Three Santa Clara Unified trustees, Vickie Fairchild, Jodi Muirhead and Andrew Ratermann, were unopposed and will return without appearing on the ballot. The board certified them on Oct. 8. That leaves one race: Trustee Area 1.
The candidates
- Jim Canova has been on the board since 1992. He highlights his role in developing the Don Callejon Arts and Design School. His county candidate statement talks about protecting the Alviso and First Street communities.
- Kamal Yassin is a program manager who previously worked for Google. He told the Silicon Valley Voice that long-serving institutions benefit from fresh eyes. He wants the community involved earlier in board decisions as property tax revenue trends down, and he says layoffs should be a last resort. The district's teachers union endorses him.
Also before the board
Trustees recently voted 5-2 to keep plans for a new New Valley High School building on the Wilson campus, with an expected opening in 2029.
This explainer summarizes the candidates' own statements and published reporting. It does not endorse anyone.
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.