Shimell leads Santa Ana mayoral race as Amezcua posts farewell

Dan Shimell leads Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua with 45.92% of the vote as of the latest update on Monday evening. The three-person race remains unconfirmed because more than 116,000 ballots are still awaiting a final tally. The Orange County Registrar of Voters typically releases new data at 5 p.m. on most days.

Amezcua served as mayor since 2022, a year she became the first woman and first Latina to hold the office in the predominantly Latino city. Before taking the top job, she spent three decades with the Orange County Probation Department and sat on the Santa Ana Unified School District board from 2014 to 2022. She held leadership positions on that board for five years.

In a social media post shared Monday, Amezcua thanked residents, city staff, and supporters for their assistance. She stated, “as my term as your mayor comes to a close, my heart is full of gratitude.” She described the role as the honor of her life to serve the people of Santa Ana. Amezcua noted that the administration focused on neighborhood investments, family opportunities, and city services. She added, “Our work was never about one person. It was about all of us moving this community forward.”

Shimell responded to the results in a separate social media post shared one hour after Amezcua’s message. He acknowledged the lead of more than 3,000 votes but noted that counting continues. “Until then, we’re excited here,” Shimell wrote. He thanked voters for their support and declared, “We’re going to make 2027 a great year for the city.”

The next scheduled update from the county registrar is expected on the standard daily timeline. Final certification of the mayoral race and the incoming councilmembers will follow once all remaining ballots are processed.