Democrats lead OC supervisor races as vote count nears end

Democrats moved ahead of Republican rivals in two Orange County Board of Supervisors races Wednesday evening, with fewer than 10,000 ballots remaining to be counted countywide, according to Voice of OC.

The outcomes of the Fourth and Fifth District races will determine whether Democrats retain majority control of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, one of the most consequential local governing bodies in Southern California.

In the Fifth District, incumbent Supervisor Katrina Foley held a razor-thin lead over Republican Assemblywoman Diane Dixon — 46.98% to 46.81% — as of Wednesday evening. Neither candidate appeared positioned to clear the 50% threshold required to avoid a November runoff election.

In the Fourth District, Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut led OC Board of Education Trustee Tim Shaw, with Traut drawing more than 33% of the vote compared to Shaw's more than 31%, Voice of OC reported. A two-candidate November runoff appeared likely for that seat as well.

Both Democratic leads reversed earlier trends: Republicans had held advantages in initial vote counts before later-counted ballots shifted the margins. About 10,000 votes remained outstanding across the county Wednesday evening.

In the Second District, Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento was on track for reelection with more than 60% of the vote, a margin large enough to secure the seat outright and sidestep a November runoff.

Unless a candidate in the Fourth or Fifth District surpasses 50% when all remaining ballots are tallied, Orange County voters will head back to the polls in November to decide the board's final composition.