The latest unofficial returns from the Orange County Registrar of Voters show a mixed picture in Santa Ana, with Mayor Valerie Amezcua holding a sizable lead, Measure N cruising toward approval, and two city council races remaining competitive as election officials continue counting ballots.
While all precincts are reporting, additional vote-by-mail, provisional and conditional ballots are still expected to be processed in the days ahead. Based on countywide turnout and historical counting patterns, several thousand Santa Ana ballots may still be outstanding, leaving at least two council races in play.
Valerie Amezcua Maintains Strong Lead in Mayor’s Race
Mayor Valerie Amezcua appears to be on track for reelection, leading the three-candidate field with 18,830 votes, or 46.03%.
Current results show:
- Valerie Amezcua: 18,830 votes (46.03%)
- Dan Shimeli: 16,374 votes (40.03%)
- Dwayne Shipp: 5,705 votes (13.95%)
Amezcua’s lead over Shimeli stands at roughly 2,456 votes, a significant advantage that would be difficult to overcome unless the remaining ballots break overwhelmingly in one direction.
Measure N Headed for Comfortable Victory
Santa Ana voters appear poised to approve Measure N, the city’s sales tax measure dedicated to streets, public safety and essential city services.
Results currently show:
- Yes: 28,592 votes (67.61%)
- No: 13,695 votes (32.39%)
With better than a two-to-one margin in favor, Measure N is trending toward a decisive victory and would provide city leaders with an additional long-term revenue source.
Ward 2 Race Appears Decided
Among the council contests, Ward 2 is the least competitive race currently on the board.
Results show:
- Benjamin Vazquez: 3,608 votes (72.13%)
- Selica Diaz: 1,394 votes (27.87%)
Vazquez leads by more than 2,200 votes, making a comeback by Diaz highly unlikely even if thousands of ballots remain outstanding.
Ward 4 Remains One of Santa Ana’s Closest Contests
The race for Ward 4 remains competitive, though challenger Sandra De Anda currently maintains the advantage.
Results show:
- Sandra De Anda: 4,164 votes (53.42%)
- Phil Bacerra: 3,631 votes (46.58%)
De Anda’s lead stands at 533 votes.
Because the margin is relatively narrow, additional ballot counting could still tighten the race. However, Bacerra would need a favorable break in the remaining ballots to erase the deficit.
The outcome is particularly significant because Bacerra has often positioned himself as a more moderate voice on the council, while De Anda has emerged as one of the city’s most progressive political figures.
Ward 6 Race Also Remains Competitive
The Ward 6 contest is even tighter.
Results show:
- Isuri Ramos: 2,929 votes (53.46%)
- Giovanni Chavez: 2,550 votes (46.54%)
Ramos leads by 379 votes, making this one of the more closely watched races as additional votes are tabulated.
As with Ward 4, the eventual outcome may depend on where the remaining ballots originated and whether late-counted ballots mirror Election Day voting patterns.
Progressive Candidates Benefit From Favorable Political Environment
One of the more notable local storylines emerging from the election is the strength shown by candidates associated with Santa Ana’s progressive political movement.
Both Sandra De Anda and Isuri Ramos have generally been aligned with the city’s left-wing activist coalition and have received support from organizations and activists associated with democratic socialist and progressive causes. Their early leads come as progressive candidates in a number of urban California jurisdictions have performed strongly this cycle.
Whether that trend reflects voter approval of the current direction of Santa Ana politics, strong grassroots organizing efforts, demographic changes, or simple candidate-specific factors will likely be debated long after the final ballots are counted.
It is important to note that election results alone do not establish why voters supported particular candidates. Multiple factors can influence local outcomes, including campaign fundraising, voter turnout, endorsements, ballot messaging and neighborhood-level political dynamics.
What Happens Next?
Orange County election officials will continue processing:
- Vote-by-mail ballots received on time but not yet counted
- Provisional ballots
- Conditional voter registration ballots
- Ballots requiring signature verification or curing
Based on unofficial turnout figures and historical Orange County election patterns, Santa Ana could still have several thousand ballots left to be counted.
At this point, Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Measure N appear headed toward victory, Benjamin Vazquez appears firmly positioned to win Ward 2, while Wards 4 and 6 remain the races most likely to draw attention during the county’s remaining ballot-counting process.
What a De Anda and Ramos Victory Could Mean for Santa Ana
If current results hold, the election could further strengthen the council’s progressive bloc and leave Mayor Valerie Amezcua with fewer natural allies on public safety issues.
Both Sandra De Anda and Isuri Ramos have generally been aligned with Santa Ana’s activist left and have campaigned on issues including tenant protections, expanded social programs, immigrant rights, and increased scrutiny of law enforcement. Supporters argue those priorities reflect the needs of working-class residents and historically underserved communities.
Critics, however, contend that further growth of the council’s progressive wing could accelerate policy shifts that have already generated controversy in recent years, including debates over police funding, law enforcement technology, public safety staffing levels, homeless services, housing development, and city spending priorities.
A victory by both candidates could result in a council where Mayor Amezcua is increasingly isolated on some public safety issues. Several of the councilmembers who have most consistently supported police staffing increases, public safety technology and a more traditional law-and-order approach have either left office or could find themselves in a diminished minority.
That does not necessarily mean major policy changes would occur immediately. City councils often must balance campaign promises with budget realities, state mandates and legal constraints. Nevertheless, election observers across Orange County are likely to view the Ward 4 and Ward 6 races as an important test of whether Santa Ana voters want to continue moving in a more progressive direction or prefer a more centrist approach to governing.
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