Julie Chan Lin continued to lead Mike Killackey early this week in the tight race for a seat on the San Marino Unified School District Board of Education.
As of the Tribune’s press deadline on Tuesday, Chan Lin had received 2,596 votes to Killackey’s 2,508. Jane Chon is all but assured of one of the two seats that were contested in the Nov. 3 election, having amassed 3,580 votes as of press time.
According to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office, 98,440 votes countywide remained to be counted as of Tuesday afternoon. How many ballots remained to be counted in the SMUSD race was unknown.
Though his deficit increased by a single vote in the past week, Killackey was typically upbeat when reached by phone on Tuesday.
“As we continue to await a final tally, I am truly appreciative of the thousands of great people in our community who firmly stand with me in support of our children, their teachers, staff and schools,” Killackey said. “There is no better investment of our time, money, energy and hard work than when we invest in our children’s education and the preservation of a world-class public school education system. As an SMUSD dad, I cannot thank each of you enough.”
Chon and Killackey both ran two years ago in a crowded field, as seven candidates vied for three seats that were eventually won by current board President C. Joseph Chang, Vice President Shelley Ryan and Clerk Corey Barberie. Killackey and Chon finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
“Regardless of who is elected to the board this year, we’ve learned how crucial it is for all of us to support practical fiscal policy,” Chan Lin said. “Let’s be responsible and develop educational opportunities for our kids at the same time. The math works!”
The 2020 election marked the first contest in more than two decades that did not have an incumbent candidate, with outgoing board members Chris Norgaard and Lisa Link long ago announcing they would not defend their seats.
The election will not be certified until Nov. 30, according to county officials. The winning candidates are scheduled to take the oath of office at a special reorganizational meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11. The board will then elect officers, fill vacancies on several committees and certify signatures before taking their seats on the panel.
Doreen Summers and Jesse Hong are still running fourth and fifth, respectively.
Win or lose, Killackey said he will be pulling for the SMUSD.
“Together we will continue to wholeheartedly advocate for a public school system that identifies every child’s maximum potential and ensures opportunity to achieve that goal in a safe, secure and healthy environment,” Killackey said. “Let’s keep pushing forward together, for our kids and our future.”
Chan Lin Maintains Edge in Race for SMUSD Seat
