City of Orange Measure J: 19,659 Yes Votes on Raising Larger-Hotel Tax to 14%

ORANGE, Calif. — November 5, 2026. A proposed increase in the tax paid by guests at larger hotels has an early Yes majority in the city of Orange. The county’s November 4 tally reports 19,659 Yes votes (58.87%) to 13,734 No (41.13%) on Measure J, an unofficial 5,925-vote lead. The count and certification are not complete.

What happens to the hotel rate

The city’s official Measure J explanation says the current transient occupancy tax is 10%, and the proposal raises it to 14% for hotels with 11 or more rooms. The change also covers certain online and other travel companies. Hotels with ten or fewer rooms would retain the existing rate under the described ordinance. The city projects approximately $3 million in additional annual general-fund revenue. These are estimates of future revenues, not audited collections.

Why this differs from the sales tax

Most residents do not pay the hotel guest tax unless they stay in qualifying accommodations within city limits. Measure I, a separate sales tax increase, would generally apply to taxable purchases instead. A visitor who buys taxable goods may be subject to that levy independently of any hotel stay. It is misleading to combine the $37 million projected for Measure I with a tally of Measure J votes or treat the two measures as one proposal.

What local revenue could support

Orange’s published ballot question lists police, fire, emergency response, parks and infrastructure maintenance among the general services associated with the tax. A general-fund tax still requires ordinary budget decisions and oversight; the ballot is not a guaranteed allocation of precisely $3 million to any single department. For mayoral results and the third local ballot question, see California58’s local overview.

Why these numbers remain preliminary

California’s county election offices continue reviewing qualifying mail ballots, provisional votes, conditional registrations and other necessary canvass items. An indicator saying that polling-place precincts have reported does not mean all valid ballots are counted. The Orange County Registrar has scheduled manual tabulation and risk-limiting audit work after Election Day. The county must complete its official results within California’s legal deadlines; statewide certification is due December 11. Vote totals in this story are the November 4 reporting snapshot accessed November 5, not a claim of a new November 5 tally.

For updated figures, consult the Orange County Registrar of Voters and NBC Los Angeles’ results table. Different source update times may show different totals. California58 reports candidate rankings and approved legal thresholds without endorsing an electoral choice or treating a news projection as certification.

California58 Elections Desk | November 5, 2026. Sources: Orange County election returns, local election and ballot documents linked above. Figures are uncertified and subject to change.

YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER NEEDS YOU

Help this community newspaper grow

Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.

Donate once by card ↗

Help Orange News grow Help strengthen reporting on Orange: community voices, important decisions and local life.

Support Orange News

Choose how to support Orange News:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal Continue with Zelle

Zelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.

Optional reader support. When possible, add “Orange News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.

Optional support through the publisher. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible and never buy editorial influence.

Orange News — Your Community Newspaper

Have a correction, news tip, local announcement, or story to submit? Contact our editorial team. All submissions are reviewed before publication.