The Southern Kern Unified School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to declare its intent to adopt trustee-area (single-member) elections after receiving a demand letter alleging the district's at-large electoral system violates the California Voting Rights Act.

Board members said the decision was driven by the cost and uncertainty of defending litigation rather than by conclusive evidence in the demand letter. The board directed staff to implement trustee-area elections for the earliest election consistent with Education Code section 5020(a)(2); current trustees will serve out their existing terms.

Board members and staff described the sequence that led to the action. Superintendent Gaines read from a letter the district received on or about July 11, 2025, from an attorney named Robert Goodman asserting a CVRA violation and threatening litigation. Gaines told the trustees the letter did not include evidence supporting the claim but that legal counsel advised the district that defending a CVRA challenge could be costly. "CBRA litigation is very costly to defend and would be a significant drain on other district resources," Gaines read as part of the rationale for avoiding litigation.

Trustees voiced reluctance but said financial realities made the change necessary. Trustee Mario Gutierrez said he would vote yes "only because of the money that it's gonna cost not to do it," adding he believes shifting to trustee-area elections "hurts our town" and may create other issues. Trustee Robert Vincentlette echoed Gutierrez's concerns but said he would "vote yes only because of the money." Trustee Sonny Heffern described the decision as "ridiculous" but agreed to a yes vote for the same financial reasons. Trustee Adrian Rendon and Trustee Justin Wright also said they would vote yes; Wright called the demand a "money grab" but said he had to vote yes given legal advice the district received.

The board resolved that converting to single-member trustee areas would be implemented "for the earliest possible election consistent with Education Code section 5020(a)(2)," and the resolution stated that the change would not affect the terms of any sitting trustee. Board members also discussed their view that specifying five trustee areas is the most legally durable option and could reduce the district's exposure to repeat challenges.

What happens next: The board did not specify the precise map or timeline at the meeting; staff and legal counsel will follow the statutory steps required to adopt trustee-area boundaries before the next eligible election cycle.

Votes: The transcript records five trustees voting in favor. The student board member registered a supporting signal where recorded.