A polling place in Watsonville on Tuesday. (Alonso Daboub — Santa Cruz Local)

WATSONVILLE >> Andrew Goldenkranz, Eriberto Estrada, Alicia Jimenez and Misty Navarro were leading in early results for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees as of 8:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Vote tallies will continue to be updated throughout the night and in the coming days. Final election results must be certified by Dec. 3.

The role of a school board trustee

The PVUSD board consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. The board’s duties include:

• Provide leadership and oversight of the district’s schools.
• Set budgets, including teacher pay.
• Hire and fire the superintendent, currently: Heather Contreras.
• Develop goals for district-sponsored and funded programs.
• Set policies and approve staffing related to mental health, campus safety and other areas.

Trustees receive a monthly stipend of $400 and are eligible for employee health insurance coverage for themselves and their dependents. See a map of trustee areas.

Trustee Area 1

Andrew Goldenkranz has an early lead ahead of Meilin Obinata and Robin Sukow for the Trustee Area 1 seat. 

The area includes schools Mar Vista Elementary, Valencia Elementary, Aptos Junior High, Aptos High and Bradley Elementary. Voters in Corralitos, Aptos and Day Valley decide this race.

Trustee Area 4

For the Trustee Area 4 seat, Eriberto Estrada nearly doubled incumbent Daniel Dodge Jr.’s vote count as of 8:15 p.m. Tuesday.

The area includes the schools of Mintie White Elementary, E.A. Hall Middle and Watsonville High School. Voters in east Watsonville decide this race.

Trustee Area 5

For Trustee Area 5, Alicia Jimenez had a commanding lead as of 8:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Although two other candidates were on the ballot, Jimenez ran virtually unopposed. Jennifer Schacher withdrew from the race in August and endorsed Jimenez. Curt Wilcox was arrested in September and faces felony charges related to his campaign filings.

Trustee Area 5 includes H.A. Hyde Elementary, Cesar Chavez Middle and Landmark Elementary. Voters in west Watsonville decide this race.

Jimenez is a retired PVUSD administrator. In an interview with Santa Cruz Local, she said if elected, she would:

• Meet with teachers in her district to learn about unmet needs.
• Meet with parents of students in special education to learn about their needs, and follow up.
• Advocate at the state level for mental health funds and general education funding.
• Find ways for schools and staff to continue to connect with non-English-speaking families.
• Make all information bilingual, including social media posts and news alerts from the district.
• Work with the district to find unique ways to reach Mixteco-speaking families.
• Make sure each school site has resources to support immigrant families.

Trustee Area 7

Incumbent candidate Misty Navarro has a narrow lead on newcomer Mads Realmuto for the Trustee Area 7 seat.

The area includes the schools Rio del Mar Elementary, Renaissance High and Pajaro Valley High. Voters in Rio del Mar, La Selva Beach and Pajaro Dunes decide this race. 

This story will be updated as votes are tallied.

Read more about early election results:

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