Thida Cornes Will Seek Re-election in November 2026
The trustee faces two challengers for a seat on the Mountain View Los Altos High School District board.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Thida Cornes is running for re-election to the Mountain View Los Altos High School District Board of Trustees in the November 2026 election. She is competing against Catherine Vonnegut and Sanjay Dave for the Area 3 seat as the district shifts to trustee-based elections.
Why it matters
Cornes seeks another term to advance her goal of providing all students with equitable access to academic opportunities and essential support services within the district.
The district now comprises five trustee areas, with Area 3 covering eastern Mountain View south of the Central Expressway. Three candidates are vying for this specific seat.
The players
Thida Cornes
She is the incumbent member of the Mountain View Los Altos High School District Board of Trustees.
Sanjay Dave
He is a former member of the school board who served in that capacity from 2016 to 2024.
Catherine Vonnegut
She is a candidate challenging for the Area 3 trustee seat in the upcoming district election.
The details
The Mountain View Los Altos High School District recently moved from an at-large voting system to a model featuring five distinct trustee areas. Cornes, who was first elected in 2022, serves alongside candidates like Sanjay Dave, who previously held a seat from 2016 to 2024.
Timeline
Cornes served on the Parks and Recreation Commission from 2009 to 2016.
Cornes ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2016.
Sanjay Dave held a position on the school board from 2016 to 2024.
Thida Cornes was initially elected to the school board in 2022.
The upcoming election for the Area 3 seat is scheduled for November 2026.
Culture Shift
The transition to trustee areas mirrors a broader regional trend in California education, moving away from at-large systems to localized governance. This shift aims to ensure each district segment receives focused representation on the board of trustees.
Voters living within Area 3 will now cast ballots specifically for their trustee rather than for candidates across the entire district. This change impacts how residents engage with the school board and which candidates represent their specific neighborhood concerns.
The takeaway
The implementation of trustee areas marks a significant structural change for district governance in Mountain View. Residents should verify their specific trustee area to understand how their vote influences local academic policy.
Further reading
For more information on local school board races, visit the Secondary Education section.
More information
Find candidate information and election details at the Voice 2026 Election Center.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mountain View Voice.
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