Early returns show voters want to recall conservative Orange Unified School District members

As votes continue to be tallied, early results show Orange Unified School District members Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner heading toward a recall with nearly 53% of voters supporting the ousting.

Ledesma and Miner both had their names added to the primary election ballots after a group of parents, teachers and community members started the recall efforts in 2023. 

The movement started due to the culture war issues that took center stage at Orange Unified School District meetings, many of which became heated when discussing topics like alerting parents when a child changed their pronouns or if schools could fly the LGBTQ+ pride flag. 

A group called "No Recall Protect OUSD Kids" has vocally opposed the recall efforts, raising more than $100,000 to support the board members so far. The group claims that they're defending parental rights and fighting for issues like curriculum transparency, student safety and school improvements. 

Both Ledesma and Miner consider themselves as part of the parental-rights movement. In the past, they've called their recall attempted a thinly-veiled assault on the rights they're fighting to protect. 

Ledesma has been a trustee for the school district for 24 years, while Miner is serving her first term. Thus far, Ledesma has been unavailable when contacted for comment on the recall efforts, but Miner issued a statement to KCAL News on the topic. 

"We passed a groundbreaking parents' bill of rights for curriculum transparency, attempted to remove sexually explicit materials from schools, and instituted parental notification policies to protect the health and safety of our children," she wrote. "The recall is nothing more than a power grab by the same union bosses and Sacramento bureaucrats who have failed our kids for years."

Related: California and Los Angles County Primary election results