U.S. House seats and state governor among posts contended this election
By Andrea Papagianis, Updated: 5/30/2014 at 3:50 p.m.
California’s primary voting began early this month as registered voters across the state received ballots by mail and marked their candidate choices before the June 3 election day.
Polling places will open throughout California Tuesday as voters see contests for governor, secretary of state and attorney general on the ballot. The state’s 53 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 80 seats in the state Assembly are on the ticket, as are 20 of the 40 seats in the state Senate.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) faces two challengers for the 49th District that stretches from northern San Diego County to San Clemente, Dana Point and north to Ladera Ranch. Democrats Dave Peiser of Encinitas and Noboru Isagawa of Laguna Niguel will try to unseat Issa, who has served since 2001.
At the state level, voters will also decide two ballot measures. The first, Proposition 41, would authorize redirecting $600 million in bond money to fund housing for low-income and homeless veterans.
California has the nation’s highest population of homeless veterans at an estimated 15,000, according to the latest homeless assessment conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The second statewide ballot measure, Proposition 42, is a proposed constitutional amendment that, if passed, would require local governing bodies to comply with state public records and open meeting laws.
By making compliance part of the equation, local governments would not be able to deny public records requests. It would also place the financial burden of Public Records Act compliance on local governments rather than the state. The state has not paid for such measures since 2002.
Incumbent California Gov. Jerry Brown faces 14 opponents in the primary, including candidate Joe Leicht from San Clemente. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom faces seven opponents and Attorney General Kamala Harris faces six.
Primary races for state controller, treasurer, insurance commissioner and superintendent of instruction also go before voters.
On the Ballot: Orange County
In Orange County, voters will see three Board of Supervisors seats on the ballot, including the 5th District seat being vacated by Pat Bates. Bates is running unopposed for the state Senate’s 36th District.
Dana Point Mayor Lisa Bartlett, Laguna Niguel City Councilman Robert Ming, Mission Viejo City Councilman Frank Ury and Deputy District Attorney Joe Williams are vying for Bates’ seat.
With Assemblywoman Diane Harkey terming out of her 73rd Assembly post, and running for the state Board of Equalization, four Republicans and one Democrat face off in next week’s primary.
Dana Point City Councilman Bill Brough, Capistrano Unified School District board trustee Anna Bryson, constitutional lawyer and Irvine Valley College professor Wendy Gabriella and Rancho Santa Margarita City Councilman Jesse Petrilla are on the ballot. In an email Friday afternoon, former Laguna Niguel City Councilman Paul Glabb, who is on the ballot, withdrew from the Assembly race.
Locally, voters will also have their say on the county’s Measure A, which would require Orange County’s 12 elected officials, including the five supervisors, to contribute to their pensions.
The county offices of assessor, auditor-controller, county clerk-recorder, district attorney-public administrator, sheriff-coroner and treasurer-tax collector are also on the ballot.
Tuesday’s primary is nonpartisan, meaning the two top vote getters in each race will advance to the November 4 general election. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Visit the Orange County Registrar of Voters website at www.ocvote.com for candidate information, to find your polling place and more. Voting information can also be found through the secretary of state’s office at www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov.
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