Wrap-up for June primary election in YL

I missed the mark in my March 22 column when I suggested two measures on the June ballot to allow higher densities on 11 specific properties to meet state-mandated low-cost housing requirements might boost this city’s normally tepid turnout for primary elections.

Ballots cast in this year’s presidential primary totaled just 33.37 percent of Yorba Linda’s 43,592 registered voters, below the 37.5 percent turnout in the 2010 non-presidential year

And of two primaries held in 2008, a February vote for hotly contested presidential races drew 56.4 percent of voters, but only 23.3 percent in the lack-luster regular June primary.

Here’s a rundown of races affecting this city’s electorate, with all ballots now counted:

--Although 14,547 Yorba Lindans cast ballots, about 600 didn’t vote on Measures H and I. The H vote to allow up to 30 units per acre on two Savi Ranch parcels was 8,477 “yes” and 5,474 “no,” a 60-40 split. The I vote to allow up to 10, 20 or 30 units per acre on nine west-side parcels was 7,400 “yes” and 6,464 “no,” about a 53-47 split.

H was approved in 46 of 48 precincts, tied in one and lost in a Savi Ranch precinct with five voters (in which only one cast a ballot). I won in 33 precincts and lost in 15 mostly west-side precincts. Precinct turnouts ranged from 23 to 45 percent.

--Turnout of the city’s 24,618 registered Republicans was 40 percent. Mitt Romney won 7,989 votes, Ron Paul 728, Rick Santorum 397 and Newt Gingrich 334. Democratic turnout was 33 percent of 9,390 registered with Barack Obama carrying 2,370 votes. (Low “declined to state” and minor party turnout account for the overall 33.37 rate.)

Country Club and Fairlynn county islands turnout is always a bit higher than that from within city limits. This year, 588 of 1,604 registered voters cast ballots, or 36.6 percent. The 401 GOP voters gave Romney 324 votes, and the 135 Democrats gave Obama 108.

--An historic high of five Yorba Linda residents will take seats on the 75-member county Republican Central Committee that guides partisan GOP affairs for the county’s 679,877 registered Republicans (at last count). The new terms begin in January.

Yorba Linda winners: Dennis White, 9,923 votes; Brett Barbre, 9,092; Brenda McCune, 8,913; Karla Downing, 8,868; and Peggy Hwang, 8,489. Top vote-getter for six positions representing the Orange County portion of the newly drawn 55th Assembly District was La Habra Mayor Tim Shaw with 10,669 votes.

Running just out of the money was longtime Yorba Linda pastor Jim Domen, who came in seventh with 7,561 votes. Others in the race: Desare Ferraro of Placentia (5,474 votes) and Connie Lanzisera (6,329) and Robert Lauten (1,914), both of Brea.

For many years, the only elected committee member from Yorba Linda was four-term City Councilman Mark Schwing, who served six two-year terms before losing in 2010.

--Again Yorba Lindans cast more mail-in than polling place ballots, with mail-ins totaling 9,101 versus 5,446 at the polls. County island count was 355 mail-in and 233 polling place. Mail-in and poll results were nearly identical.