Two West Contra Costa Unified School District board seats headed toward uncontested race
With just over a week left before the regular filing date, two four-year seats on the West Contra Costa Unified School District board are headed toward uncontested races.
In WCCUSD’s Area 5, which includes El Cerrito, Kensington, and a portion of Richmond, the only person who has taken out papers as of July 30 is newcomer Caitlin Garibaldi. If incumbent Leslie Reckler does not seek reelection, as she has indicated, filing in that race will be extended from the regular filing date of Aug. 7 to Aug. 12. Garibaldi has lived in El Cerrito for seven years, is a Fairmont Elementary School parent, and works in pet care.
In WCCUSD’s Area 4, the only candidate so far is incumbent Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy, who has already returned his nomination papers. Because the incumbent is running, filing for that race will end on Aug. 7. Area 4 includes El Sobrante, parts of Richmond and San Pablo, and a sliver of Pinole.
The teachers union, United Teachers of Richmond, has already endorsed Garibaldi and Gonzalez-Hoy.
In El Cerrito, where two four-year terms are up for grabs, nine people have taken out papers as of July 30. But the only people who had returned their papers by that date are Kimberly White and Wally Nowinski. White and Nowinski were two of the leaders of the effort to defeat the Measure C tax in June and are campaigning together.
Both incumbents, Gabe Quinto and Carolyn Wysinger, are among those who have taken out papers. If they both return their completed papers, filing will end Aug. 7. If either does not, the deadline will be extended to Aug. 12. In addition to White, Nowinsky, Quinto, and Wysinger, papers have been taken out by Rahul Iyer, Mary Ann Jawili, Michael McDougall, Megan Steffen, and Gaia Sonatina.
The election is Nov. 3.
Photos: Demetrio Gonzalez-Hoy and Caitlin Garibaldi