Orange County is a county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California,United States. As of the 2020 census,the population was 3,186,989,making it the third-most-populous county in California,the sixth-most-populous in the United States,and more populous than 19 American states and Washington,D.C. Although largely suburban,it is the second-most-densely-populated county in the state behind San Francisco County. The county's three most-populous cities are Anaheim,Santa Ana,and Irvine,each of which has a population exceeding 300,000. Santa Ana is also the county seat. Six cities in Orange County are on the Pacific coast:Seal Beach,Huntington Beach,Newport Beach,Laguna Beach,Dana Point,and San Clemente.
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the transportation planning commission for Orange County,California,in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. OCTA is responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for the transportation system in the county,including freeway expansions,express lane management,bus and rail transit operation,and commuter rail funding and oversight.
The Orange County Fair,abbreviated as the OC Fair,is a 23-day annual fair that is held every summer at the OC Fair &Event Center in Costa Mesa,California. The 2024 OC Fair was held from July 19 to August 18,and the theme was “Always a Good Time!”
Todd Spitzer is an American attorney and politician serving as the district attorney of Orange County,California. Spitzer successfully ran for Orange County district attorney in 2018 against incumbent Tony Rackauckas. Spitzer had previously served as a deputy district attorney from 1990 to 1996 and,under Rackauckas,as assistant district attorney from 2008 to 2010.
The OC Fair &Event Center (OCFEC) is a 150-acre (0.61 km2) event venue in Costa Mesa,California. The site hosts over 150 events attracting 4.3 million visitors annually,and is home to the Orange County Fair,Centennial Farm,Costa Mesa Speedway,and Pacific Amphitheatre.
Janet Q. Nguyen is an American politician who serves in the California State Senate. A Republican,she represents the 36th district,which includes coastal Orange County,Little Saigon,and parts of Los Angeles County. She previously was a member of the State Senate for the old 34th district from 2014 to 2018,before narrowly losing reelection to Tom Umberg.
Michelle Eunjoo Steel is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for California's 45th congressional district since 2023,previously representing the 48th congressional district from 2021 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party,she concurrently served as a member of House Minority Whip Steve Scalise's Whip Team for the 117th Congress. Steel ran for re-election to a third term in 2024,but she was defeated in the general election by Democratic challenger Derek Tran.
Jose Luis Correa is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for California's 46th congressional district since 2017. His district is based in Orange County and includes the communities of Anaheim and Santa Ana,as well as parts of Orange. A member of the Democratic Party,Correa represented the 34th district in the California State Senate from 2006 to 2014.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is the five-member governing body of Orange County,California,along with being the executive of the county.
Johannes Meindert Willem Moorlach is an American politician who served as a member of the California State Senate representing 37th Senate district,which includes portions of Orange County,from 2015 to 2020. He was narrowly defeated for reelection by Dave Min in 2020;he lost a 2021 special election to return to the Orange County Board of Supervisors;he withdrew from the 2022 election for Orange County Auditor-Controller;and he lost the 2022 election for Mayor of Costa Mesa. A Republican,he previously served on the Orange County Board of Supervisors from December 5,2006,to January 5,2015,and as Orange County Treasurer–Tax Collector from March 17,1995,to December 5,2006.
Chris Norby is an American politician and educator. He served on the Fullerton City Council (1984–2002) including three years as mayor,on the Orange County Board of Supervisors (2003–2010),on the California State Assembly (2010–2012).
Donald P. Wagner is an American politician,currently serving as a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd district and chair. He previously served as mayor of Irvine,California and as a Republican member of the California State Assembly,representing the 68th district,which includes portions of Orange County. In 2019,Wagner won a seat as a nonpartisan representative on the Orange County Board of Supervisors,representing District 3.
The Orange County Local Agency Formation Commission,or OC LAFCO,is a government agency that makes decisions regarding boundaries for cities,unincorporated territory and special districts within Orange County,California. Orange County LAFCO offices are located in Santa Ana,California.
The Orange County Employees Association (OCEA),located in Santa Ana,California,is a public employee labor union in Orange County,representing about 18,000 employees. OCEA was founded in 1937.
David Kunnghee Min is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party he serves as the state senator for California's 37th Senate district,which includes portions of Orange County. He was an assistant law professor at the University of California,Irvine School of Law before he was elected to the California State Senate.
Andrew Hoang Do is an American attorney and former politician who was a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors for the first district from 2015 to 2024,when he resigned from office as part of an agreement with prosecutors in which he pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. A Republican,he previously served as both chair and vice chair of the board for two and three terms respectively. Do was a candidate for California State Treasurer in 2022,but was eliminated in the primaries. Before serving on the board of supervisors,Do served as a member of the Garden Grove city council and was an Orange County deputy district attorney.
The 2018 Orange,County,California District Attorney election took place on June 5,2018,for the first round. Because no candidate received a majority in the first round,a runoff took place November 6,2018,to elect the Orange County,California District Attorney. County-level elections in California are officially nonpartisan. Because no candidate received a majority,a runoff was held on November 6,2018.
Katrina Anne Foley is an American politician and attorney currently serving as the member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors from the 5th district,assuming office as supervisor on March 26,2021. She is Chair of the Orange County Housing Finance Trust,and also serves on the boards of the Orange County Transportation Authority and Orange County Fire Authority.
The 2022 Orange County Board of Supervisors elections were held on June 7 and November 8,2022. Three of the five seats of the Orange County,California Board of Supervisors were up for election. This was the first set of elections held after the 2020 redistricting cycle. County elections in California are officially nonpartisan. A two-round system was used for the election,starting with the first round in June. Runoffs were held in all three districts,as no candidate managed to reach the 50% + 1 threshold.
Municipal elections in Costa Mesa are held every two years. Beginning in 1982,the elections were consolidated with the statewide general elections. From 1954 to 2016,voters could select as many candidates as open positions,meaning the total vote count could exceed voter registration numbers. Following the passage of Measure EE in 2016,Costa Mesa moved from a system of electing either two or three councilmembers at-large every two years,to a seven member city council with a directly elected mayor,with a two-year term,and six city councilmembers with four year terms.
