There could be a few changes in who represents the different Santa Clarita Valley school district governing board seats after the initial results were released on Tuesday.  Four of the five seats on the Santa Clarita Community College District board of trustees, which oversees College of the Canyons, were on the ballot. Incumbent Edel Alonso held a lead as of press time Tuesday night, while incumbent Jerry Danielsen was trailing and the other two candidates on their slate, Andrew Taban and Michelle Kampbell, were also trailing.  That slate has been endorsed by the COC Faculty Association, while the other slate — Fred Arnold, Scott Schauer, Darlene Trevino and Sharlene Johnson — has the backing of the SCV business community. All four of those candidates held leads as of press time, except for Schauer.  The William S. Hart Union High School District has two contested races, with challenger Aakash Ahuja fending off incumbent Linda Storli, the current governing board president, and challenger Gloria Mercado-Fortine, in early returns. Incumbent Erin Wilson is also in the lead over challenger Eric Anderson. Here’s how the results for local school board seats look as of press time Tuesday and what the candidates are feeling with still weeks to go before the final results will be certified.  COC  Looking to keep her seat representing Trustee Area No. 2, Alonso had 50.73% of the vote as of press time Tuesday. Spending Election Night at the SCV Democrats headquarters, she said she is hopefully optimistic, a common statement given on Tuesday.  “It’s been an absolute pleasure to run almost like a slate with Michelle Kampbell and Andrew Taban and Jerry Danielsen,” Alonso said. “I think we could make such a great team. We think alike. We have common goals. It’s just a dream team, so I am still hopefully optimistic that we can do this, because the college deserves the very best.”  Edel Alonso, current president of the College of the Canyons board of trustees, speaks with attendees at the SCV Democrats Headquarters in Canyon Country on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Habeba Mostafa/ The Signal Danielsen, appointed to the board last year to represent Trustee Area No. 4, was with Alonso, as were Taban and Kampbell, running to represent Area Nos. 3 and 1, respectively.  “Thank you … all the people who ran just to step up to the plate and do it,” Danielsen said. “All you guys have helped us all, and the results are still coming in. It’s looking good for some and not so good for others.”  Arnold, leading his race with 49.34% of the votes counted as of press time, was at FunBurger in Valencia along with Patsy Ayala, running for Santa Clarita Council. He said the recent wrongful termination claims filed against the college by former Chancellor Dianne Van Hook may have galvanized the community.  “The community was quite shocked and took an immediate interest in understanding some of the issues at the college,” Arnold said, adding that it’s a misconception that his slate is trying to bring Van Hook back into the fold at the college. “I think it was a way in which the community could reengage.”  Taban is in second at 39.43% of the votes counted as of press time Tuesday. Tasha Hoggat is in a distant third at 11.23% in that race.  “Regardless of the results, I look forward to serving on the board of trustees if I’m elected,” Taban said, “and if not, I look forward to working with whoever is and to continue delivering on that mission of what our community wants.”  Andrew Taban, Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees candidate, speaks with attendees at the SCV Democrats Headquarters in Canyon Country on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Habeba Mostafa/ The Signal Schauer, running against Alonso, was at Salt Creek Grille along with the other candidates on that slate, Trevino and Johnson. Trevino is running against Kampbell and Johnson is running against Danielsen.  Johnson held a lead as of press time with 53.11% of the votes counted, while Trevino had 56.81% of votes.  “I had such great support by community leaders that truly understood my part,” Trevino said, “and I’m excited for the relationships that I built, for the amount of people that I’ve met that care about this community. And that’s where my heart’s at, is this community and the students.”  Hart District  Choosing to stay at home on Election Night, Storli said she “wishes it were different” as she looks to keep her seat representing Trustee Area No. 1. She was trailing Ahuja, who has 38.81% of the votes counted as of press time. Storli is at 28.73%.  “I’m hopeful but my life does not depend on whether I win this election or not,” Storli said in a phone interview. “If it was meant to be, it would be. And if it was not meant to be, then it won’t be.”  Ahuja and Wilson were both at Salt Creek Grille along with other SCV Republicans.  “I feel optimistic and strong,” Ahuja said. “All the hard work is getting aligned in such a manner that the voters have recognized that I’m the candidate who is standing for the common sense. I want to make sure that I will be the voice of the parents and do everything for all the kids, irrespective of which background they come from.”  Wilson is leading her race with a commanding 65.03% of the counted votes as of press time.  “I feel uniquely qualified in a group to be a unifier, to seek for common ground, because we, as board members, we’re all very different,” Wilson said.  Mercado-Fortine is in second in her race at 32.46%.  “It’s still early and I’m sure it’ll be a late night,” she said, referring to the large number of ballots that still need to be counted in the coming days, and possibly weeks.  Saugus  There’s only one contested race for a seat on the Saugus Union School District governing board: incumbent Katherine Cooper against challenger Mark White to represent Trustee Area No. 3.  Michelle Kampbell, candidate for the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees, speaks with attendees at the SCV Democrats Headquarters in Canyon Country on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Habeba Mostafa/ The Signal As of press time Tuesday, Cooper is leading with 57.7% of the votes counted.  Also of note is Measure N, the Saugus district bond measure that would bring in $187 million from property owners in the district to retrofit and upgrade facilities. It is currently not going to pass with only 46.18% of votes going toward it. It would need 55% of votes to pass.  Newhall  Another district with only contested race is the Newhall School District. Incumbent Sue Solomon, the current board president, is being challenged by Mayra Cuellar, and has a commanding lead with 66.38% of the votes counted as of press time.  Castaic  Two candidates who currently do not sit on the Castaic Union School District governing board are vying to represent Trustee Area A: Erik Richardson and Steve Sansone.  The incumbent, Janene Maxon, is not running for reelection.  Richardson currently leads with 57.51% of the votes counted as of press time.  Richardson has one child in the district and one more that will enter it next year.  Sansone works in the financial services industry and was previously on the Castaic school board but stepped down once his children left the district.  The post SCV school board elections: COC board looks to be shaken up  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.