School Board Candidate Deadline

With August 13 the deadline for would-be Santa Barbara School Board members to throw their hats in the ring for this November’s election, the normally hotly contested race finds itself with more open seats than officially declared prospective board members. As of press time, according to School District spokesperson Barbara Keyani, only two people have filed candidacy papers: incumbent Annette Cordero and former City College professor Susan Deacon. The five-member board has three openings. Choosing not to run for reelection this fall, eight-year School Board veteran and former board president Nancy Harter observed this week that, in all her years on the board and following school-related issues in the district, “There has never been an uncontested race before.” It should be noted, also, that during the last Board of Trustees election cycle in 2006, seven candidates fought it out for two empty seats. Like Harter, four-year veteran Laura Malakoff has declined to seek another term. Joining Cordero in the race is Deacon, a longtime City College journalism professor and chief advocate of the Elings Aquatic Center at Dos Pueblos High School. Additionally, there is heavy speculation that current Dos Pueblos Parent Teacher Association President Charlotte Ware will file papers before the deadline.