Pasadena Unified School District elections (2017)
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Four of the seven seats on the Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education were up for primary election on March 7, 2017. In her bid for re-election to District 1, incumbent Kimberly Kenne defeated challenger Rita Miller. District 3 incumbent Adrienne Ann Mullen lost her re-election bid against challenger Michelle Richardson-Bailey. The race for the District 5 seat featured incumbent Elizabeth Pomeroy and challenger Matthew Baron. Pomeroy won another term on the board. Incumbent Scott Phelps ran unopposed and won re-election to the District 7 seat. Because all four winners in the primary received at least 50 percent of the vote, they were elected outright. No general election was held.[1][2][3]
Unlike the most recent past two election cycles, every incumbent whose term was up for election in 2017 ran to keep his or her seat. Click here for more election trends.
Elections
Voter and candidate information
The Pasadena Unified Board of Education consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Elections are held by district on a staggered basis every spring of odd-numbered years. Three seats—from Districts 2, 4, and 6—were up for election in 2015, and four seats—from Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7—were up for election in 2017. A primary election was held on March 7, 2017. A general election would have been held on April 18, 2017, if candidates had not received a majority of votes in the primary.[2][4]
To qualify for the ballot, board of education candidates had to be registered voters and residents of the district they wished to represent. They had to file their nominating petitions with the Pasadena City Clerk by December 9, 2016. The nominating petitions had to be signed by at least 25 qualified voters living in the district they filed to represent. Candidates also had to pay a fee of $25.00.[4]
Candidates and results
District 1
Results
| Pasadena Unified School District, District 1 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Kimberly Kenne Incumbent |
62.34% | 2,046 |
| Rita Miller | 37.66% | 1,236 |
| Total Votes | 3,282 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Los Angeles County Election Results: Consolidated Municipal and Special Elections March 7, 2017," accessed March 30, 2017 | ||
Candidates
Kimberly Kenne 
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Rita Miller | ||
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District 3
Results
| Pasadena Unified School District, District 3 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Michelle Richardson-Bailey |
57.44% | 1,204 |
| Adrienne Ann Mullen Incumbent | 42.56% | 892 |
| Total Votes | 2,096 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Los Angeles County Election Results: Consolidated Municipal and Special Elections March 7, 2017," accessed March 30, 2017 | ||
Candidates
| Adrienne Ann Mullen | Michelle Richardson-Bailey
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District 5
Results
| Pasadena Unified School District, District 5 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Elizabeth Pomeroy Incumbent |
70.24% | 2,301 |
| Matthew Baron | 29.76% | 975 |
| Total Votes | 3,276 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Los Angeles County Election Results: Consolidated Municipal and Special Elections March 7, 2017," accessed March 30, 2017 | ||
Candidates
| Elizabeth Pomeroy
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Matthew Baron | ||
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District 7
Results
| Pasadena Unified School District, District 7 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2017 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
| Scott Phelps Incumbent (unopposed) | 100.00% | 4,476 |
| Total Votes | 4,476 | |
| Source: Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Los Angeles County Election Results: Consolidated Municipal and Special Elections March 7, 2017," accessed March 30, 2017 | ||
Candidates
| Scott Phelps
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Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: California elections, 2017
The Pasadena Unified Board of Education primary election shared the ballot with elections for the District 3, 5, and 7 seats on the Pasadena City council as well as a ballot measure for Los Angeles County.[1][5]
The ballot measure appeared on the ballot as follows:
| “ | Los Angeles County Plan to Prevent and Combat Homelessness. To fund mental health, substance abuse treatment, health care, education, job training, rental subsidies, emergency and affordable housing, transportation, outreach, prevention, and supportive services for homeless children, families, foster youth, veterans, battered women, seniors, disabled individuals, and other homeless adults; shall voters authorize Ordinance No. 2017-0001 to levy a ¼ cent sales tax for ten years, with independent annual audits and citizens’ oversight?[6] | ” |
| —Los Angeles County (2017)[5] | ||
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Pasadena Unified Board of Education election in 2017.[7][8][9]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| November 14, 2016 - December 9, 2016 | Candidate filing period |
| December 7, 2016 - March 7, 2017 | Filing period for 24-hour contribution reporting for primary election |
| December 9, 2016 | Deadline for candidates to withdraw |
| January 26, 2017 | First campaign finance reporting deadline |
| January 31, 2017 | Semi-annual campaign finance reporting deadline |
| February 23, 2017 | Second campaign finance reporting deadline |
| March 7, 2017 | Primary election |
| April 18, 2017 | General election (if needed) |
| May 1, 2017 | Board members take office |
| July 31, 2017 | Semi-annual campaign finance reporting deadline |
Endorsements
