# Orange County's Nov. 3, 2026 Ballot: 13 City Measures, Two School Bonds and Nearly 2 Million Ballots in the Mail

> The Orange County Registrar of Voters handed more than 1.9 million ballots in 549 styles to the Postal Service early Saturday Oct. 3, 2026 for mailing beginning Monday Oct. 5. Voters will decide 430 candidates in 169 races, 14 statewide propositions, 13 city measures and two school bonds. New local measures explained this week include Orange's Measure K (charter city), Irvine's Measure D (ranked-choice voting, capped at about $750,000 in implementation cost), Costa Mesa's Measure C (business-license tax, about $4.6-5.6 million a year), Westminster's Measure O (hotel tax 8% to 12%, about $452,000 a year), Westminster School District's $128 million Measure B and Laguna Beach Unified's $83 million Measure A. Santa Ana Measure N, Newport Beach Measure H, Orange Measures I and J, and San Clemente Measure M are tracked in their own situations. Registration closes Oct. 19; 128 drop boxes opened Oct. 2; 39 vote centers open Oct. 24 and 152 more Oct. 31; polls close 8 p.m. Nov. 3 and mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10.

- Canonical: https://ocint.app/situation/oc-november-2026-election-local-measures
- Markdown: https://ocint.app/situation/oc-november-2026-election-local-measures.md
- JSON: https://ocint.app/api/situations/oc-november-2026-election-local-measures
- Status: active
- As of: 2026-10-04T08:54:49.844+00:00
- Started: 2026-09-30T17:00:00+00:00
- Cities: Countywide, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Orange, Westminster
- Publisher: OCINT (https://ocint.app)

## Who / What / Where / When / Why

**Who:** Orange County Registrar of Voters (Bob Page) administers the election; voters in all affected cities and districts are the primary participants.
**What:** Orange County Nov. 3, 2026 general election: 13 city measures, two school bonds, 14 statewide propositions and 430 candidates across 169 races, with more than 1.9 million ballots mailed.
**Where:** Countywide, with specific local measures in Orange, Irvine, Costa Mesa, Westminster, and the Westminster and Laguna Beach Unified school districts.
**When:** Registrar briefing Sept. 30; drop boxes open Oct. 2; ballots picked up by USPS Oct. 3 for mailing from Oct. 5; registration deadline Oct. 19; vote centers open Oct. 24 (39) and Oct. 31 (152); polls close 8 p.m. Nov. 3; mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10.
**Why:** Cities and school districts are seeking voter approval for structural governance changes, tax adjustments and capital improvement bonds to address fiscal and infrastructure needs.

## Narrative

## Current Status

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.

## What Voters Will Decide

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.

## Voting Infrastructure

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**.

## Key Dates Remaining

- **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

## Timeline

- **2026-09-30T20:00:00Z:** Sept. 30: Registrar Bob Page briefs reporters, saying state funding should speed the count after 96.6% of June primary ballots were counted within a week.
- **2026-10-02T17:00:00Z:** Oct. 2: The county's 128 ballot drop boxes open.
- **2026-10-03T14:00:00Z:** Oct. 3: USPS picks up more than 1.9 million ballots in 549 styles for mailing beginning Oct. 5.

## Primary sources

1. [OC Register: Three candidates vie for Anaheim mayor as city enters another busy period](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/01/three-candidates-vie-for-anaheim-mayor-as-city-enters-another-busy-period/) (2026-10-01T06:14:20+00:00)
2. [Voice of OC: All Five Mission Viejo City Council Seats Up For Election This Year](https://voiceofoc.org/2026/09/all-five-mission-viejo-city-council-seats-up-for-election-this-year/) (2026-09-30T12:58:00+00:00)
3. [Registrar: ballots mailed Oct. 5; faster count funded](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/nearly-2-million-ballots-are-on-their-way-to-orange-county-voters-2/)
4. [Orange Measure K: charter city](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-measure-k-would-make-orange-a-charter-city/)
5. [Irvine Measure D: ranked-choice voting with a cost cap](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-irvines-measure-d-would-change-how-the-council-is-elected/)
6. [Costa Mesa Measure C: first business-license tax change since 1985](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/01/2026-election-costa-mesa-measure-c-would-raise-license-fee-for-bigger-businesses/)
7. [Westminster Measure O: hotel tax 8% to 12%](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-westminsters-measure-o-would-increase-a-local-hotel-tax/)
8. [School bonds: Westminster SD Measure B ($128M) and Laguna Beach USD Measure A ($83M)](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-westminster-school-district-measure-b-asks-voters-approve-128-million-bond-measure-for-upgrades-repairs/)
9. [Measures tracked in their own situations](https://voiceofoc.org/2026-elections/)

