Two uncontested races for two school board seats won’t appear on the November ballot if additional qualified candidates do not emerge before tonight’s 5 p.m. filing period cutoff.
Incumbent Patrice Marshall McKenzie and candidate Dennis McNamara have qualified for seats in districts 5 and 7, respectively, and so far are running unopposed.
In accordance with Education Code Section 5328, the pair would be seated as if elected if no one else qualifies for the election.
Earlier this year, the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) passed a resolution adopting an Education Code that allows the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office to cancel uncontested races as a cost-saving measure.
The canceled races would save the school district approximately $60,000 to $75,000 for each race canceled.
Several other school districts including the Arcadia Unified School District have canceled uncontested races.
Locally, the clock is ticking.
Prospective candidates have until close of business Friday, Aug. 7 to turn in completed nomination papers with the required signatures to qualify for the ballot if an incumbent files for reelection, which means District 5 incumbent McKenzie could become an instant winner this week.
“If no one else files then it will be an ‘appointment in lieu of election’ because it saves the district dollars,” McKenzie told Pasadena Now.
In McNamara’s race things are a little different.
Incumbent Yarma Velazquez did not seek reelection in District 7, the filing period automatically extends five days for candidates other than the incumbent under California election law.
The extended filing period closes at 5 p.m. Aug. 12. If no one files he too would become an instant winner.
According to EdSource, an online magazine which provides information on the state of education, the state is seeing more unopposed races.
In 2024 there were 851 races in 49 counties that did not appear on the ballot due to unopposed races. In some cases, no one qualified to run for the seat.
EdSource analyzed data from 1,510 races.
In Los Angeles County, that same year, 252 candidates ran for 174 seats. Ninety seats had only one candidate and did not appear on the ballot.
Locally in 2024, Trustee Scott Harden ran unopposed, but appeared on the ballot because the district had not yet adopted the resolution to remove unopposed races from the ballot.
“I certainly appreciate the electoral process and to have members of the public see a statement by a candidate. On the other hand, there is a significant cost saving to the district in not having to facilitate an election that is uncontested,” said Harden.
Locally, two other seats will be decided by voters this year.
Both contests have two people vying for the seats.
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