Pajaro Valley Unified has four trustee seats on the Nov. 3 ballot. Area 1 includes Mar Vista, Valencia, Aptos Junior High, Aptos High and Bradley. The board has recently approved a teachers' contract amid warnings about school closures.
The candidates
- Andrew Goldenkranz, 68, is a retired public educator and a former chair of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party. He wants every spending proposal tied to student-achievement goals. He would rather grow teacher expertise in-house than pay outside consultants, and he wants a concrete continuity plan before any school closures.
- Meilin Obinata, 51, is a senior college admissions counselor and a board trustee of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. She has the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers' endorsement. She wants the budget posted online, the public involved in budgeting from the start, and a real strategic plan instead of moving "crisis to crisis."
- Robin Sukow, 79, is a general contractor who calls himself an outsider. He is vice chair of the Santa Cruz County Republican Assembly. His top priority is keeping the district out of state receivership, and he blames board dysfunction for slow progress.
All three told Santa Cruz Local that teacher pay and the high cost of living are major problems.
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.