## Factoids

- **Registrar: ballots mailed Oct. 5; faster count funded** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/nearly-2-million-ballots-are-on-their-way-to-orange-county-voters-2/)): Registrar Bob Page said USPS picked up more than 1.9 million ballots (549 ballot styles) early Oct. 3 for mailing starting Oct. 5. The ballot carries 430 candidates in 169 races, 14 statewide propositions, 13 city measures and two school bonds. The office received $3.2 million of the state's $40 million vote-count fund in late August and spent more than $2.75 million on space, equipment and temporary staff and about $477,000 on outreach; after the June primary about 96.6% of accepted ballots were counted within a week. 128 drop boxes (open Oct. 2) and 192 vote centers (39 on Oct. 24, 152 more on Oct. 31, plus UCI Verano Place on Election Day). Registration deadline Oct. 19; ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10 count.
- **Orange Measure K: charter city** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-measure-k-would-make-orange-a-charter-city/)): Measure K would convert Orange from a general-law to a charter city, with the charter covering contracting, elections, term limits and public-works wages. Simple majority. It is separate from Measure I (1-cent sales tax, about $37 million a year for 13 years) and Measure J (hotel tax 10% to 14%, about $3 million a year), which are tracked under the OC cities budget-deficits situation.
- **Irvine Measure D: ranked-choice voting with a cost cap** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-irvines-measure-d-would-change-how-the-council-is-elected/)): Measure D (ordered by the council July 14) would move Irvine's mayor and council elections from plurality to ranked-choice voting starting after Jan. 1, 2028, but only if implementation costs less than 0.23% of the general fund, about $750,000 by 2028. Irvine would be the first OC city to use RCV and would pay to adapt county machines and materials. Councilmember Kathleen Treseder's argument says candidates are regularly elected with less than one-third of the vote.
- **Costa Mesa Measure C: first business-license tax change since 1985** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/01/2026-election-costa-mesa-measure-c-would-raise-license-fee-for-bigger-businesses/)): Measure C would replace the $200 cap on Costa Mesa's business-license tax: businesses over $500,000 in gross receipts would pay 50 cents per $1,000, capped at $15,000 for businesses at $30 million or more. About 72% of businesses are under $500,000 and would not pay more. The city estimates about $4.6 million a year; the ballot title says about $5.6 million, a roughly $1 million discrepancy. General tax, simple majority.
- **Westminster Measure O: hotel tax 8% to 12%** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-westminsters-measure-o-would-increase-a-local-hotel-tax/)): Measure O would raise Westminster's transient occupancy tax from 8% to 12%, about $452,000 a year, undedicated, with an annual CPA audit. The city says 8% is the lowest rate among the OC and LA cities it surveyed and was last changed in 1983. No ballot arguments were filed. Simple majority.
- **School bonds: Westminster SD Measure B ($128M) and Laguna Beach USD Measure A ($83M)** (source_doc) ([source](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/10/03/2026-election-westminster-school-district-measure-b-asks-voters-approve-128-million-bond-measure-for-upgrades-repairs/)): Westminster School District's Measure B would authorize up to $128 million for 17 campuses, most 60-70 years old (the district cites 135 classrooms or facilities with leaky roofs last year), at $30 per $100,000 of assessed value through 2060-61, about $143 a year for a typical homeowner; the K-8 district serves about 7,600 students in Westminster, Midway City and parts of Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. Laguna Beach Unified's Measure A would authorize $83 million, repaid by about 2057 at an estimated $8.68 (ballot text: $8.85) per $100,000, total debt service $157,260,047, for four schools built 1930-1968 in a high-severity fire zone; no argument against was filed. Each needs 55%.
- **Measures tracked in their own situations** (definition) ([source](https://voiceofoc.org/2026-elections/)): Santa Ana Measure N (permanent 1.5% sales tax), Newport Beach Measure H and the city-run Measures P/Q/R special election, Orange Measures I and J (sales and hotel taxes), and San Clemente Measure M (beach and fire funding) each have a dedicated OCINT situation and are cross-referenced here rather than duplicated. Also on the ballot: Anaheim's three-way mayoral race (Ashleigh Aitken, Alfredo Rodriguez, Imran Sharief) and all five Mission Viejo council seats as the city moves to a standard election cycle.

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