The Los Altos School District (LASD) Board of Trustees race features three current or appointed trustees and one newcomer, with candidates taking markedly different approaches to campaign financing.
David Poll, the only newcomer in the four-candidate race, reported the most financial activity. His campaign reported $11,078 in total receipts and $7,676 in expenditures, including $8,500 in loans from Poll to his campaign. About $3,800 of his spending, excluding a $3,900 candidate statement fee, went toward yard signs, campaign literature and voter-file and canvassing software.
LASD Trustee Brandon Stroy, who was appointed to the board in March after former trustee Vladimir Ivanovic resigned, reported $7,490 in contributions. About $4,636 – nearly two-thirds – came from Stroy himself. His campaign reported $4,879 in expenditures, including a nearly $4,000 candidate statement fee and about $649 for signs.
Board President Vaishali Sirkay reported $7,144 in contributions, with $5,000 – about 70% – coming from a single donor. Her campaign reported $4,527 in expenditures, including a $3,900 candidate statement fee and about $560 for signs.
Incumbent trustee Bryan Johnson filed a Form 470 stating he anticipated receiving and spending less than $2,000 during the 2026 election.
The Mountain View-Los Altos (MVLA) High School District’s contested Area 3 race includes Board President Thida Cornes, Trustee Catherine Vonnegut and former trustee Sanjay Dave, while Mountain View City Councilmember Ellen Kamei is running unopposed in Area 2. Dave served on the MVLA board from 2016 to 2024.
Cornes reported $5,465 in contributions and $2,374 in expenditures through Sept. 19, leaving about $5,194 on hand. Her contributors included Santa Clara County Board of Education member Jessica Speiser, who gave $500, and State Board of Equalization member Sally Lieber, who gave $200. Her largest contribution was $700.
Vonnegut filed a Form 470 stating that she anticipated receiving and spending less than $2,000 during the 2026 election. Dave also filed a paper Form 470, while Kamei’s campaign-finance filing was submitted on paper, leaving no comparable electronic financial figures for those candidates.
The biggest fundraising gap appears in the Foothill-De Anza (FHDA) Community College District’s contested Area 4 race. Bill Wilson reported $20,230 in contributions, plus a $4,000 loan, compared with $934 in contributions from Liang Chao. Wilson reported $8,596 in expenditures and $15,634 on hand; Chao reported $262 in expenditures and $672 on hand. Wilson’s donors included FHDA trustees Pearl Cheng and Peter Landsberger, who each gave $1,000. In the unopposed Area 2 race, Alexander Gvatua reported $15,105 in contributions, $5,255 in expenditures and $9,850 on hand.
Campaign activity was more limited among Mountain View-Whisman School District candidates. Incumbent Devon Conley reported $6,183 in contributions and $2,843 in expenditures. Incumbent Bill Lambert reported $931 in contributions, all from himself, and no expenditures. Challengers Quintin Riis and Sundar Subbarayan each filed Form 470s indicating they anticipated receiving and spending less than $2,000 during 2026.
Self-funding also featured prominently in the Cupertino Union School District race. Trustee Jerry Liu reported $3,000 in contributions, an $8,889 outstanding loan and $596 in expenditures. Board President Satheesh Madhathil reported no contributions but $9,500 in outstanding loans from himself and $155 in expenditures. Board Vice President Ava Chiao’s latest filing, covering through June 30, reported no 2026 contributions or expenditures and $11,200 in outstanding loans from prior years.
