Five confirmed candidates are competing for three open San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) board seats on Tuesday, Nov. 3, after all three incumbent trustees chose not to seek reelection.

The departures mean voters in Areas 1, 3 and 5 will choose new trustees to oversee a district with a $210 million budget and about 12,000 students, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune Q&A with Area 5 candidate Ginny Merrifield. The board approved a combined operating budget deficit of $3.2 million for 2026-27, Merrifield said in that Q&A, with salaries and benefits accounting for 83% of expenses.

Here is what voters should know about each race.

Area 1: Miyashiro vs. Flicker

David Miyashiro, superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union School District, faces Amy Flicker, a former Encinitas planning commissioner, Fox 5 San Diego reported. The seat opened after trustee Rimga Viskanta's term ends.

Miyashiro holds a doctorate in education from UCLA and previously served as assistant superintendent of the Encinitas Union School District from 2009 to 2013, according to Cajon Valley district records. He was named 2016 Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators Region 18. On his campaign website, Miyashiro said he would bring a "collaborative, employee-first mindset to the board table." In 2024, his base pay as Cajon Valley superintendent exceeded $419,000, the highest for any superintendent in San Diego County, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Flicker describes herself as a former executive, PTA leader and mother of a special needs child, according to her campaign website. She has served as an executive board member of the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education (NCCSE) and as an Encinitas planning commissioner.

The race drew attention in October after a campaign mailer showed Miyashiro at a dais labeled "District Superintendent" beside an image of Flicker standing behind baked goods labeled "Non-profit Volunteer." A disclaimer at the bottom stated the ad was "Ad generated or substantially altered using artificial intelligence," according to Fox 5. Under California law, candidates must disclose AI use in campaign ads.

The San Dieguito Faculty Association, which endorsed Flicker, condemned the mailer. San Dieguito Academy teacher Christopher Black said in a statement that if Miyashiro were a student, he would face disciplinary action, North County Pipeline reported.

Miyashiro told North County Pipeline he was unaware AI was used in the ad and did not respond to questions about who approved or funded it. Fox 5 reported it reached out to Miyashiro's office for comment but did not receive a response.

Area 3: Doyle vs. Boger

Helen Doyle, a director on the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation since approximately 2023, faces Summer Boger, a special education instructional assistant who works across SDUHSD middle and high schools.

Doyle has been endorsed by the San Dieguito Faculty Association, according to her campaign website. Boger, in a candidate questionnaire, said she has operated a holistic health practice for 25 years and spent a decade advocating for families of children with special needs. Boger described herself as an independent candidate not funded by the teachers union, adding that campaign-finance disclosures show the union financially supports her opponent.

Area 5: Merrifield

Merrifield, a surveillance-video business owner, said in her Union-Tribune Q&A that she co-owned a national industrial supply company for 35 years and founded two high schools. She chairs the board of e3 Civic High, a charter school that largely serves opportunity youth.

Merrifield identified declining math proficiency as a top concern, noting SDUHSD reports 69% overall math proficiency but that the rate drops to as low as 50% by 11th grade. She also called for a districtwide strategy on artificial intelligence in schools.

Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.