7 Candidates Running For 45th Congressional Seat

LAKE FOREST, CA — Nearly 1.5 million people are registered to vote here in Orange County, according to the latest voter registration numbers from Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s office. Turnout was expected to be strong for Tuesday’s election as voters made their choice in the presidential primary, and voted on the largest proposed bond issue in state history.

Statewide, there are 20.4 million registered voters, an increase of 3.1 million since the last presidential election in 2016. In fact, 80 percent of eligible Californians are registered to vote, the highest heading into a California Presidential Primary in the past 68 years.

“California entered 2020 with a record 20.4 million registered voters—and I only expect that figure to climb as we reach the Presidential Primary in March and General Election in November,” said Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

MAJOR ELECTIONS

The most-watched races on all ballots in California were those for the presidential primary race. In Lake Forest, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita, voters will weigh in on races for the state house and U.S. Congress.

In the 45th Congressional District which contains the cities of Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, incumbent Katie Porter is facing Greg Raths, Peggy Huang, Rhonda Furin, Don Sedgwick, Lisa Sparks and Christopher Gonzales.

In the 48th Congressional District which contains the cities of Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, incumbent Harley Rouda is facing John Thomas Schuesler, Michelle Steel, Richard Mata, Brian Burley, and James Brian Griffin.

State Assembly Offices

In the 68th California State Assembly District, which contains the city of Lake Forest incumbent Steven Choi faces Benjamin Yu, Eugene Fields and Melissa Fox.

In the 73rd California State Assembly District which contains the cities of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, and Laguna Niguel, incumbent William (Bill) Brough faces Ed Sachs, Laurie Davies, Scott Rhinehard and Chris Duncan.

FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE

In Orange County, polling places are open for business, as are drop off ballot locations. Find yours:

• Lake Forest
• Mission Viejo
• Rancho Santa Margarita

STUDENTS FOR CHANGE

Secretary of State Alex Padilla also noted that high school students are taking advantage of a new program to pre-register to vote, starting when they are 16-years-old. Teens who pre-register have their registration automatically activated when they turn 18. As of Feb. 3, there were 156,022 pre-registered 16- and 17-year-olds.

“Whenever I talk to high students it is clear that they care about their communities and democracy,” said Padilla. “Pre-registration provides a platform for young people to begin entering the electoral process before they reach 18. I am so proud that pre-registration has now helped over a half million California teens take their first steps into the democratic process. I am challenging California teens, school administrators, and parents to help us add another 100,000 pre-registrations by the November 2020 General Election.”

Padilla has visited 82 high schools to promote the pre-registration program.