LAGUNA BEACH, CA — The polls are closed in Orange County, and voters will soon know which two candidates survived the crowded contest for governor, the Orange County Board of Supervisors and more.
Eight candidates are running for governor. Heading into election day, polls showed Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton leading a crowded field including top contenders Chad Bianco, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond, and Antonio Villaraigosa. It’s been a scandal-plagued primary season without a clear frontrunner, dampening voter enthusiasm and early voting turnout on the left.
RELATED: Real-Time Election Results: CA Governor's Primary Election 2026
The outcome of dozens of down-ballot primary races also hangs in the balance in Orange County. Voters are waiting to find out who came out ahead in the Orange County Board of Supervisors and several congressional races.
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As of April, the California Secretary of State reported that 23,112,854 Californians were registered to vote, which accounts for almost 84 percent of the state's eligible voting population.
Not surprisingly, there are far more registered Democrats than Republicans in the state, with 45 percent for the former and 25 percent for the latter.
RELATED: Real-Time Election Results: CA Congressional Primary Election 2026
In Orange County, the rate of voter registration is high. As of April, it was 85.6 percent — with 36.39 percent of voters registered as Democrats, 33.87 percent as Republicans.
Real-time results are below. Scroll or select the menu for viewing the race of your choice.
The Registrar of Voters and Patch will update the results throughout the night as votes are tallied, and the page will be refreshed for the latest updates.
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Voter turnout may be a mixed bag this primary season as voters decided which two candidates will vie in the general election to be the next governor of the Golden State. Top ticket races such the gubernatorial contest usually generate high voter turnout. But that may not be the case this year as the lack of a clear frontrunner appears to have dampened enthusiasm among early voters.
Even Democrats who typically have a high turnout in primary elections — often older, white voters — have been slow to drop off their ballots, said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist tracking ballot returns.
“My joke is: Call your Democratic parents and tell them to turn in their ballot,” he said. “They are holding onto the ballot because they have seen this kind of topsy-turvy governor’s race. They’re waiting to make sure they’re making the right choice.”
About 10% of the state's roughly 23 million voters had voted as of Wednesday, according to Mitchell's tracker. That includes about 15% of Republicans, 10% of Democrats and 7% of voters registered with no or another party. That breakdown is unusual because Democrats in recent years have tended to vote early while many Republicans wait until Election Day.
In the 5th District, Katrina Foley will run for re-election against Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, and Lucy Vellema, an educator in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.
The 5th District represents Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente and more.
A slew of candidates are running for California's 47th Congressional District, including incumbent Rep. Dave Min, a Democrat.
Running against Min include Republicans Bill Brough, Christopher Gonzales, Michael Maxsenti and Jenny Rae Le Roux.
Democrat Hunter Garcia Miranda also filed, along with Libertarian Derrick Michael Reid and no party preference runners Jesus Patino and Eric Troutman.
The 47th Congressional District includes Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest and Tustin.
In this district, 36.25 percent of registered voters are Democrats, 32.17 percent of voters are Republicans and 25.28 are no party preference.
California voters headed to the polls Tuesday, facing concerns over homelessness, wildfire insurance shortages, budget deficits and soaring housing costs, as a high-profile gubernatorial primary and several competitive congressional races tested the state’s political landscape.
The governor’s race was defined by record spending, scandal and Democratic anxiety over California’s top-two primary system. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer poured more than $195 million into television, cable and radio advertising — the largest political ad campaign in the nation this year — drawing criticism from opponents who accused him of trying to buy the governorship. Former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra emerged as Steyer’s chief Democratic rival after former Rep. Eric Swalwell ended his campaign amid sexual assault allegations.
Republican former Fox News host Steve Hilton, backed by President Donald Trump, also remained a top contender in polling alongside Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, fueling fears among Democrats that a split Democratic vote could allow two Republicans to advance to the November general election. Under California’s election system, the top two finishers advance regardless of party.
Congressional races across California were also under intense scrutiny following voter approval of Proposition 50, a partisan redistricting measure expected to reshape the state’s political map. Democrats are targeting several Republican-held seats as they seek to overturn the GOP’s slim House majority.
One of the most closely watched contests is in Southern California’s 40th District, where longtime Republican Rep. Ken Calvert faces fellow Republican Rep. Young Kim after redistricting combined portions of the Inland Empire and Orange County. The bitter campaign featured both candidates accusing the other of disloyalty to Trump.
In Northern California, the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa’s former 1st District is expected to favor Democrats after district boundaries shifted west and south, while Sacramento-area District 6 and Central Valley District 22 are also expected to be fiercely contested.
In Southern California’s newly redrawn 48th District, longtime Republican Rep. Darrell Issa opted to retire rather than seek reelection in a district that now leans Democratic. Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond entered the race with Issa’s endorsement but faced a crowded field of Democratic and Republican challengers in a district spanning parts of San Diego and Riverside counties.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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