SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Felipe Hernandez, who has served as a member of the Watsonville City Council since 2012, including a stint as mayor, has won the race for Cabrillo College Governing Board Trustee Area 5 against incumbent Leticia Mendoza.
As numbers rolled in on election night, Hernandez was maintaining a solid lead, though one precinct had yet to report its numbers.
“I’m super excited, though I’ll be more at ease when the final precinct is counted,” Hernandez said. “I’m holding fast—but I’m really happy.”
By the end of the week, the numbers were solid, with Hernandez coming out on top with 62.79% of the vote. He thanked Mendoza, who has been on the board since 2016 and is currently executive director of the YWCA in Watsonville.
“I have to commend Leticia for all the amazing work she’s done for education in this community,” he said. “I am eager [for us] to work together to make Cabrillo a better place.”
A big upset in the Cabrillo election was for the Area 7 seat, in which challenger Steve Trujillo ousted incumbent Ed Banks, a former Watsonville firefighter and owner of KBK Insurance who has held the position since 2012. Trujillo, a retired teacher and community activist, received 61.2% of the vote.
In Trustee Area 4, incumbent Rachel Spencer beat challenger Diana Alfaro with 61.73% of the vote. Spencer has held her seat since 2004, and also chairs the UC Santa Cruz Physical Biological Sciences Dean’s Council.
Wall fills vacant COE board seat
After long-standing Santa Cruz County Office of Education board trustee Jane Barr announced she would not be running for reelection for her Area 5 seat, two new candidates stepped into the ring: Alyssa Wall, a college lecturer advisor, and Brad Williams, a local emergency room nurse.
Wall came out on top early on and eventually beat Williams with 63.36% of the vote. She said she was “incredibly excited” about the results.
“Honestly, I’m shocked, to say the least,” she said. “I’m really proud of the campaign, of all the election staff. My number one goal has always been finding equitable solutions for all students. I’m thankful to the community and to be a voice for education in the county.”
Wall also took a moment to acknowledge Barr, thanking her for her work the past eight years.
In Area 6, incumbent Dana M. Sales, who has served on the board since 1992, was ousted by challenger Ed Acosta, a member of the Watsonville Planning Commission. Acosta surpassed Sales with 76.08% of the vote.
In Area 3, incumbent Sandra Nichols took a major lead early on against challenger Mike Kubo, ending up with 65.51% of the vote. Nichols has served in the seat since 2012 after serving on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District since 2000.
