Yorba Linda voters face choices in 2018

Yorba Linda voters – along with those in other north county cities – face intriguing choices in the 2018 primary and general elections, including the probable recall vote on Josh Newman, the first Democrat elected to represent Yorba Linda in the state Senate since 1936.

Newman squeaked by then-Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang in the 2016 election by 2,498 votes out of 317,962 cast in the 29^th District, which includes portions of Orange, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, to win a four-year term.

Chang, a probable candidate in the recall, easily won Yorba Linda 22,568 to 11,262 and also took Brea, La Palma and Placentia, while Newman won Fullerton, La Habra and Buena Park.

California secretary of State Alex Padilla is expected to certify the recall petition signatures Jan. 11, which would make the June 5 primary the almost-certain date for a recall ballot. A stand-alone election can't be held within 180 days of a scheduled election by state law.

Recall election costs would be split among the three counties, with estimates of $2.67 million for a stand-alone ballot and $961,000 for combining the matter with the June 5 primary ballot.

Another interesting race for local voters involves Ed Royce, who has represented the area in the House of Representatives since 1992. Democrats have targeted Royce's 39^th District this year, since Hillary Clinton ran 8.6 points ahead of Donald Trump in the district in 2016.

Royce outran Democrat Brett Murdock 85,035 to 55,520 in the June 2016 primary and beat him 150,777 to 112,679 in November, winning Yorba Linda and the other north county cities 89,106 to 61,202. Several candidates have announced bids against Royce this year.

In addition, 35 Superior Court judge positions and seven county-wide offices are slated for the June ballot. Nomination papers will be available from the Registrar of Voters Feb. 12-March 9.

Sign-ups for City Council, school trustee and water director positions on the Nov. 6 ballot will be accepted July 16-Aug. 10 at city halls for council slots and the county Registrar's office for school and water district positions.

Yorba Linda has two council positions open, now held by Peggy Huang and Tom Lindsey.

The Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District will have two seats on the ballot, now held by Carrie Buck and Karin Freeman. Pending two governmental approvals, only voters in two of five trustee areas will cast ballots this year.

The Yorba Linda Water District will have three seats on the ballot, now held by Phil Hawkins, Brooke Jones and Al Nederhood. The seat held by Yorba Linda resident Brett Barbre at the county's Municipal Water District will be on ballots in Yorba Linda and five other north county cities.

The North Orange County Community College District seat now held by Yorba Linda's Jeff Brown will be on the ballot. He represents a tiny part of west Yorba Linda and parts of five other north county cities.