Residents in Trustee Areas 1, 2, and 3 of the San Mateo-Foster City School District will each elect a board member on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and the window to file as a candidate opened Monday, July 13.

The district's Governing Board adopted Resolution No. 17/25-26 on Wednesday, June 25, calling the election for all three seats. The San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools formally noticed the election the following day, Thursday, June 26, under Education Code sections 5322 and 5325.

Two of the seats carry full four-year terms. The third, in Trustee Area 3, is a two-year partial term covering the remainder of an existing term.

Who can run

Candidates must live in the trustee area they seek to represent. Only registered voters within that trustee area will vote on that seat. The district shifted from at-large to trustee-area elections in 2022 to comply with the California Voting Rights Act.

How to file

The candidate filing period runs through 5 p.m. Friday, August 7. If an eligible incumbent does not file by that deadline, the window for that specific seat extends five additional calendar days to 5 p.m. Wednesday, August 12, according to the San Mateo County Elections Office.

The county Elections Office, not the school district, handles all candidate filings for school board races. Mark Church, San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer and Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, announced the filing period opening and recommended that candidates file early to allow time to resolve any issues with nomination documents.

Prospective candidates can contact the county's Candidate Services team at [email protected] or by calling or texting 650-312-5222.

The filing deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, August 7

Candidate seminar

The Elections Office is hosting a candidate seminar at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 22. A venue has not yet been announced; check smcacre.gov/elections for updates.

To Learn More

For questions specific to the SMFCSD election, the district directs residents to Tatiana Sandoval, executive assistant to the superintendent and governance, at [email protected].