Mountain View Whisman runs the city's elementary and middle schools. Two of its five seats are up. Trustees Charles DiFazio, Lisa Henry and Anna Reed are not on the ballot. The district has also been in the news over a $700,000 settlement with its former superintendent.

The candidates

  • Bill Lambert (incumbent) lists fiscal stewardship as his top priority. At an Oct. 14 League of Women Voters forum he said rebuilding community trust comes first, that students should read at grade level before third grade, and that personnel cuts are probably unavoidable but staff who work directly with students should be protected.
  • Devon Conley (incumbent) focuses on student outcomes and teachers. She cited a new vendor-approval process, canceling $2.7 million in planned district-office renovations, a budget advisory committee and making district credit card statements public. She said the district must cut ongoing costs rather than lean on reserves.
  • Quintin Riis is an engineer and parent who led an unsuccessful recall effort against Conley. He wants a review of administrative spending and consultant costs, teacher pay high enough to live in Mountain View, more hands-on learning like shop classes and maker spaces, and a return of gifted education.
  • Sundar Subbarayan volunteers in both Mountain View school districts and emphasizes fiscal discipline and achievement. He wants closer scrutiny of vendor contracts, better reporting on which programs work and more precise measures of individual student progress.

Reaching families

Riis proposed translating key communications such as permission slips into Spanish. Conley said the district already offers translation and has a Spanish-speaking engagement facilitator at each school. Lambert suggested drawing on Spanish-speaking staff, and Subbarayan proposed recruiting community representatives to reach families who are heard from less often. Voters may choose up to two. 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.