Soquel Union Elementary has a five-member board. Area 4 covers the southeastern part of the district, including part of Capitola near New Brighton Middle School.
The candidates
- Ariel Gray (incumbent), 47, is an operations director. She joined the board in early 2024 and has been president since December 2025. She says the district has just moved to basic aid status, which means it is funded mainly by local property taxes rather than by enrollment. Her focus is financial transparency through that change. She also proposed a subcommittee to recommend a fairer salary structure.
- Andrea Locke, 38, is a contractor, mother and coach running for the first time. She says enrollment is down 22% and blames the quality of education. She wants more transparency about curriculum and more parent involvement. She also blames layoffs and teacher turnover on budget management.
Pay and closures
Santa Cruz Local notes that the district's educator pay ranks lowest in the county. Gray says closing a school is not on the board's current agenda. Locke says closing schools over budget cuts is "a failure in the system."
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.