The trustees
Three seats a recall can reach
We name these three because theirs are the seats a recall can reach. The other two are on the November 2026 ballot, where voters get their say directly.
Mary Beth Thompson
Trustee Area B · term runs to 2028
4,271signatures needed
Rich Ginn
Trustee Area C · term runs to 2028
7,557signatures needed
Maria E. Cruz
Trustee Area E · term runs to 2028
6,678signatures needed
Not sure which area you’re in?
Enter your address and we’ll show you your trustee area on the adopted SUHSD boundary map. It takes a few seconds, and it decides which of the three petitions you can legally sign.
Look up my trustee areaHow a California recall works
Notice of intention (complete)
Proponents serve the trustee with a notice of intention signed by registered voters in that trustee’s area, and publish it in a newspaper of general circulation.
Petition approval (complete)
The county elections office reviews the paperwork for form and sufficiency. Everything has to match exactly. An earlier attempt in this district was rejected in May 2026 because a draft was filed in place of the served document.
120 days to gather (in progress)
Once the petition is approved for circulation, proponents have 120 days to collect valid signatures from 20% of the registered voters in that trustee area.
Verification (not started)
The county verifies signatures against the voter file. A signature only counts if the signer is registered at an address inside that trustee’s area.
The election (not started)
If a petition qualifies, the district must hold a recall election and bear the cost.
The rules are set by state law and published by the California Secretary of State. The San Mateo County elections office administers the process locally.
Be ready when the clock starts
120 days sounds like a lot. It isn’t. The recalls that succeed have neighbors ready to gather signatures before circulation opens.