Local Elections 2026: What We Know So Far

Ballots have already been sent out for the Special Election to replace disgraced former Congressman Eric Swalwell. Filling his empty seat in the House of Representatives is an important election—Hayward has had no representation on the national level in months. But whoever wins—Aisha Wahab or Melissa Hernandez—will be one of 435 people. How much influence they'll have on national policy is an open question.

Local elections, for city council, school district, and park district will almost certainly have a more direct effect on our lives. And the people who take those seats are members of our community. They're people we know, can talk to, and can ultimately influence. So with that in mind, let's take a look at the upcoming local elections, who's running in them, and why it's so weirdly quiet.

Big Changes Coming To HUSD Board

The Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) Board of Trustees is going to see substantial changes during this election. Two years ago, they were caught up in the same wave of lawsuits—filed by attorney Scott Rafferty—as both the City of Hayward and HARD. That means that two Trustees, Ken Rawdon and April Eljeiroudi, are on the way out and the two districts up for election are totally open.

For the two districts up for election this year, District 2 and District 4, the candidate lists at this time are not very deep.

HUSD District 2

District 2, which generally covers the area West of 880 and south of Winton Avenue, includes 7 schools: Eden Garden, Lorin Eden, Palma Ceia, and Southgate Elementary Schools, Anthony Ochoa and MLK Middle Schools, and Mt. Eden High School. Two candidates are currently running in this election:

Joann Guzman

A parent from Southgate Elementary School, Joann Guzman is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility, collaborative school environments, oversight of the sixth grade transition, LCAP and LCFF accountability, and long-term sustainability. She's served on the Southgate PTA as President, as the School Site Council Chair, a Parent Ambassador, and on the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee.

Joe Ramos

A former member of the HUSD School Board who was ousted in 2024, Joe Ramos spent the majority of his time on HUSD's Board of Trustees as a voice against alleged "indoctrination", specifically railing against a program called Woke Kindergarten run by a black, queer, nonbinary and trans educator. He also spoke against LGBTQ+ supportive programming and alleged he was a voice for Latine parents whom he alleged to believe all shared his point of view.

HUSD District 4

District 4, whose borders are generally defined by Harder Road, 880, Mission Blvd, and Folsom Avenue, also contains seven schools: Schafer Park, Glassbrook, Tyrrell, Eldridge, and Ruus Elementary Schools, Cesar Chavez Middle School, and Tennyson High School. Only one candidate is running so far:

Michelle Fernelius

Another parent turned Board candidate, she has two children in the District and has served on multiple committees, including: Parent Ambassador, Special Education Advocacy Alliance (SPEDAA), School Site Decision Making, School Site Council, and the PTO at Eldridge Elementary. She has a background in data and analytics and appears to be focused on collaboration, building community, and ensuring student success.

Everything Else Is Quiet This Year

Almost every other election this year has the potential to be uncontested, with the current incumbent walking into another term. This is despite both the City of Hayward and HARD both being divided into districts in an attempt to improve representation and opportunities for new voices.

City of Hayward

The City of Hayward was recently divided into six different districts, two of which are up for election this year: District 1 and District 6.

District 1 is everything north of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery and east of Mission Blvd. It comprises the Hayward Hills, Upper B Street, and North Hayward on that side of Mission. Council member George Syrop currently lives within its borders and is the only one running for the District 1 seat at the moment.

District 6 is generally everything south of Tennyson and east of 880, aside from a small bit near Ruus Park that is in District 5. Fairway Park, Tennyson-Alquire, and the Garin neighborhoods are the bulk of the population. Council member Julie Roche currently lives in District 6 and she's the only one running for election at the moment.

Council members Dan Goldstein and Angela Andrews also live in District 6, but still have 2 years left on their term. They won't be eligible, unless they abandon their seats or move, to run again until 2030.

The Mayor of Hayward is the only at-large position on the City Council, meaning anyone from anywhere in the city can run. Right now there are two candidates for the seat: Mayor Mark Salinas and Tom Wong. Mayor Salinas is the incumbent and has, as of December 2025, almost $49,000 in his campaign fund. Tom Wong, who ran for City Council in 2024 and received only 10,000 votes, is a member of the Republican Party and has yet to form a campaign committee for this election.

HARD

The Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD) is also facing new district-based elections. Areas 2 and 4, which together make up most of the City of Hayward, are up for election this year.

Area 2 is north of Harder/92, east of Hesperian, and generally otherwise bounded by the city limits. Downtown Hayward, Southland, Sunset, and Upper B Street are all in this Area. The only candidate so far is current Director Sara Lamnin, who was appointed to her seat without election in 2022 when she left the Hayward City Council.

Area 4 is mostly made up of the Hayward Hills east of Mission Blvd, aside from a large area around Tennyson High School, and runs all the way down to the Chapel of the Chimes. Fairview is also included, as is the area around Cal State East Bay and Garin Park. The only candidate so far is Director Paul Hodges, who has served on the HARD Board of Directors since 2007, almost 20 years ago.

So What?

One of the concerns brought up by Councilmember Dan Goldstein during the transition to District-based elections was a lack of interested candidates. With so many issues facing local government—from shrinking populations, lack of funding, and political insurgency from well-funded interest groups—it's more important than ever to have a diversity of voices guiding our government. Unfortunately, the very people who would have the best chance at making decisions that benefit their community are often the ones who have the hardest time running for office.

Here's how to run for local office, if you or someone you know is interested:

City of Hayward: If you're running for City Council, you can make an appointment by contacting the City Clerk's Office via email (cityclerk@hayward-ca.gov) or phone (510) 583-4400 to schedule an appointment before August 7th. Unfortunately, they are only open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm.

HUSD/HARD: If you're looking to run for the School Board or Park District Board, you unfortunately need to schedule an appointment at the Alameda County Registrar of Voter's Office in Oakland before August 7th. It's only a few blocks from the Lake Merritt BART Station. Unfortunately, the office only has appointments from 9am-4pm Monday-Friday.

The paperwork has to be received in person and is only available during the work day, which often shuts out people with full-time work. But if you can't make it but know someone who can, you can ask them to do it for you. If you aren't satisfied with how things are, why not step up and try to change it?

We'll be covering local elections as things kick off, whether more candidates appear or not, so keep an eye on the Hayward Herald for your local election coverage.