The General Election is coming up quickly on Nov. 5. If you need help figuring out how to vote, and live in Santa Ana, here is our annual Voter Guide – in the order that you will see on your ballot.
U.S. President and Vice President
This is an easy one. California is an overwhelmingly blue state. As such Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, will win handily. The Republicans will line up behind Donald Trump.
What about the rest of us? If you are an independent or Decline to State voter I encourage you to consider a third party candidate. This year the Libertarian Party in particular could use your help as a low vote may result in their party dropping off future ballots. The Libertarian candidate is Chase Oliver. Libertarians are socially liberal but fiscally conservative – a perfect choice for those who don’t quite line up behind the Republicans and the Democrats.
U.S. Senator
There are only two choices in this race. The Democrat candidate is Adam Schiff, who currently serves in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republican candidate is former Dodger great Steve Garvey. Schiff has a huge fundraising advantage. But perhaps some voters will prefer to vote for Garvey, to break the blue party’s hold on Sacramento politics.
U.S. Representative, 46th District
Lou Correa is running once more as the Democrat incumbent. His opponent, David Pan, is a Republican.
Correa has enjoyed a lot of support from independents and Republicans over the years but this year he endorsed two anti-police Santa Ana City Council candidates – Jessie Lopez and Johnathan Hernandez. Recently Correa appeared to come to his senses as he also backed Hernandez’ opponent, Mario Alvarado. But will some voters punish Correa for siding with anti-police candidates?
State Assembly, 68th District
The incumbent, Avelino Valencia, is a Democrat who once was part of the DIsney-backed cabal on the Anaheim City Council. His opponent, Mike Tardif, is a Republican who has lived and owned a business in Santa Ana for many years. Valencia tends to spend most of his time in Anaheim as one might expect. Tardif has been very involved in the Santa Ana community and will presumably do more to help our city if he is elected to the State Assembly. Tardif is opposed to all new taxes and is pro-law enforcement.
Rancho Santiago Community College District, Board of Trustees
Area 5
The incumbent is David Crockett. He is from West Virgina and is backed by the Democratic Party. We wrote about this race here. Crockett is opposed by Mayra Ruiz, who has our backing.
Area 3
Sal Tinajero is not running for reelection in Area 3. He is backing the sole Republican in the race, Ceci Iglesias. The Democratic Party has endorsed the only male candidate in the race, local attorney Andrew Linares. The other candidates are retreads Audrey Noji and Nelida Mendoza. Iglesias is a long shot. With so many women in the race you have to figure that Linares, a moderate who supports law enforcement, will win.
SAUSD School Board
Area 1
The incumbent, Rigo Rodriguez, is opposed to law enforcement and has done nothing to reverse the mess at the SAUSD, as we wrote about here.
Area 2
The Area 2 incumbent Trustee, Carolyn Torres, opted to not run for reelection. Lloyd Boucher-Reyes and Valerie Magdaleno are the candidates. Valerie is backed by the incumbents on the SAUSD School Board. Boucher-Reyes is not so we are backing him instead. We need change at the SAUSD!
Area 3
The incumbent is Alfonso Alvarez. it is an embarrassment that Alvarez is even on the ballot given that he was arrested for DUI in August of 2023.
The other candidates are Tamiko Anderson and Dana Suarez. Dana seems to be getting more support as there are questions about Tamiko’s residency.
Whatever you do don’t vote for the DUI candidate Alvarez!
City of Santa Ana
Mayor
The incumbent, Valerie Amezcua, supports the police. Her challenger, Ben Vazquez, does not. As such we are backing Amezcua.
City Council, Ward 1
The incumbent, Thai Viet Phan, often votes against law enforcement. Her opponent, Julie Tran, is a local business owner who supports the police and is opposed to new taxes. Tran has our support!
City Council, Ward 3
If you hate the police then go with the incumbent, Jessie Lopez, otherwise vote for Jeffrey Katz, an attorney and a neighborhood leader.
City Council, Ward 5
Another no-brainer. The incumbent, Johnathan Hernandez, is a vocal cop hater. The challenger, Mario Alvarado, is a class act who supports the police and will do a great job representing Ward 5. He has our support.
State Propositions
Prop. 2
This one is a school bond measure. Bond measures raise your property taxes!!! Vote no on Prop. 2.
Prop. 3
This measure is in support of LGTBQ marriage. This measure should easily pass.
Prop. 4
Another bond measure, this time for Water, etc. Again bond measures raise your propert taxes! Vote no on Prop. 4
Prop. 5
And yet another bond measure, this time for housing. Bond measures raise your property taxes! Vote on on Prop. 5.
