Anaheim voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed $25 minimum wage for hotel and event workers in the city.
Take a look at this brutal tally, as of Thursday morning, from the Oct. 3 election:
| No on A | 21,550 | 66.73% |
| Yes on A | 10,743 | 33.27% |
Measure A was placed on the ballot by the Anaheim City Council after Unite Here Local 11, which represents Southern California hotel workers, gathered enough signatures to send it to city leaders.
The initiative would have given Anaheim the highest minimum wage for hospitality workers in the country. Annual pay increases of 3% for hotel and event center employees would be mandatory starting in 2026. Maids who cover more than 3,500 or 4,000 square feet over an eight-hour period would have to be paid double.
The measure was opposed by the city’s entrenched business interests, including the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and Disney. The “No on Measure A” political action committee, sponsored by The California Hotel & Lodging Association, raised nearly $3.3 million. Unite Here Local 11 raised around $100,000 for the “Yes on Measure A” campaign.
The special election came amid a sprawling investigation into public corruption in Anaheim. Investigators have painted a picture of a puppet government, almost wholly controlled by Disney and other corporate interests.
The vote also came on the heels of California’s so-called “Hot Labor Summer,” which saw intense union activism and strikes throughout the public and private sectors. A $25 wage for hotel workers is currently under consideration by the Los Angeles City Council. Long Beach residents will vote on a similar measure in March.
Anaheim workers and labor groups had expressed concerns that the special election would suffer from low voter turnout. Those fears seem to have materialized. According to the County Registrar, around 19% of voters showed up.
Orange County will provide the next election update Thursday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m.