Monday, August 10, 2026

Uncontested District 5 School Board Election to be Canceled and Incumbent Appointed

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Patrice Marshall McKenzie [photo credit: Pasadena Unified School District]

McKenzie to be ‘appointed in lieu of election’

District 5 Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Incumbent Patrice Marshall McKenzie will be appointed for another term in lieu of an election in November.

No opponent filed to run against McKenzie by Friday’s deadline. The district recently adopted a resolution that allows uncontested races to be canceled as a cost saving measure.

The district will save between $60,000 and $75,000.

Meanwhile, another race, previously uncontested, could end up on the ballot.

On Friday, Cynthia Torres pulled papers to run against newcomer Dennis McNamara. She has until close of business Wednesday to turn in the necessary signatures to qualify for the election.

The deadline in that race was extended to Aug. 12 because incumbent Yarma Velázquez did not pull papers to run for reelection.

The remaining field for the November election has been fleshed out.

Four candidates have qualified for the November election in races in districts 1 and 3.

In District 1, incumbent Kimberly Kenne and challenger Felita R. Kealing have qualified for the ballot.

Kealing was issued nomination papers July 13, filed them July 29 and qualified Aug. 3. Kenne was issued papers July 14, filed July 22 and qualified July 24.

A third potential District 1 candidate, Dianne Lewis, was issued nomination papers July 22 but is not listed as having filed or qualified as of the City Clerk’s Aug. 7 update.

District 3 will also feature a two-candidate contest between Veronica Elias and incumbent Michelle Richardson Bailey.

Elias was issued nomination papers July 13 and filed and qualified July 30. Richardson Bailey was issued papers July 16 and filed and qualified Aug. 3.

The races are part of the Nov. 3 general election, when voters will choose representatives for four of the seven seats on the PUSD Board of Education.

PUSD board members are elected via plurality elections, meaning the candidate receiving the most votes wins the seat. A candidate does not need to receive more than 50% of the vote to win.