Prop. 6
This measure will prevent prison inmates from having to do work while in prison to pay back society for their sins. Ridiculous! We should not let the criminals get away with hurting the rest of us. Vote no on Prop. 6!
Prop. 32
Do you like inflation? This measure will raise wages yet again, which causes inflation to go up too. Vote no on Prop. 32. If folks want to make more money they should learn a trade, go back to school or start a small business.
Prop. 33
This is a rent control measure. Rent control is proven to backfire as it results in many landlords selling their properties instead of renting them. They also stop doing maintenance on the apartments resulting in dilapidated housing. If you want rents to go down stop voting for measures that increase your property taxes and inflation! Vote no on Prop. 33.
Prop. 34
Yes on Prop. 34 will close an exploited loophole in our health care system that has diverted hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars away from patient care AND drastically reduce Medi-Cal prescription drug costs. Prop. 34 stands to save taxpayers millions of dollars more every year by requiring corporate pharmaceutical distributors to spend at least 98% of the taxpayer funds they receive through the drug discount program in California on directly treating patients.
Prop. 35
Prop. 35 directs revenue raised from the Managed Care Organization tax to fund rate increases for a limited number of Medi-Cal providers, forever limiting the Legislature’s ability to use any of those funds for other budget needs – even if those needs include other Medi-Cal supports. Prop 35 permanently diverts billions of dollars that currently support Medi-Cal and the state’s general fund to just a handful of specific provider rate increases. Doing so threatens future Medi-Cal program eligibility expansions and optional benefits. The state’s Department of Finance says Prop 35 would cost the state general fund $12 billion over the next three years to cover core Medi-Cal expenses. As we anticipate difficult budget years ahead, this hit to the general fund likely will be painful. Vote no on Prop. 35
Prop. 36
This one is an easy choice. Prop. 36 takes a balanced, targeted approach to improve accountability for those who repeatedly commit crimes. It has safeguards to ensure that low-level offenders do not end up in prison by preserving judges’ and prosecutors’ discretion so that only repeat offenders or those who commit serious crimes serve prison time.
Prop 36 will also realize huge savings for individuals and businesses, reducing the cost of crime. California small businesses and stores lost nearly $9 billion in 2022 from theft and the high costs of deterring theft through increased security and lost sales due to the need to lock up items.
Orange County Ballot Measures
Measure G – Rancho Santiago Community College District
This is yet another bond measure. Bond measures raise your property taxes! The RSCCD has already passed several bond measures. Stop giving them more of your tax money to waste! Vote no on Measure G.
Measure I – SAUSD
This is yet another bond measure. Bond measures raise your property taxes! The SAUSD has already passed several bond measures. Stop giving them more of your tax money to waste! Vote no on Measure I.
Santa Ana Ballot Measures
Measure CC – City of Santa Ana Rent Stabilization and Just Cause Eviction Ordinance
This is a rent control measure. Rent control is proven to backfire as it results in many landlords selling their properties instead of renting them. They also stop doing maintenance on the apartments resulting in dilapidated housing. If you want rents to go down stop voting for measures that increase your property taxes and inflation! Vote no on Measure CC.
Measure DD – City of Santa Ana Proposed Amendment to Section 1203 of the Santa Ana City Charter
This measure will allow undocumented residents to vote in our Santa Ana local elections. This is a terrible idea. The measure will cost our city millions of dollars and there is no good reason to do this. The folks backing this measure hate the police and are hoping to secure more votes from gullible immigrants.
Measure EE – Proposed Amendments to Sections 401.05, 611, 702, 703, 1002, and 1103 of the Santa Ana City Charter (Miscellaneous Charter Amendments)
Here is a description of Measure EE from the Santa Ana College newspaper: Four of the five revisions to the city charter are to modernize it and remove obsolete sections. These charter revisions will modernize the city charter by deleting obsolete sections, forcing the council to draft and uphold a code of ethics and limiting purchasing authority for the city clerk and attorney. The other revision changes department heads from a protected class to at-will employment. Mayor Amezcua pushed this measure when former police chief David Valentin and the Police Officers Association did not see eye to eye. Currently, the police chief falls under the protected employee class and can only be fired by the city manager. This revision would make the police chief an at-will employee.
Vote yes on Measure EE.
Measure FF – Proposed Amendment to Section 402 of the Santa Ana Charter (Council Compensation)
This one is nuts. This Measure gives a giant pay raise to our part-time City Council at a time when our city is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. Vote no on Measure FF!