The Los Angeles County Democratic Party endorsed District 1 incumbent Kimberly Kenne, District 3 incumbent Adrienne Ann Mullen, and District 5 incumbent Elizabeth Pomeroy.[10] The Pasadena Star-News, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and the organization ACT Pasadena endorsed Kenne, Pomeroy, and District 3 challenger Michelle Richardson-Bailey.[11][12][13]
Richardson-Bailey and District 1 challenger Rita Miller were endorsed by the National Women's Political Caucus-Greater Pasadena Area.[14][15]
Richardson-Bailey was also endorsed by the United Teachers of Pasadena, the California School Employees Association - Pasadena Chapter #434, state Sen. Anthony Portantino Jr. (D-25), and Pasadena City Councilman Tyron Hampton.[16]
Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $53,961.20 and spent a total of $18,825.44 in the election, according to the Pasadena City Clerk.[17]
District 1 challenger Rita Miller and District 5 challenger Matthew Baron filed an exemption form detailing they would not spend or receive more than $2,000 for their campaign. Because of this, they did not have to file additional campaign finance reports.[17]
| Candidate | Existing balance | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 1 | ||||
| Kimberly Kenne | $0.00 | $22,532.53 | $6,056.61 | $16,475.92 |
| Rita Miller | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| District 3 | ||||
| Adrienne Ann Mullen | $4,553.12 | $8,238.00 | $5,214.42 | $7,576.70 |
| Michelle Richardson-Bailey | $0.00 | $6,709.00 | $4,314.64 | $2,394.36 |
| District 5 | ||||
| Elizabeth Pomeroy | $0.00 | $8,565.00 | $0.00 | $8,565.00 |
| Matthew Baron | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| District 7 | ||||
| Scott Phelps | $0.00 | $7,916.67 | $3,239.77 | $4,676.90 |
Past elections
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What was at stake?
2017
Election trends
- See also: School board elections, 2015
Unlike the district's 2015 board of education election, every incumbent whose seat was up for election in 2017 ran for an additional term. In 2015, none of the three incumbents up for re-election ran to keep their seats, guaranteeing three new members were elected. One newcomer defeated an incumbent to gain a seat on the board in 2017. The three new members elected in 2015 and the one new member elected in 2013 did not defeat incumbents to win a seat on the board. They all won open seats.
| School board election trends | |||||
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| Year | Candidates per seat | Unopposed seats | Incumbents running for re-election | Incumbent success rate | Seats won by newcomers |
| Pasadena Unified School District | |||||
| 2017 | 1.75 | 25.00% | 100.00% | 75.00% | 25.00% |
| 2015 | 2.33 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 100.00% |
| 2013 | 2.5 | 0.00% | 75.00% | 100.00% | 25.00% |
| California | |||||
| 2015 | 2.01 | 22.95% | 73.77% | 81.11% | 39.34% |
| United States | |||||
| 2015 | 1.72 | 35.95% | 70.37% | 82.66% | 40.81% |
Issues in the election
Candidate forum
Candidates for the Pasadena Unified Board of Education participated in a candidate forum with Pasadena City Council candidates on January 10, 2017. A video of the forum can be found below.
Issues in the district
District passes policy to protect students residing in the country without legal permission
 Sanctuary policy conflicts | |
| Pasadena Unified School District was one of 15 districts tracked by Ballotpedia that debated sanctuary policies as of October 16, 2017. Learn more about these debates on Ballopedia's coverage of sanctuary jurisdictions » | |
The Pasadena Unified School District joined the Bassett Unified School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District in December 2016 by pledging to protect students residing in the country without legal permission. The district passed a policy barring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on district property without a warrant. Superintendent Brian McDonald said the policy focused on calming student anxiety rather than making a political statement.[18]
“This is not civil disobedience that we’re talking about, where we’re going to fight the federal government, that is not what this is about,” McDonald said. “But we want to make sure that families feel like their kids are safe when they come to us.”[18]
Under the new policy, district employees cannot ask about immigration status or share information about immigration status unless they are compelled by law. The policy also stipulates that the district will publicly disclose any contact with the ICE.[18]
At a candidate forum on January 10, 2016, all six candidates who ran in contested elections for the primary said they supported the resolution barring ICE agents on district property. “We have to let people know schools are safe places,” said appointed incumbent Adrienne Ann Mullen in District 3. “We have to let people see that not only do we say it, we post it, we’re proud of it, we’re there to protect everyone who comes into our schools.”[19]
ICE policy designates schools as sensitive locations. Because of that designation, they are avoided, according to the ICE.[20]
Group seeks voting rights for non-citizen parents
A group called the Pasadenans Empowering Parental Participation in Educational Governance (PEPPEG) wants to give non-citizen parents the right to vote in Pasadena Unified Board of Education elections. A proposition to do just that was passed in San Francisco on November 8, 2016.[21][22]
San Francisco was not the only city to pass such a law. Chicago and six towns in Maryland also allow non-citizens to vote in school board elections. Similar propositions were also considered in New York City as well as in towns in Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Ronald Hayduk, associate professor of political science at San Francisco State University, said that 40 of the 50 states had given non-citizens the right to vote in the past. He also noted that the Constitution does not explicitly require citizenship to vote.[21]
