Yorba Linda is lone North Orange County city won by Donald Trump in 2020 presidential election

 

Yorba Linda is the lone North Orange County city to give a majority of its presidential vote to Donald Trump, with Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma and Placentia all favoring Joe Biden in this month's general election vote tally.

Trump's percentage of Yorba Linda's vote increased to 57.8% from 56.6% in 2016, but still fell behind the 68.1% won by Mitt Romney in 2012 and the 64.3% won by John McCain in 2008. Biden took 40.3% of the city's vote, with four minor party candidates garnering 1.8%.

Yorba Linda also had the highest voter turnout of the seven north county cities at 91.5% of the city's 47,401 registered voters, with 73.4% of the city's votes cast by mail. Yorba Linda turnout in previous presidential years: 85.6% in 2016, 77.3% in 2012 and 81.6% in 2008.

Interestingly, 782 or 1.8% of Yorba Linda voters who cast ballots didn't mark a choice in the presidential race. The non-presidential voters in other north county cities ranged from 1.2% in Buena Park to 1.9% in Brea.

In other races, Yorba Linda voters favored winner Young Kim (64.8% of the vote) over Yorba Linda resident Gil Cisneros for Congress, Ling Ling Chang (65.5%) over winner Josh Newman for state Senate and winner Phillip Chen (68.1%) over Andrew Rodriguez for state Assembly.

Here's how other north county cities voted (all rounded percentages are based on the number of votes cast in each race, not the total ballots cast in each city because not all voters marked a choice in every contest):

Brea: Turnout was 89.6% of the city's 28,764 registered voters, with Biden winning 50.5% over 47.6% for Trump. Other city winners: Kim (55.6%), Chang (55.1%) and Chen (58.2%).

Buena Park: Turnout was 83.3% of the city's 41,941 registered voters, with Biden winning 56.5% over 41.5% for Trump. Other city winners: Cisneros (55.6%), Newman (50.9%) and Sharon Quirk-Silva (58.9%) over Cynthia Thacker for Assembly.

Fullerton: Turnout was 85.3% of the city's 64,993 registered voters, with Biden winning 57.4% over 40.2% for Trump. Other city winners: Cisneros (52.3%), Newman (53.3%) and Quirk-Silva (57.5%).

La Habra: Turnout was 85.4% of the city's 32,493 registered voters, with Biden winning 56.4% over 41.5% for Trump. Other city winners: Cisneros (54.1%), Newman (55.1%) and Rodriguez (53.3%).

La Palma: Turnout was 88.7% of the city's 9,492 registered voters, with Biden winning 55.9% over 42.4% for Trump. Other city winners: Linda Sanchez (68%) over Mike Tolar for Congress, Newman (50.9%) and Quirk-Silva (56.2%).

Placentia: Turnout was 88.6% of the city's 30,109 registered voters, with Biden winning 51.8% over 46.2% for Trump. Other city winners: Kim (52.4%), Chang (52.6%) and Chen (55.2%).

Also, Yorba Linda Water District director Al Nederhood won the two years remaining on an Orange County Municipal Water District term (60.6%), beating Brea business owner Scott Hupp (20.1%) and Buena Park Mayor Fred Smith (19.3%).

Survey results, focus group meetings, one-on-one interviews to serve as guide to future years in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District

 

Results from a survey of Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District parents, students and employees, supplemented by focus group meetings and one-on-one interviews, will serve as a guide to build on the district's strengths and confront issues and needs in the near future.

The information gained will aid newly named superintendent, Dr. Jim Elsasser, who is scheduled to begin work Jan. 4. The nine-year leader of the Claremont Unified School District will replace the retiring Dr. Greg Plutko, who has served since 2016.

An online survey included 2,368 parents, 760 students, 431 certificated staff (mostly teachers) 260 classified staff, 63 administrators and 43 others, while focus groups and interviews involved 150 parents, community members, students and employees, as conducted by an independent firm specializing in superintendent searches.

According to the company, strengths include family orientation, strong programs and services and engagement and communication. Issues and needs include budget shortfalls, a governance team in transition and contending community values.

Among the specific strengths and issues identified by the search firm:

--The district is “a tight-knit community where people grow up together, take care of one another and pull together in times of need. Former students are known to return to the district to live, work and raise a family.”

--”Parents repeatedly stated that they moved to the district for its rich programs, bountiful resources, high standards and award-winning schools.”

--”Stakeholders noted that the district goes out of its way to keep parents, staff, employee associations and the community-at-large apprised of its work” and said “they felt like they knew what was happening in and around the district.”

--”Given on-going trends of declining enrollment coupled with the post-COVID fiscal uncertainty, the greatest challenge on the horizon is the budget. Stakeholders recognize that it will be difficult to maintain the things PYLUSD values as budget shortfalls play out.”

--”In order to govern effectively, newly elected trustees, incumbents and a new superintendent will need to focus on collaboration and unity of purpose to set goals, establish policies and align resources that keep learning and improvement as the highest priority.”

--”Restoring schools to normalcy amidst a global pandemic, equity concerns, myriad social justice issues and divergent agendas have elicited passionate discourse across the district. A genuine commitment toward shared understanding, mutually beneficial solutions and a third way is called for,” as stakeholders grapple with these matters.

Survey ratings from 3,171 parents, students and community on the district's overall quality of education: 35% excellent, 44% above average, 18% average, 2% below average and 1% poor. Ratings from 754 employees: 41% excellent, 49% above average, 10% average and less than 1% below average.