Huntington Beach officials have filed an objection to a recent court directive that would require the city to use ranked-choice voting in City Council elections this November, raising concerns about technical readiness, voter confusion and the legality of the underlying lawsuit.
The filing, submitted July 10, cited a letter from Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page indicating the county currently lacks a "state-certified voting system" capable of carrying out a ranked-choice contest in time for the midterm election. Page also warned the county would need software upgrades so that "the election can be conducted lawfully and accurately."
What the city is arguing
City attorneys say the court-ordered change poses practical obstacles and could depress participation. In its brief, the city wrote that "
Ranked choice voting can also be confusing for voters, particularly those unfamiliar with ranking candidates" and that the method's complexity could produce errors or discourage turnout.
The city is also contesting the legality of the plaintiffs’ case in light of recent high-court precedent, arguing the lawsuit conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court’s April decision in Louisiana v. Ca. The filing asks the court to reconsider implementing ranked-choice voting for the November election while those legal questions proceed.
Background: why the court ordered a change
The June 26 order followed a lawsuit filed in 2024 by the nonprofit Southwest Voter Registration Education Project and Huntington Beach resident Victor Valladares. The plaintiffs argued the city's at-large election system dilutes the voting power of Latino residents — a group that represents roughly 20% of the city's population of about 200,000.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Craig Griffin concluded ranked-choice voting would be a "less drastic remedy" than splitting the city into districts, the result the plaintiffs had sought. In a ranked-choice system, voters rank candidates by preference and successive elimination rounds determine a majority winner. District elections, by contrast, divide the city into geographic zones where voters choose a representative from their area.
Practical and procedural questions ahead
- County elections official Bob Page says current systems lack state certification for ranked-choice counting.
- The city warns ranked-choice ballots may increase voter error or reduce participation.
- Plaintiffs maintain at-large elections have diluted Latino voting power; the court earlier favored a less disruptive remedy than districts.
How quickly the county could obtain certified software or whether the state would approve accelerated changes remains unresolved in the filings. The city's challenge means litigation will continue to shape what Huntington Beach voters see on their ballots this fall.
| Election method | What it means |
|---|---|
| At-large | All voters select among all candidates for open council seats |
| Ranked-choice | Voters rank candidates; lowest vote-getters are eliminated in rounds until a majority winner emerges |
| District | City divided into geographic districts; voters elect representative for their area |
The dispute will determine whether Huntington Beach becomes the first city in Orange County to run a ranked-choice council election. For now, residents should watch for further court rulings and official notices from the city and Orange County Registrar about ballot formats and voter instructions ahead of November.
