 7,600 students. Requires 55%.
• Laguna Beach Unified Measure A — $83 million bond for four schools built 1930–1968, located in a high-severity fire zone. Estimated debt service of $157.26 million; repaid by approximately 2057 at roughly $8.68–$8.85 per $100,000 assessed value. No argument against was filed. Requires 55%.

Measures tracked in separate situations: Santa Ana Measure N, Newport Beach Measure H, Orange Measures I and J, and San Clemente Measure M.

According to Registrar Bob Page, the county received $3.2 million of a state $40 million vote-count acceleration fund, spending more than $2.75 million on space, equipment and temporary staff, and about $477,000 on outreach. After the June 2026 primary, 96.6% of accepted ballots were counted within a week. 192 vote centers operate on a rolling schedule: 39 open Oct. 24, 152 more Oct. 31, plus UCI Verano Place on Election Day. Polls close 8 p.m. Nov. 3; mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10.

• Oct. 19 — Voter registration deadline
• Oct. 24 — First 39 vote centers open
• Oct. 31 — Remaining 152 vote centers open
• Nov. 3, 8 p.m. — Polls close
• Nov. 10 — Mail ballot receipt deadline