Orange County Board of Supervisors: Who’s Running In The March 5 Primary Election And Why It Matters

What do county supervisors do?

The five county supervisors are some of the most powerful people in Orange County, deciding about $9 billion in spending each year on key government services like public health, mental health, law enforcement and child protective services.

They oversee much of the social safety net that handles health care for O.C.’s most vulnerable residents. They control how much funding goes to key law enforcement agencies — like the Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office— and can influence how it’s spent. They’re also the bosses of public health officials and can have a major impact on things like mask requirements during a pandemic and how much information — or how little — the public gets. And whether that information is accurate.

Many former county supervisors have moved on to state or federal office after their time on the board — including U.S. Reps. Michelle Steel and Lou Correa, District Attorney Todd Spitzer, former U.S. Ambassador and Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez and former state Sen. John Moorlach.

If you live in an unincorporated part of Orange County — like North Tustin, Ladera Ranch, Rossmoor, Orange Park Acres and the canyon communities — the Board of Supervisors works essentially as your city council. That means the supervisors control local laws and oversee services like roads, police services, trash pickup and development.

You can find a map of all the unincorporated communities here.