Education Seat Battle: Sparks vs Sams in Orange County

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 wide margin. Sams works as an advisor at Roosevelt University, focusing on humanities and social sciences. Sparks, meanwhile, is a behavioral‑science professor at Chapman University’s School of Communication and was its first dean.The board’s job is to set the county’s school budget and decide on matters like expulsions, new charter schools and district transfers. The District 5 seat covers the southern part of Orange County, including towns such as Newport Beach, Laguna Hills and San Clemente. Stefan Bean has been the county’s superintendent since 2024, and Mari Barke holds the Area 2 trustee post, both of whom faced no opponents in this election cycle. Vote tallies will keep updating until every ballot is counted, so keep checking for the latest numbers.