Election 2024: With thin leads, H.B.’s Measure A and B look on track for approval

Although an estimated 188,544 ballots countywide are not yet processed, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’ Office, many early results reported on Super Tuesday have held steady. Most notably, the leads established Wednesday evening for Measures A and B in Huntington Beach had been maintained as of Friday evening.

The updated results for local races being watched by the Daily Pilot are as follows:

Huntington Beach’s Measure A, which in part deals with requiring voter identification at the polls, has received “yes� votes on 52.7% of the ballots counted, down from the 54.1% reported Wednesday evening. The “yes� votes on Measure B also continue to lead the “no� votes, with 56.8% of the ballots but have also dropped from the initially reported 58.2%. Measure C continues to be rejected by voters, with 53.8% of ballots being cast against the measure, up from the 52.6% reported Wednesday.

Conservative leaders in the city said Wednesday they are confident both Measures A and B will pass.

Meanwhile, local congressional races have narrowed down likely candidates for the November election.

The race for the 45th Congressional District will likely pit incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel, a Republican, and Derek Tran, a Democrat. Tran leads the current Democratic race for the seat by a slim 1.3% lead over Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Nguyen-Penaloza. Tran had 16.2% of the votes while Nguyen-Penaloza had 14.9% as of Friday evening. The district includes Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Fountain Valley, Buena Park, Fullerton, Placentia and Brea.

The much-contested race in the state’s 47th Congressional District appears to be a fight between Republican and former state Assemblyman Scott Baugh and current state Sen. Dave Min. Baugh is the leading Republican on the ticket with 32.5% of the votes. Min trails behind with an estimated 26% of the votes, ahead of community activist Joanna Weiss, who congratulated Min for being the presumptive Democratic nominee on Wednesday. Data indicates Weiss had about 19.3% of the votes as of Friday.

In the 72nd State Assembly District, Assemblywoman and Republican Diane Dixon will face off with community activist and Democrat Dom Jones. Dixon currently has about 60.8% of the votes while Jones has 39.3%. Incumbent Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris will vie for votes with Republican and former Newport Beach City Councilman Scotty Peotter. Petrie-Norris leads with 55.2% of the votes while Peotter follows with 31.1%.

About 1.8 million people are registered voters in Orange County. Of those, 28.3% voted in the primary, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’ Office.