March 2024 primary election returns for North Orange County and Yorba Linda

Yorba Linda again easily outdistanced the six other North Orange County cities served by this newspaper in voter turnout for the March 5 primary election. Yorba Linda has topped the local turnout in the past two decades in both primary and general elections.

Yorba Linda's turnout was 45% of 48,076 registered voters. Other cities: 40% of 31,592 Placentia voters; 39% of 29,499 Brea voters, 38% of 9,741 La Palma voters; 34% of 77,903 Fullerton voters; 31% of 33,927 La Habra voters; and 28% of 44,481 Buena Park voters (all percentages are rounded).

Donald Trump won the Republican vote and Joe Biden the Democratic vote in all seven cities,.with the following percentages: 77% and 86% in Yorba Linda, 76% and 87% in Brea, 76% and 87% in Placentia, 80% and 82% in La Habra, 76% and 87% in La Palma, 75% and 84% in Fullerton and 82% and 82% in Buena Park.

In the full-term Senate race, Steve Garvey ran first, Adam Schiff second, Katie Porter third and Barbara Lee fourth in all seven cities.

In percentages, Garvey and Schiff won 54% and 18% in Yorba Linda, 45% and 23% in Brea, 42% and 22% in Placentia, 39% and 25% in La Habra, 37% and 24% in La Palma, 37% and 23% in Fullerton and 35% and 26% in Buena Park.

Percentages for Porter and Lee were 11% and 3% in Yorba Linda, 15% and 5% in Brea, 16% and 5% in Placentia, !4% and 4% in La Habra, 11% and 4% in La Palma, 18% and 6% in Ful-lerton and 15% and 5% in Buena Park.

Proposition 1, the mental health and homeless bond, lost in all seven cities, with “no” votes totaling 70% in Yorba Linda, 62% in Brea, 60% in Placentia, 59% in La Habra and La Palma, 57% in Fullerton and 55% in Buena Park.

The contest for county Board of Education Area 3 posted interesting numbers. Winner and 24-year incumbent Ken Williams took the parts of Brea, La Habra, Placentia and Yorba Linda in Area 3, but rival Nancy Watkins won three of the five Placentia council districts (1, 3 and 5).

Four of the six winners from the 23 candidates who sought seats on the Orange County Republican Central Committee representing the Orange County portion of the 59^th state Assembly District hold other elective offices representing Yorba Linda.

They include former City Council member and current water board director Gene Hernandez, North Orange County Community College trustee Ryan Bent, Placentia-Yorba Linda school trustee Leandra Blades and City Council member Janice Lim.

The other two winners are Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner and GOP party activist Jon Fleischman. Also in the race was City Council member Beth Haney, who placed ninth.

The six winners from the eight candidates for the county Democratic Central Committee are Florice Hoffman, Izeah Garcia, Isabella Rubio, Leandra Cruz, Eugene Fields and Arnel Dino.

The Orange County portion of the 59^th District includes all or major portions of Yorba Linda, Brea, Fullerton, Placentia, Anaheim Hills, North Tustin, Orange and Villa Park.