Morgan Hill Unified serves Morgan Hill and San Martin. Areas 1 through 4 are all contested this year. The Morgan Hill Times published candidate statements written by the candidates themselves, so the claims below are theirs. For Areas 3 and 4, see our separate explainer.

Area 1: Nancy Altman-Palm vs. Jason Amezcua

  • Nancy Altman-Palm (incumbent) taught special education at Britton Middle School from 1998, became assistant principal there in 2017 and retired in 2021. She says she is fighting for a balanced budget, criticizes the district's transparency, and says she did not support putting a bond on the 2026 ballot. She says teachers rank 27th of 28 Santa Clara County districts in pay and lists sole endorsements from the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers and the South Bay Labor Council.
  • Jason Amezcua is an MHUSD parent and former law school dean whose wife is a district special education paraprofessional. He sits on the Leadership Morgan Hill board, promises transparent budgeting tied to measurable outcomes, and stresses safe campuses, mental health, special education and pathways to college, military service or the trades.

Area 2: John Horner vs. Gabriela Winter

  • John Horner (incumbent), elected in 2018, is a former tech worker, owner of Thinker Toys and past leader of the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce. He says that since 2018 graduation rates rose from 84% to 96%, teacher pay rose 30% and reserves grew from $25 million to $37 million without school closures or layoffs.
  • Gabriela “Gabby” Winter grew up in Morgan Hill and has three children in district schools. She argues graduation rates aren't enough, citing state results showing about 47% of MHUSD students met the English standard and 36% met math, and about 37% of third graders met the English standard. She calls for competitive pay and measurable outcomes for programs.

Need logistics? See our Santa Clara County voting guide.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center. For more local races and measures, see our 2026 Bay Area election hub.