Capps, Sims-Moten, Alvarez set to claim open seats on SB Unified School District Board

Two incumbents appear to have secured their seats in the election for the Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education. With 100% of precincts reporting, Laura Capps and Wendy Sims-Moten are positioned to remain on the board.

Challenger Virginia Alvarez overtook incumbent Jackie Reid by a sizeable margin once ballots were counted.

The elections will officially be called once certified.

In total, seven candidates are squaring off for three open seats on Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education.

The three incumbents took on four challengers with the three highest vote-getters receiving a four-year term on the school board.

The incumbents are Laura Capps, Jackie Reid and Wendy Sims-Moten. The Challengers are Virginia Alvarez, Brian Campbell, Monie de Wit and Elrawd MacLearn.

The candidates told the NewsChannel they were working hard down the stretch leading to Election Day.

Capps said, “Knocking on doors and leaving literature. We got one woman as she was literally as she was about to go vote. She had her ballot in her hand. And she was so grateful for the information. So that’s what we’re doing. We’re leaving no stone unturned.”

MacLearn said, “I have a tremendous support from a lot of dedicated volunteers. And they go out to the shopping centers and knock on doors and make calls and email things like that. So thanks to them I’ve been able to get a lot of publicity.”

Alvarez said, “And actually on my way here I made a couple of phone calls and meet with this wonderful supporter named Jason. And we spoke for a few minutes. And we got his vote. So we keep working until the last minute.”

Regardless of the outcome, the challengers are optimistic whoever wins they were able to draw more attention to topics they campaigned on like literacy.

de Witt said, “Whoever wins, I hope they implement K through 3 automatic testing, investing in our teacher training and sticking to the science of reading. It will really help our community. It’s a community thing and the schools can’t do it alone and we need the parents."

Campbell said, “As you talk to more and more people you realize we’re all really alike, we all have very similar ideologies and goals for our community, for our neighbors, for our children.”

Reach out to both incumbents Sims-Moten and Jackie Ried. Neither were available for comment while they were knocking on doors during the final campaign hours. The polls are closed. Election officials are counting the ballots. The candidates hope to have an answer Tuesday night.

Both Capps and Sims-Moten have declared victory for two of the three seats.

Capps said late Tuesday night, "Seven people running, just shows how important our schools are. And that to me that means I have to be even better about communicating to the public, about being transparent, about finding ways and avenues for people to participate in our schools, because it's clear that they want to."

Alvarez's team said they will wait for more votes to come in despite a 8,157 vote lead over fourth place Jackie Reid.

For more information about each individual candidate visit 2020 NewsChannel Voter Guide.