Senate District 36: Duncan Leads Strickland by 2,238 Votes in Nov. 5 Count

SAN CLEMENTE / COASTAL ORANGE COUNTY — NOVEMBER 5, 2026. California’s State Senate District 36 is closely divided in a newly updated, unofficial count. Democrat Chris Duncan has 148,742 votes (50.4%) to Republican incumbent Tony Strickland’s 146,504 (49.6%), a difference of 2,238 votes out of 295,246 recorded. The Ballot Book marks this district update Thursday, November 5 at 9:30 a.m.

What changed since Wednesday?

At 5:46 p.m. November 4, the tracker listed Duncan with 147,788 votes and Strickland with 146,128: an earlier margin of 1,660. Thursday’s additional 1,330 votes increased Duncan’s count by 954 and Strickland’s by 376, widening the reported difference by 578 votes. That change is a dated comparison, not a prediction about remaining ballots.

Why Orange and Los Angeles County numbers differ

The race spans portions of both counties. In the most recent Orange County portion available to the tracker (November 4, 5:46 p.m.), Strickland had 138,708 votes while Duncan had 133,882. The Los Angeles County portion, updated November 5 at 9:30 a.m., showed Duncan ahead 14,860 to 7,796. Districtwide figures are the sum of county portions at their latest distinct reporting times, not a uniform instantaneous ballot count.

What voters should watch

The district includes communities along coastal Orange County and extends into Los Angeles County. The senate seat controls a voice in state lawmaking on housing, taxes, public safety and transportation. California58 covered candidate background before the vote; the current article is about counted ballots. None of the numbers is legally certified.

Sources: The Ballot Book November 5 district and county breakdowns; California Secretary of State election calendar and certification rules. Counts remain unofficial.

YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER NEEDS YOU

Help this community newspaper grow

Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.

Donate once by card ↗

Help San Clemente News grow Help strengthen reporting on San Clemente: community voices, important decisions and local life.

Support San Clemente News

Choose how to support San Clemente News:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal Continue with Zelle

Zelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.

Optional reader support. When possible, add “San Clemente News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.

Optional support through the publisher. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible and never buy editorial influence.

San Clemente News — Your Community Newspaper

Have a correction, news tip, local announcement, or story to submit? Contact our editorial team. All submissions are reviewed before publication.