PEPPEG sought to put a proposition on the ballot in 2020, leaving time for "more deep discussion," according to Hayduk. As of November 2016, four of the seven members of the Pasadena Unified Board of Education—Adrienne Ann Mullen, Patrick Cahalan, Lawrence Torres, and Scott Phelps—had voiced support of the group.[21]
Sandra Siraganian, Republican Party chair for Assembly District 41, said she was “staunchly opposed” to the proposition. “I have no problem if they’re already here, and they’re volunteering in schools, or whatever, that’s great,” said Siraganian. “But at this point I think we’re really going off the deep end if we start letting people who aren’t here legally vote, even in local elections.”[21]
Candidate survey
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Ballotpedia invites school board candidates to participate in its annual survey. |
About the district
The Pasadena Unified School District is located in Los Angeles County in southwestern California. The county seat is Los Angeles. Los Angeles County was home to an estimated 10,170,292 residents in 2015, according to the United States Census Bureau.[23] The district was the 85th-largest school district in the state in the 2014-2015 school year and served 18,586 students.[24]
Demographics
Los Angeles County underperformed compared to California as a whole in terms of higher education achievement between 2011 and 2015. The United States Census Bureau found that 30.3 percent of county residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 31.4 percent of state residents. The median household income for Los Angeles County was $56,196, compared to $61,818 for the entire state. The percentage of people below the poverty level in the county was 18.7 percent, while it was 15.3 percent statewide.[23]
| Racial Demographics, 2015[23] | |||
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| Race | Los Angeles County (%) | California (%) | |
| White | 71.1 | 72.9 | |
| Black or African American | 9.1 | 6.5 | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5 | 1.7 | |
| Asian | 15.0 | 14.7 | |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0.4 | 0.5 | |
| Two or more races | 3.0 | 3.8 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48.4 | 38.8 | |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pasadena Unified School District California election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Pasadena Unified School District | California | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 City of Pasadena, "Election Information: Qualified Candidates," accessed December 13, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Pasadena Unified School District, "Board Members," accessed December 13, 2016
- ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Los Angeles County Election Results: Consolidated Municipal and Special Elections March 7, 2017," accessed March 8, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 City of Pasadena, "Election Information: Board of Education," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, "Consolidated Municipal And Special Elections March 7, 2017: Measures Appearing On The Ballot," accessed February 2, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ City of Pasadena, "Election Information: City Of Pasadena And Pasadena Unified School District Primary Nominating Election Calendar March 7, 2017," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ California Fair Political Practices Commission, "Filing Schedule for Candidates and Controlled Committees for Local Office Being Voted on March 7, 2017," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ Pasadena Unified School District, "BB 9110: Terms of Office," accessed January 4, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles County Democratic Party, "Endorsements for Spring 2017 Local Elections," accessed February 2, 2017
- ↑ ACT Pasadena, "The Phoenix Online Volume 45, Number 1: ACT Candidate Forum Is Well Attended," accessed February 8, 2017
- ↑ The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, "Endorsements: Kenne, Richardson-Bailey and Pomeroy for Pasadena school board," February 23, 2017
- ↑ Pasadena Star-News, "Endorsements: Kenne, Richardson-Bailey and Pomeroy for Pasadena school board," February 23, 2017
- ↑ Rita Miller for PUSD, "Home," accessed March 2, 2017
- ↑ Michelle Richardson Bailey For School Board, "Endorsements," accessed March 2, 2017
- ↑ Michelle Richardson Bailey For School Board, "Endorsements," accessed March 2, 2017
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Pasadena City Clerk, "City of Pasadena Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure," accessed August 1, 2017
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Pasadena Star-News, "Pasadena Unified pledges to protect undocumented students, their parents," December 23, 2016
- ↑ Pasadena Star-News, "Immigration, affordability hot topics at Pasadena’s first candidate forum," January 11, 2017
- ↑ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "Sensitive Locations FAQs," accessed January 9, 2017
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Pasadena Star-News, "Pasadena group pushing to give voting rights to non-citizen PUSD parents," November 23, 2016
- ↑ San Francisco Examiner, "Voters appear to support measure allowing non-citizen voting," November 9, 2016
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 United States Census Bureau, "Los Angeles County, California," accessed December 14, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data, file ccd_lea_052_1414_w_0216161a, 2014-2015," accessed November 16, 2016
| Pasadena Unified School District elections in 2017 | |
| Los Angeles County, California | |
| Election date: | Primary election: March 7, 2017 • General election: April 18, 2017 |
| Candidates: | District 1: • Incumbent, Kimberly Kenne • Rita Miller District 3: • Incumbent, Adrienne Ann Mullen • Michelle Richardson-Bailey District 5: • Incumbent, Elizabeth Pomeroy • Matthew Baron District 7: • Incumbent, Scott Phelps |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
