Three new members to join the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees

Although vote tallies have not been finalized in Sacramento County, the outcomes of several races are clear. Three races are for the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Trustees.

When the EGUSD certifies its vote in December, Susan Davis, Jennifer Ballerini, and Heidi Moore will be the new trustees representing Areas 1, 6, and 7.

Interestingly, those three seats changed hands in 2012 when current trustees Tony Perez and Carmine Forcina, former trustee and Elk Grove mayor Steve Ly were elected. Ly left the EGUSD Board of Trustees with his 2014 election to the Elk Grove City Council, and his vacancy was filled by Nancy Chaires-Espinoza, who decided against running this year.

In the closely watched Area 7 contest, Ms. Moore secured 44 percent of the vote against incumbent Carmine Forcina and Rehana Rehman. Forcina captured 26 percent, and Rehman came in second with 29 percent.

Moore is believed to have captured most of the Republican and conservative votes. Conversely, Forcina, who in the past was supported with local Democratic Party endorsements, lost those to Rehman, who had extensive support from prominent Democrats like Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and the Elk Grove Education Association. Rehman and Forcina effectively split the Democratic vote, paving the way for Moore.

In Area 1, Davis beat three-term Trustee Tony Perez, who did not actively campaign, with 61 percent of the vote. Additionally, Perez's often bombastic behavior during board meetings ostracized him from district staff, fellow board members, and voters.

For Area 6, the Democratic Party endorsed Jennifer Ballerini, who earned 63 percent over Republican Jennifer Ortiz.

With the three new Trustees, the longest-serving member is now Area 5 Trustee Beth Albiani, elected in 2014, followed by Area 1 Trustee Sean Vang, elected in 2020.