Long lines were still showing up all over the county after 8 p.m. – when the vote centers stopped admitting new voters who weren’t already in line – prompting concern from election observers.
Author Archives: Norberto Santana Jr.
Norberto Santana, Jr. is an experienced investigative reporter, serving as founding publisher and editor-in-chief for Voice of OC, overseeing newsroom, engagement and fundraising operations.
He’s also an award-winning columnist, focusing his efforts on First Amendment issues and local government, being recognized multiple years by the Orange County Press Club as the region’s best columnist.
The LA Press Club has named him a Journalist of the Year (2018) and the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has recognized him as a “Distinguished Journalist.” The California Chicano News Media Association has honored him with a lifetime achievement award and the national News Leaders Association has recognized him for his commitment to diverse staffing and coverage.
Santana is a pioneer in the field of nonprofit news having served on the board of directors for the national trade group for nonprofit newsrooms, the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN). He also has served on boards of the national nonprofit advocating investigative journalism, Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and the California First Amendment advocacy group, CalAware.
In addition to journalism, Santana also teaches public affairs and investigative journalism as an adjunct faculty professor at Chapman University.
Before founding Voice of OC in 2009, Santana was a lead investigative reporter for the Orange County Register, focusing on county government. He spent nearly two decades covering local governments across Southern California, previously as a staff writer at the San Diego Union Tribune and San Bernardino County Sun.
Santana began his journalistic career as an apprentice reporter with Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. covering daily floor action in the U.S. Congress and followed that up with a stint covering the territorial Senate for the U.S. Virgin Islands Daily News.
Languages spoken: English and Spanish
Posted inOC Feet to the Fire, Politics & Elections
Feet to the Fire Podcast: OC Republican Party Chair Fred Whitaker
Voice of OC Publisher Norberto Santana, Jr. recently interviewed Orange County Republican Party Chair Fred Whitaker just ahead of the March 2020 primary. Voice of OC previously interviewed Orange County Democratic Party Chair Ada Briceño.
Posted inOC Feet to the Fire
Feet to the Fire Podcast: Live from a Voice of OC Ambassadors Event
Voice of OC invited its exclusive Ambassadors donor group this week to watch a live recording of a politics podcast discussion.
Posted inOC Feet to the Fire
Feet to the Fire Podcast: OC Democratic Party Chair Ada Briceño
Voice of OC Publisher Norberto Santana, Jr. recently interviewed Orange County Democratic Party Chair Ada Briceño just ahead of the March 2020 primary. Voice of OC will interview Orange County Republican Party Chair Fred Whitaker.
Posted inCommunity Opinion, Top Stories
Washington’s 1796 Farewell Address
To commemorate Presidents Day – set on the third Monday of February to honor President Lincoln’s Feb. 12 birthday and President Washington’s Feb. 22 birthday – it’s always worthwhile to re-read our first President’s farewell address. It’s always a gripping read and also amazingly relevant – note the warnings to the young American nation about the perils of partisanship as well as foreign interference in national elections.
Posted inTop Stories
Inaugural Voice of OC Feet to the Fire Podcast for March 2020 Primary
The podcast takes its name and emphasis stems from the groundbreaking news and analysis forums held across Orange County for more than a decade — holding elected officials and candidates feet to the fire.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr., Top Stories
Santana: Top DA Spitzer Aide Gets $75K Settlement To Drop Corruption Allegations
Former Public Affairs Director Melanie Eustice was paid out a $75,000 settlement last fall after dropping her public contracting corruption claim against District Attorney Todd Spitzer and agreeing to silence. Eustice was one of Spitzer’s longest-serving aides.
Posted inTop Stories
Santana: MLK Holiday A Call To Confront Hate Together
A countywide report on hate incidents and hate crime data across Orange County shows that incidents have gone up by more than 100 percent since 2008 while crimes have spiked by nearly 50 percent.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr., Top Stories
Santana: Most Popular News Columns on Orange County
While Voice of OC celebrated its decade anniversary in 2019, our biggest story of the year came from our readers, who became donors in record numbers.
Posted inCountywide, Investigative, Norberto Santana Jr., Top Stories
Santana: High Ranking Aide to DA Todd Spitzer Disappears from Agency and State Assembly Campaign After Filing Explosive Claim Against County
Melanie Eustice, a top ranking executive who worked for OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer filed a legal claim with the county earlier this year obtained by Voice of OC alleging that Spitzer was an abusive boss and repeatedly engaged in a pattern of illegal behavior, highlighting instances of improperly releasing information from county bids and public records. Spitzer disputed her characterizations in email correspondence also obtained by Voice of OC.
