All but one ballot measures out of Huntington Beach, Irvine and Westminster appear set to pass, including a proposal that would allow Surf City to implement voter ID requirements in future city elections.
That Measure A was succeeding with 54% of votes as of Wednesday evening’s update on results as ballot counting continues for Tuesday’s primary election. The OC Registrar of Voters estimates more than 270,000 mailed-in, dropped-off and other ballots remain to be counted.
Huntington Beach had three measures for voters to decide on in the 2024 primary election. Measure B, which would require unanimous City Council votes to fly new flags not already designated, was also on track to pass with 58% in favor.
Measure C was failing with more than 52% opposed. Measure C focused on administrative changes, and would have moved the city to a two-year budget cycle, shortened the length of council vacancy appointments and given the mayor the power to cancel council meetings.
All three of Huntington Beach’s measures update the city’s charter. The voter ID proposal, Measure A, could be implemented as soon as 2026 in city elections if it passes. It also lets the city implement ballot drop box monitoring and setting a minimum number of in-person polling locations.
The voter ID measure has drawn legal warnings from the state and a resident has sued the city to block it from being implemented. The next hearing in that case is scheduled for May.
Organizers with Protect Huntington Beach, which formed to campaign against the measures, said the group won’t disband following the election and will turn its attention toward fighting changes at the city’s public libraries.
Under Measure B, the city could fly flags representing the United States, the state, county, city, military flags and the Olympic flag. Others, like the pride flag, would require a unanimous City Council vote.
It’s unclear if Measure A passes if Huntington Beach would be forced to run its own municipal elections to implement the local requirement for showing an ID and not use the Orange County Registrar of Voters to consolidate elections. City leaders have said they hope to continue using the county’s election office.
The Orange County Registrar of Voters will post updates of results each weekday at 5 p.m. until all ballots are counted.
Irvine district elections
Irvine appears set to transition to the by-district system of voting in November; nearly 59% of voters were supporting a measure to change how council members are chosen as of Wednesday’s update of election returns.
If Measure D passes, the city will be carved into six council districts, with voters choosing the representative for their geographic area, versus voting for whichever council seats citywide have open terms. The mayor would continue to be chosen by the current at-large system.
Westminister sales tax
More than 62% of Westminster voters were supportive of adding another half cent to the local sales tax, as of Wednesday’s results update.
The city’s local sales tax is set to increase to 1.5%, which would mean purchases in town will have 9.25% tacked on at the register with the local, county and state taxes that are taken.
Westminster officials have said the additional half cent in tax would bring in an extra $8 million of revenue annually for the financially strapped city.
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