Orange County’s 2026 primary election tightened Thursday night as updated tallies shifted key Board of Supervisors contests across Orange County, with thousands of ballots still to be processed. The Fifth District remained the closest fight, while the Second District trended decisively and several administrative and education posts stayed uncontested. Last update: June 5, 2026.
The outcome matters because the board controls an annual budget approaching $11 billion and sets policy for county services, public safety, and infrastructure. With early voting and mail-in ballots still being verified and counted, final margins could change and determine whether any candidate clears 50% to avoid a November runoff, shaping the county’s political balance for years.
District 5: Foley–Dixon showdown remains too close to call
The Fifth District race, covering much of South County and the coast, remained a razor-thin contest between incumbent Democrat Katrina Foley and Republican Diane Dixon. As of Thursday night, Dixon held about 48% while Foley trailed near 46%, with an estimated 270,000 ballots countywide pending tabulation. The district’s slight Republican registration advantage—roughly five percentage points—kept both campaigns pressing turnout and provisional ballot cures as officials continued the count.
The trajectory shifted from Election Night, when Foley led initial returns before later counts showed Dixon pulling ahead. Foley had projected confidence before voting ended, saying, “I will look forward to when the election is over. The reality is, I’m for sure winning the primary, it’s a matter of whether we win outright or move onto the general.” Outside spending underscored the stakes: associations representing deputy sheriffsfirefightersand county employees combined for about $812,000 in support of Foley, while the Lincoln Club and allied committees reported roughly $44,000 backing Dixon, more than $306,000 opposing Foley, and $18,000 in support of educator Lucy Vellemawho was below 6%.
District 4: Shaw and Traut advance as other contenders lag
In the Fourth Districtspanning northern communities including Fullerton and Anaheim, Tim Shaw and Connor Traut separated from the field and were headed for a November runoff. At approximately 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Shaw was near 33% and Traut just under 32%, a gap of about 2,225 votes out of nearly 70,000 counted. The remaining contenders, Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung and La Habra Councilwoman Rose Espinozawere each under 19%.
The open-seat contest followed term limits on outgoing Supervisor Doug Chaffeesetting up a competitive two-way race in the fall. Shaw, a Republican city councilmember from La Habra and county education trustee, and Traut, a Democratic Buena Park mayorare vying to represent a district that has experienced political swings in recent cycles. Continued processing of vote-by-mail and provisional ballots could fine-tune June margins but will not alter the likely November matchup.
District 2 and countywide administration: Clearer paths emerge
The Second District pointed to a decisive outcome for incumbent Vicente Sarmientowho was tracking above 62%–63% in updated counts and appeared positioned to avoid a runoff. Sarmiento’s performance signaled consolidated support within the district’s electorate and the likelihood of continuity on issues such as public health oversight, housing initiatives, and county contracting priorities.
Among administrative offices, the Auditor-Controller contest was effectively settled. Incumbent Andrew N. Hamiltonfirst elected in 2026, ran unopposed and stood set to continue overseeing financial recordsinternal controls, and the reporting of county expenditures. With over 35 years as a certified public accountant, Hamilton’s uncontested status left little uncertainty around stewardship of the county’s accounting systems and audits.
Assessor and education posts: Scrutiny and stability
The Assessor race drew attention for workplace-related allegations involving incumbent Claude Parrish and separate claims facing challenger Janet Conklin. The office’s technical role—determining the taxable value of properties—directly feeds into revenue for schools, cities, and county services, making professional standards and stability central voter considerations. As ballots continued to be counted, the contest’s narrative remained shaped by the competing accusations and calls for a steady hand over assessments.
Education governance also featured prominently. The Orange County Board of Educationwhich serves nearly half a million students across 28 districts, oversees student transfer and expulsion appeals, rules on charter school petitions, and approves the county Department of Education budget. In Trustee Area 5the winner will join a board with an outsized role in policy appeals and fiscal oversight. Separately, the Superintendent of Schools contest remained uncontested, with Stefan Bean—a former charter school president—running unopposed to lead countywide support services and fiscal accountability for districts.
With large volumes of mail-in ballots outstanding, officials cautioned that updates would continue to shift margins in tight races through the certification window. The Fifth District’s ability to avoid a November runoff depended on whether either leading candidate could crest the 50% threshold in final canvassing. As the registrar continued verification, campaigns in competitive districts kept mobilizing ballot cure efforts and monitoring incremental releases for signs of late-breaking trends.
