For the first time, Livermore voters will elect school board members by trustee area on Nov. 3, 2026. Three of the five seats on the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District board are on the ballot, in Areas 2, 3 and 5, and all three are contested.

Why it matters: The winners will help steer a district that approved about $14.8 million in ongoing cuts for 2026-27 and is now deciding what to restore. Voters can only vote in the area where they live.

How the new system works

LVJUSD switched from at-large to by-trustee-area elections to protect itself from lawsuits under the California Voting Rights Act, the district says. Areas 2, 3 and 5 vote this year. Areas 1 and 4 vote in 2028. The district has an interactive map to check which area you live in.

The map was drawn without regard to where sitting trustees live. That is why two current at-large trustees, both elected in 2024 to terms that run to 2028, live in Area 5 and are running against each other there. If either one wins, they give up their at-large seat, and the board would fill it by provisional appointment or a special election, according to the district.

Area 2: central Livermore

  • Tara Boyce, a technology professional who used to work in finance and accounting, is running again after a previous run, Livermore Vine reported. She told Patch her top issues are the budget and reserves, student safety and technology, and aging campuses, and that the district needs to make the case for a school bond in 2028.
  • Stephen R. Orgain is a newcomer.

Area 3: north Livermore

  • Angela M. Brady, a senior data analyst and first-time candidate, told Patch her priorities are fiscal stability, facility updates and student safety, and that north Livermore, including Springtown, needs a stronger voice on the board.
  • Deborah "Debbie" Gibson is also a newcomer.

Area 5: southeast Livermore and land south of the city

  • Deena Kaplanis, a chiropractor and district parent, topped the field in 2024. She cast the only vote against the 2026-27 cuts and wants to use one-time money to restore programs while keeping healthy reserves. Tri-Valley Republicans lists her on a conservative slate, according to Livermore Vine.
  • Christiaan VandenHeuvel works in pastoral care at Cornerstone Fellowship and served on the budget oversight committee. He warns against restoring ongoing jobs with one-time money. He is endorsed by the Livermore Education Association, CSEA, Mayor John Marchand and others.
  • Sam Phelps, a project manager for a general contractor and a Livermore High parent, calls himself "not a politician" and says Area 5 schools need basic maintenance such as bathrooms.

At a Sept. 28 Livermore Vine forum, the Area 5 candidates split over transgender students in sports. Kaplanis and Phelps sided with the federal Title IX reading on sports participation. VandenHeuvel called the checks needed for a ban "unconscionable."

The budget backdrop

After the February cuts, the board brought back more than $2.7 million in programs and staff. The district then revised its budget in August for about $12.3 million in extra state revenue for 2026-27, nearly all of it one-time money, Livermore Vine reported.

Elsewhere on Livermore's ballot

Only one city race is contested: incumbent Ben Barrientos faces Narayan Tadimeti in Council District 2. Mayor John Marchand and District 1 Councilmember Evan Branning were unopposed. Seven candidates are running for three seats on the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District board.

Nearby, Dublin voters have Measure I and Pleasanton has Measure HH. For every race and measure we've covered, see our Election 2026 guide.