Napa Valley Unified, which Ballotpedia says served 16,103 students in 26 schools in the 2025 school year, has three contested trustee races on Nov. 3: Areas 1, 6 and 7. Area 3 was uncontested and is off the ballot, the Press Democrat reports.
Napa County's candidate guide lists the Area 7 seat as vacant and up for a two-year term starting Dec. 4, 2026. Four candidates filed.
The candidates
- Gabriel Champagne Affonso. No statement from Affonso was posted on the county's candidate statements page.
- Jason M. Dooley (Attorney, 43). Dooley's county voter guide statement says Dooley previously served as the Area 7 trustee, works as a public agency lawyer and is the parent of an incoming freshman and a recent graduate.
- David Hildebrandt (Higher Education Professional). Hildebrandt's statement says Hildebrandt and both of the candidate's children attended NVUSD. It cites experience with AI in education, managing teams of educators and overseeing budgets.
- John Houser (Recreation Specialist). Houser's statement says he was born and raised in Napa, graduated from Vintage High and studied cognitive development at Sacramento State.
Napa County voting guide: vote centers, drop boxes and deadlines.
More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.
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.