New MDUSD district map creates two open seats in 2020

Some voters in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District will take part next November under the trustee area election system just approved by the MDUSD Board. And both of the new areas will have four-year terms at stake without an incumbent running.

After a long process that included multiple public meetings, five board hearings and much demographic research, the board made its final selection Oct. 28. They also unanimously ratified the sequencing of the election of trustees for the five new areas.

The District had to create areas of roughly the same population while adhering to national and state regulations and trying to make each area respecting “communities of interest” and following man-made and natural geographic features as much as possible.

The new area trustee elections maintain the policy of staggering seats with two trustees elected one year and the other three trustees two years thereafter. This provides the board with a level of consistency in process, rather than having all five seats open in one year.

Linda Mayo, Cherise Khaund and Debra Mason were elected to seats last year for terms expiring in 2022. They are protected as “at-large” representatives on the board through the end of their terms.

Mayo and current board president Joanne Durkee both reside in the new Trustee Area 2, generally in the College Park High feeder area. Durkee had already announced she would not be running for reelection so Mayo, the longest tenured board member since 1997, will be up for reelection in 2022.

A similar circumstance exists in Area 4 around Northgate High. Brian Lawrence (2020) and Khaund (2022) both live in this area but Lawrence also has announced he’s not running again.

The third incumbent not up for election this year, Mason, is in Area 1 for the Mt. Diablo High feeder area.

This leaves Area 3 (Ygnacio Valley High feeder area) and Area 5 (Concord High feeder area) without any incumbents and the two areas that will be choosing new trustees on Nov. 3, 2020, which just happens to also be a Presidential Election Day.

Each of the five areas contains one of the district’s five comprehensive high schools.

Here is a breakdown of the areas, including cities included and where current trustees live:

Trustee Area 1 – Mt. Diablo High includes Bay Point and parts of Concord and Martinez: Mason (2022)

Trustee Area 2 – College Park High includes Pleasant Hill and portions of Martinez, Walnut Creek and Concord: Mayo (2022) and Durkee (2020)

Trustee Area 3 – Ygnacio Valley High includes Pacheco and portion of Concord: No incumbent lives in the area

Trustee Area 4 – Northgate High includes Clayton and portions of Walnut Creek and Concord: Lawrence (2020) and Khaund (2022)

Trustee Area 5 – Concord High includes portion of Concord: No incumbent lives in the area.