Of 65 possible Sonoma County school board races this year, 49 will not appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot, the Press Democrat reported. Just 16 contested school board races are left, including Santa Rosa Junior College and county Board of Education seats.
Two reasons races disappear
Candidates equal seats (39 races). "As soon as it is determined that there are not more candidates than open seats after the close of the nomination period, those candidates are appointed in-lieu of the election," Kamari Marchbanks, elections manager at the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters, told the paper. Examples include Sonoma County Board of Education Area 4, SRJC Areas 1 and 2, Santa Rosa City Schools Areas 4 and 6, Petaluma Area 2, and the Bellevue, Kenwood, Roseland and Sebastopol Union boards.
Too few or no candidates (10 districts). In these districts the board itself appoints at least 14 trustees after taking applications, the Press Democrat reported. They are Bennett Valley, Cloverdale Unified (full term), Forestville, Fort Ross, Guerneville, Horicon, Laguna Joint, Piner-Olivet (full term), West Side Union (full term) and Wright.
Why it matters
Leaving uncontested seats off the ballot saves money. Wendy Hudson, chief deputy registrar, told the paper a school district seat can cost $3.50 to $150 per registered voter per seat on the ballot. Johan van Gorp, a political science and history instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College's Petaluma campus, said Sonoma County has the fifth-most school districts in California but ranks 17th in population. County Superintendent Amie Carter said short-slated elections "really omit the opportunity for us, locally, to make a decision about who we want setting the vision for our districts and boards."
What is on the ballot
The county registrar's candidate list shows the contested races. Our guides include SRJC Area 5, SRJC Area 7, County Board of Education Area 2, Windsor Unified, Harmony Union and Two Rock Union.
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.