Kealing Leads in Pasadena Trustee District 1 Race

Early vote-by-mail returns show Felita Kealing ahead of incumbent Kimberly Kenne in the Pasadena Unified School District race.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Administration

Kealing Leads in Pasadena Trustee District 1 Race

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Early returns posted at 8:17 p.m. on Nov. 3 showed Felita Kealing leading incumbent Kimberly Kenne by about 12 percentage points in Pasadena Unified School District Trustee District 1. The first results consisted of vote-by-mail ballots received before election day.

Why it matters

The early returns offer an initial read on a contest that could change the balance of the seven-member school board. Pasadena families and district staff will be watching the trustee lineup as the board weighs school consolidation and a district transformation process.

The early results cover only vote-by-mail ballots received before election day, with Kealing ahead by about 12 percentage points in District 1. Bailey led Elias by about 28 points in District 3 and Torres led McNamara by about 18 points in District 7, but later ballots could shift these margins.

The players

Felita Kealing

Felita Kealing is a candidate who led incumbent Kimberly Kenne in early returns for Pasadena Unified School District Trustee District 1.

Kimberly Kenne

Kimberly Kenne is the incumbent Pasadena Unified School District trustee trailing Felita Kealing in Trustee District 1 in early returns.

Elizabeth Blanco

Elizabeth Blanco is the superintendent of the Pasadena Unified School District, directed by trustees to bring forward a district transformation process.

The details

Election officials posted the first set of results at 8:17 p.m. on Nov. 3, made up of vote-by-mail ballots received before election day. The early returns also showed Michelle Richardson Bailey leading Veronica Elias in Trustee District 3 and Cynthia Torres leading Dennis McNamara in District 7.

2025: Board voted 4-3 to begin the consolidation exploratory process.
October 2026: Board voted 4-3 to direct Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco to bring forward a district transformation process.
Nov. 3, 2026: Election day; first early results posted at 8:17 p.m.

Season Trajectory

The Pasadena trustee contests are a referendum on the 4-3 board majority that voted to begin school consolidation and a district transformation process. Whether incumbents such as Kenne hold their seats will determine whether that majority's course continues.

Families in Pasadena's district will see whichever trustees win these seats shape decisions on school consolidation and transformation. Voters should check official county results, since later-counted ballots can change these early margins.

The takeaway

Early leads are not final results, and the trustee races will determine whether the board continues its consolidation course. Residents who want to follow the outcome should watch certified results as they are released.