Sixteen candidates are competing for three seats on the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest community college district in the United States. The elections come as the board is overseeing a $5.3-billion voter-approved bond initiative aimed at renovating aging campuses and constructing student housing, while trying to address the growing basic needs of a largely low-income student body balancing education and employment.

The LACCD covers approximately 900 square miles, including the city of Los Angeles and surrounding communities such as Culver City, Montebello, and Burbank. Board members are elected at-large rather than by specific geographic areas.

In the race for Seat 2, incumbent Steve Veres faces three challengers: writer Robert Payne, business owner Kristina Irwin, and educator Adriana Cabrera. Roy Payan was also on the ballot but has suspended his campaign. Veres, who has served multiple terms and works as a staff director and policy advisor for state Senator Maria Elena Durazo, cited accomplishments such as strengthening job training programs, improving graduation rates, and expanding student access to emergency food and housing. Veres has secured endorsements from Durazo, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the county Democratic Party, and four current LACCD trustees. Faculty and staff unions also back him, with a union-sponsored committee spending nearly $150,000 on slate mailers in his support. The other candidates have not reported significant campaign contributions.

Seat 4 features an open contest with seven candidates; incumbent Sara Hernandez is vacating the seat to run for state senate. Among the candidates, Darryn Harris, a government and community affairs officer and part-time instructor at Santa Monica College, stands out as the best-funded and has broad backing from Democratic figures, labor unions, and six of the seven current trustees. Other contenders include former board member and environmentalist Nancy Pearlman; therapist Adam Bruno; healthcare workforce specialist Elaine Alaniz; sign language interpreter Priscilla Umana; fire department employee Isidro Armenta; and business owner Jason Aula, who has drawn attention for controversial remarks concerning the Chinese Communist Party.

The most closely contested race may be for Seat 6, where incumbent Gabriel Buelna is challenged by Randall Winston, deputy mayor of infrastructure and climate resilience for Los Angeles. Winston received the endorsement of the faculty union’s executive board, while Buelna lost that backing but retains support from some faculty members, including Angela Echeverri, president of the district’s academic senate. Echeverri praised Buelna for his advocacy on behalf of students, particularly in helping pass legislation to expand access to non-English language courses.

Disputes have emerged surrounding Winston’s listed occupation on the ballot. He identified himself as an architect and educator at the West Los Angeles College, which Buelna and fellow candidate Tonia Arey, who is supported by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, have questioned as potentially misleading. Winston acknowledged that architecture is his first professional degree and part of his identity, though he does not practice regularly. He explained that he began teaching a leadership class at West Los Angeles College in the fall and was involved in climate workshops and student mentoring. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office, however, did not permit him to list “educator” on the ballot, as his adjunct appointment was still being processed at the time of filing.

Winston’s background includes leading the California Strategic Growth Council before his deputy mayor role. Faculty union president James McKeever noted that Winston’s experience in development and infrastructure aligns well with the board’s current responsibilities managing the extensive bond-funded construction program. Meanwhile, Arey has emphasized a platform focusing on increased transparency and accountability concerning the district’s nearly $10-billion annual budget.

Additional candidates for Seat 6 include community college professor Roberto David LaCarra and realtor Tonia Arey. The outcome of these competitive races will shape the district’s approach to addressing both infrastructure challenges and the evolving needs of its diverse student population in the years ahead.