Newport Beach is preparing to host its own election for the first time in nearly half a century following an order from Orange County Superior Court Judge Julianne Bancroft. The city is tasked with conducting a special election for three ballot initiatives it had previously challenged in court, with Bancroft claiming the city's opposition "bordered on obstruction." Judge Bancroft overruled the city's complaints regarding the initiatives and denied multiple requests from city lawyers to delay the election, according to the record. These three initiatives, which will appear on a separate city-administered ballot, aim to increase transparency at city hall, institute stricter term limits for elected officials, and shift city council seats to district elections. Most other city elections, including city council seats and a ballot initiative concerning approved housing, will remain on the general election ballot administered by the county.
A significant challenge for Newport Beach is the refusal of Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page to assist with the last-minute election. In a letter to city leaders, Page stated that "critical election deadlines" are impacting the Registrar's ability to provide services. Page further explained that requiring the county to develop and provide services for a stand-alone city election on the same date as the statewide general election "would interfere" with the General Election and create risks. Page reiterated these concerns to county supervisors, noting potential disruption to the general election and risks of voters mixing up ballots. City leaders had previously stated that an election would be "impossible" without the county's aid, according to City Attorney Aaron Harp at a special meeting.
The special election is planned to be conducted entirely via mail, with no in-person vote centers, according to city officials. Ballots for military and overseas voters were expected to be mailed out by Friday, as confirmed by city spokesperson Georgia Rios. As of Tuesday, the city was awaiting a business reply permit from the US Postal Service, a permit that can take up to a week to process according to the postal service’s website.
Further questions remain regarding how city staff plan to count ballots once they are received. Registrar Page informed county supervisors that the city’s consultants were still seeking a certified system for ballot tabulation. Page stated, "There’s too many voters in Newport Beach" for a hand counting process. The Newport Beach City Council hired The Stellara Group, a consulting firm led by Jessica Blair, a former city clerk and former president of the California Municipal Clerks Association, to assist with the election. Blair did not respond to requests for comment.
The city had requested a range of data and services from the county, including a current Newport Beach voter-registration file, continuous updates to identify eligible voters, and assistance with issuing ballots and reconciling election records. This requested information included residence and mailing addresses, precinct identifiers, registration and address changes, and other relevant voter-status changes, as detailed in a city staff report. Registrar Page noted that the county does not have the capacity to share and continually update this information while also administering the general election.
City leaders have appealed Judge Bancroft’s decision to the California Supreme Court; however, there has been no indication yet if the state's highest court will take up the case. The California Secretary of State declined to comment on the election when asked. The City Council has not met to discuss the ballots since last week, and requests for sample ballots or a timeline for the election rollout went unreturned as of Thursday afternoon, according to the record.
