The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will look vastly different in January, when at least three new members are sworn in.
As of early Wednesday morning, Andrew Goldenkranz had a sizable lead over opponent Meilin Obinata for the Trustee Area 1 seat, capturing 2,020 votes for 43.3% of the votes. Obinata, meanwhile, had 34.8%, followed by Robin Sukow with 21.3%.
Perhaps the largest upset of election night came in the Trustee Area 4 race, in which challenger Eriberto Estrada—who graduated from Pajaro Valley High School this year—apparently unseated incumbent Daniel Dodge, Jr., who has served on the board since 2018.
Immediately out of the gate, Estrada doubled the number of votes Dodge received, a lead that increased by 2:15am when new results showed the political newcomer had garnered 67.6% of the vote.
Similarly, Alicia Jimenez has almost certainly won the Trustee Area 5 seat, capturing 79.8% of the vote. Her opponent Curt Wilcox—whose past criminal convictions, assault allegations and recent arrest for election fraud likely doomed his campaign from the outset—somehow still managed to get 106 votes.
Races with such wide margins rarely flip, even as more results come in.
But the race for the Trustee Area 7 seat is still in play. Incumbent Misty Navarro has just over 50% of the vote, putting her above challenger Mads Realmuto by just 44 votes.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District spans from north Monterey County to Aptos, has 35 K–12 schools and serves about 15,000 students.
Goldenkranz said he remains cautiously optimistic.
He thanked his opponents for what he said was a “clean and respectable race.”
“And I’m inviting them both to work with me,” he said. “They’ve already invested some energy and they have ideas and I want their support and collaboration in helping out the district.”
Navarro says she is also viewing the results with optimism.
“This was a close race, and I will await final vote tallies,” she said. “The thing I’m happiest about is that because it was a close race,” she said. “The people of Aptos are paying attention to what’s going on with our school board and in our schools. Either way this turns out it’s a win.”
Realmuto also said he is waiting for the rest of the votes to be counted.
“Regardless of the outcome, this close race reinforces the importance of whoever serves on the school board listening to the diverse needs and concerns of our entire community and working to bring people together,” he said. “I’m proud of the campaign we ran, grounded in the issues, respectful dialogue, and a belief that we accomplish more through collaboration than division.”
Whatever the outcome, I hope we can move forward with mutual respect, a willingness to listen, and a shared commitment to a stronger future for all PVUSD students.
Jimenez said she is “deeply honored and humbled by the trust our community has placed in me.”
She thanked those who supported her campaign.
“This victory belongs to our community,” she said. “Having spent 25 years serving PVUSD, I understand the importance of our schools and the responsibility we share in shaping the future of our children. I look forward to serving as a Trustee with an open mind, a listening ear, and a commitment to putting students first.
Estrada, 18, said he tailored his schedule at CSU Monterey Bay, where he is studying to become a teacher, so he can maintain his duties as a trustee.
“I’m overjoyed by the idea of working with all the teachers and students, sitting on that board and voicing the community’s concerns,” he said. “That to me is the most exciting thing in the world.”
