Education Seat Battle: Sparks vs Sams in Orange County

Lisa Sparks wins by a wide margin

When the polls closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the results for the Orange County Board of Education District 5 race were posted. Lisa Sparks, who has already served two terms on the board, led Jason Sams by a significant margin.

• Lisa Sparks – Behavioral‑science professor at Chapman University’s School of Communication and former dean.
• Jason Sams – Advisor at Roosevelt University, focusing on humanities and social sciences.

The board’s responsibilities include setting the county’s school budget and making decisions on expulsions, new charter schools, and district transfers. District 5 covers the southern part of Orange County, including Newport Beach, Laguna Hills, and San Clemente.

Other key positions:

• Stefan Bean – County superintendent since 2024 (unopposed).
• Mari Barke – Area 2 trustee (unopposed).

Vote tallies will continue to update until every ballot is counted, so keep checking for the latest numbers.