Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Here Is What Happens if the PUSD Recall Is Successful

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Under state elections law, the school board — not voters — would appoint replacements for any trustee removed by recall

If two school board members up for recall are removed from office, the people will not have a vote in their replacement.

Local residents are currently circulating petitions to place a ballot measure on the ballot that could allow local residents to recall Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) School Board President Tina Fredericks and Trustee Scott Harden.

The pair is accused by some parents of violating the Brown Act with two other trustees, Kim Kenne and Yarma Velázquez, in a discussion regarding school closures.

Kenne is seeking reelection and Velázquez has announced she will not seek reelection.

Neither Kenne nor Velázquez are subjects of recall movements.

If Fredericks and Harden are removed by recall, the board will appoint their replacements.

“There shall not be an election for a successor in a recall of a local officer pursuant to Chapter 3 of Division 11 of the Elections Code,” according to the Secretary of State. “If a majority of the votes on a recall proposal for a local officer are ‘Yes’, the officer is removed and the office shall be vacant until it is filled according to law, provided that the officer who was the subject of the recall election shall not be appointed to fill the vacancy in that office.”

The school board last used the appointment process in 2015, when Tyron Hampton vacated his seat on the school board to seek a seat on the City Council.

As part of that process, nine people were interviewed by the board before the board appointed Adrienne Mullen.

The appointment process has been controversial in recent years. Local residents complained about the City Council’s appointment when the City Council twice appointed Justin Jones to complete terms won by John Kennedy, after Kennedy died.

Residents complained that there should have been a special election to fill the seat.

Jones has now twice won the seat by election.

The City Council appointment process was later changed by the voters.