The Fullerton School District will hold an election on November 3, 2026, for three out of its five Board of Trustees seats. However, only one of those seats is expected to have a competitive race.

Ruthi Hanchett, the Board President who represents Trustee Area 4, is running unopposed. She was the only candidate to file for her position by the August 7 deadline set by the Orange County Registrar of Voters. According to California’s Education Code, when only one candidate qualifies for a school district office, that person can be appointed without an election. Hanchett shared her thoughts on Facebook, expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to serve her community and her enthusiasm for the upcoming four years.

In Trustee Area 1, which encompasses the west side of Fullerton, incumbent Miguel Alvarez is seeking a full four-year term after being appointed to the position about a year ago. Alvarez was selected after Trustee Aaruni Thakur resigned in fall 2025. The board decided to appoint Alvarez instead of running a special election, which would have cost an estimated $200,000 to $750,000. Alvarez formally took office on October 29, 2025, and has been involved in various initiatives to support students and educators. Alvarez is running unopposed following the candidate filing deadline; he has no qualified challengers on the ballot

Alvarez announced his campaign, stating, “Serving our students, families, educators, and community has been one of the greatest honors of my life… I’m running to continue that work because every child deserves access to an excellent public education.”

In Trustee Area 3, longtime trustee Beverly Berryman, who has served for 20 years, is stepping down and will not seek reelection. Since she did not file for the position, the county extended the deadline for other candidates until August 12. Two individuals have now qualified to run for the open seat.

Amy Choi-Won, Ph.D., works as a partner engagement specialist at the North Orange County Regional Occupational Program and is also the president of the Career Education Foundation. Choi-Won has been involved in local fundraising efforts for Troy High School and serves on several boards, including the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce.

Jordan Abushawish is the senior director of federal and local government affairs at CalOptima Health, where he has worked since March 2023 in Orange. His work focuses on housing, health care, and behavioral health initiatives. His LinkedIn says that he has worked in Washington, Irvine, Orange and the Los Angeles area, but no mention of Fullerton.

These elections come during a time of important changes for the Fullerton School District, which serves about 12,000 students across Fullerton and nearby areas. Recently, voters approved Measure N, which will allocate more than $260 million to repair aging school facilities. Additionally, the board has chosen a new superintendent, Dr. Gretchen Janson, who has extensive experience in educational leadership and managing complex financial issues.

Fullerton’s trustees are elected from specific areas for four-year terms, a change made in 2015 to follow the California Voting Rights Act. This year, many school board races in Orange County are experiencing a lack of competition, with incumbents in various districts, including Newport-Mesa Unified, Los Alamitos Unified, and Saddleback Valley Unified, likely to retain their seats without opposition.