51.5 F
Laguna Hills
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
-Advertisement-

Voters Weigh in on Local, State National Races; High Turnout Expected

Orange County voters headed to the polls Tuesday to weigh in on the historic presidential race, congressional and state races, contentious state propositions and local measures and council races.

In the presidential race, OC is no battleground,the county is widely expected to go for Sen. John McCain, even as a Sen. Barack Obama is expected to easily carry California.

But the presidential race is expected to draw strong turnout. Voter registration in the county is at a record 1.6 million voters.

Mail ballots already have broken 2004’s record with 422,925 received so far, according to Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley. Half of all county ballots could be mailed in, he said.

A closer national race is expected between Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook for the congressional seat representing parts of West County.

Republican Rohrabacher easily has held the seat for 20 years. But the GOP’s troubles this year have made the race competitive.

Rohrabacher holds the edge in fundraising and voter registration for the district, which stretches from Costa Mesa to Palos Verdes and is 45% Republican, 32% Democratic.

The rest of the county’s congressional incumbents are expected to see easier re-election bids.

In Santa Ana, the county’s longest serving mayor is battling for re-election against Councilwoman Michele Martinez, who is seeking to be the first woman to lead OC’s largest city.

There’s a sideshow to the Santa Ana council race: Steve Rocco, the eccentric Orange Unified School District trustee who’s challenging incumbent Carlos Bustamante for a council seat.

In Irvine, Councilman Larry Agran and two other Democratic candidates aligned with him and are seeking to keep their board majority against a challenge led by Republican and Agran-critic Christina Shea.

Irvine voters also are weighing in on the Agran majority’s handling of the slow conversion of the former El Toro Marine base into the Great Park with Measure R.

In San Clemente, residents are set to offer an advisory opinion on redevelopment of North Beach in the city’s downtown.

Shaheen Sadeghi, developer of The Lab and The Camp shopping centers in Costa Mesa, is looking to build a shopping center with open and community space.

Opponents decry the loss of city parking and the change the project represents to San Clemente’s laid-back beach town culture.

A “yes” on Measure W would show support for Sadeghi’s project. A “no” vote could prompt the City Council to reexamine plans for North Beach.

Voters countywide are set to weigh in on Measure J, which would put any increase in retirement benefits for county workers to a vote.

The measure is an outgrowth of the controversy over the Board of Supervisor’s 2002 decision to retroactively increase pension benefits for deputy sheriffs.

Want more from the best local business newspaper in the country?

Sign-up for our FREE Daily eNews update to get the latest Orange County news delivered right to your inbox!

-Advertisement-

Featured Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-

Related Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-