King City Union School Board: Ross Ahead of Valerio-Quiroz by Just Four Votes in Latest Count

UPDATE — NOVEMBER 5; SOURCE COUNT NOVEMBER 4 AT 2:23 A.M. In the sixth Monterey County semi-final report the King City Union School District three-seat race shows Yesenia Zavala 652, Susan E. King 621, Monique D. Ross 612, Sonia Valerio-Quiroz 608 and Franky Lopez Jr. 466 candidate selections. The relevant third-to-fourth margin has narrowed from 30 in the first report below to four votes. These are selections in a vote-for-three race, not the number of individual participating voters, and eligible ballots remain. Source: King City Rustler, Monterey County sixth election-night report. The older November 3 figures are retained below for comparison. This is not a certified result.

Earlier November 3 count

KING CITY, Monterey County — November 3, 2026, election-night count. A thirty-vote margin separates the candidates provisionally in third and fourth places in King City Union School District’s three-seat election.

What the first returns show

Susan E. King leads with 531 candidate selections, Yesenia Zavala has 512 and Monique D. Ross 511. Sonia Valerio-Quiroz follows with 481 and Franky Lopez Jr. has 392.

Why this race or measure matters

Because the election fills three seats, the gap between Ross and Valerio-Quiroz matters more than the small gap between first and second. King City also voted on a school-district reorganization under Measure J; the current school board and a proposed unified district board are legally distinct ballot contests. Certification remains pending.

Result status and reporting cutoff

This article uses Monterey County returns reported as of approximately 8:30 p.m. Pacific on November 3, 2026, as reproduced by Salinas Valley Tribune. These are not newer November 5 figures and are unofficial. Additional mail ballots, provisional ballots, and canvass work can change the counts. Consult the county election office before relying on an outcome as final.

Sources: Salinas Valley Tribune election-night results, November 3; Monterey County Elections office. California58 statewide election coverage.

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