Orange Measure K: Voters Oppose Proposed City Charter, 20,220 No to 11,401 Yes

ORANGE, Calif. — November 5, 2026. While city voters supported two revenue proposals in the early results, they opposed a separate proposal to change the city’s legal form of government. Measure K, the proposed city charter, drew 20,220 No votes (63.94%) against 11,401 Yes (36.06%) in the Orange County November 4 tally. The figures remain unofficial.

What does it mean to become a charter city?

Orange currently operates as a general-law city under California’s statutory municipal rules. The city clerk’s August notice explains that a Yes vote would adopt a proposed charter, making it the municipality’s governing document for municipal affairs under the state constitution. A No vote would leave its existing general-law framework unchanged. A charter does not exempt a city from all California or federal laws.

Why term limits became part of the debate

Opponents argued that the proposed charter would also modify limits governing the length of service of local elected officials. Their campaign arguments raised concerns about changes to council and mayoral terms and how previous service would be counted. These are arguments by opponents, not an independent California58 conclusion about the measure. Residents evaluating the proposal should compare those claims with the full official charter text and impartial analysis.

How the vote relates to Orange’s other races

A large No majority in an early ballot question does not mean a particular mayoral or council candidate received the same votes. In the same municipal election, Dan Slater led Arianna Barrios for mayor in a separate contest. Orange’s Measures I and J addressed sales and hotel taxation; Measure K is about city governing authority. See the original election-night overview and the updated local election table.

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.

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