Chris Hargrave, Bill Shen and Jillian Cocayne are leading the race for three seats on the Encinitas Union School District Board of Trustees, while Amy Flicker, Helen Doyle and Justin Moodie hold leads in three San Dieguito Union High School District contests.
The results follow Tuesday's November 3 election, when voters across coastal North County selected candidates to oversee local elementary, middle and high schools.
The latest unofficial returns, compiled by The Ballot Book, show clear leads in all six contests. However, the San Diego County Registrar of Voters is still counting ballots, and the results have not been certified.
Hargrave, Shen and Cocayne lead Encinitas elementary school board race
Six candidates competed for three at-large seats on the Encinitas Union School District board, which oversees nine elementary schools serving kindergarten through sixth grade.
Hargrave leads the field with 13,211 votes, or 23.7% of votes cast for candidates in the race.
Shen is in second place with 11,979 votes, or 21.5%, followed by Cocayne with 11,730 votes, or 21.0%.
Jorge Sanchez is fourth with 7,831 votes, or 14.0%. Marika Dixon has received 5,818 votes, or 10.4%, while Michelle Clark has 5,272 votes, or 9.4%.
The three candidates receiving the most votes will fill the available seats once the results are finalized.
Hargrave, a teacher and principal, has a background in education. Shen is a business owner, while Cocayne works as a policy adviser.
According to The Coast News, all six candidates are parents.
The incoming trustees will help guide decisions on elementary education, district budgets, staffing and programs affecting families throughout Encinitas.
Flicker leads Miyashiro in San Dieguito Trustee Area 1
In the San Dieguito Union High School District's Trustee Area 1, Flicker holds a substantial lead over Miyashiro.
Flicker has received 5,687 votes, or 61.4%, compared with Miyashiro's 3,577 votes, or 38.6%.
Flicker previously served on Encinitas planning and environmental commissions. Miyashiro is superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union School District.
The race drew attention during the campaign after the San Dieguito Faculty Association accused Miyashiro's campaign of using an artificially generated image to misrepresent Flicker in a campaign mailer.
Fox 5 San Diego reported that the mailer carried a disclosure stating the image had been generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence.
The seat is currently held by Rimga Viskanta, who chose to run for Encinitas mayor rather than seek another school board term.
Doyle leads Boger in Trustee Area 3
Helen Doyle is ahead of Summer Boger in Trustee Area 3, which includes Cardiff, Solana Beach and Del Mar.
Doyle has received 6,711 votes, or 62.0%, while Boger has 4,121 votes, or 38.0%.
Doyle serves on the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation board and previously ran for the Del Mar Union School District board in 2024.
Boger works as a special education instructional assistant in San Dieguito district schools.
The contest attracted attention because of the candidates' differing political endorsements, despite school board elections being officially nonpartisan.
KPBS reported that Doyle received support from Democrats, while Boger was endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party.
The seat is currently held by Jane Lea Smith, who did not seek another term.
Moodie leads Merrifield in Trustee Area 5
In Trustee Area 5, covering Carmel Valley, Justin Moodie is leading Ginny Merrifield.
Moodie has received 4,238 votes, or 57.1%, compared with Merrifield's 3,182 votes, or 42.9%.
Moodie is a photography teacher at Oceanside High School.
Merrifield is a charter school leader associated with e3 Civic High in San Diego.
The seat is currently held by Phan Anderson, who did not run for re-election.
What the election means for local schools
The two districts serve students at different stages of their education.
The Encinitas Union School District oversees elementary schools, while the San Dieguito Union High School District operates middle and high schools serving communities from Encinitas and Carlsbad to Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe and Carmel Valley.
The San Dieguito board is seeing particularly significant turnover because none of the three incumbents whose seats were on the ballot sought re-election.
New trustees will have a role in decisions involving school budgets, classroom policies, academic programs, student support and district leadership.
The election also follows several years of debate over school governance and educational priorities in coastal North County.
For parents and students, the outcome will shape how both districts approach those issues over the next four years.
When will the results be final?
The San Diego County Registrar of Voters is continuing to process eligible mail ballots and other outstanding votes from the November 3 election.
The unofficial totals could change as additional ballots are counted.
The county is expected to certify its final results by December 3.
Residents can follow updated returns through the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.
