Trona School Board Election: Heseman, McCullar and Benadom Lead Early Returns

TRONA, SEARLES VALLEY — November 4, 2026. Four candidates competed for three seats on the governing board of Trona Joint Unified School District on November 3. An unusual feature of this election is that the district spans two California counties. The first county reports show Cathy Heseman, Skylar Wayne McCullar and Dennis Gale Benadom among the top three in the available San Bernardino County votes, but no results have been certified and the count is incomplete.

San Bernardino County: midnight unofficial report

The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters’ 12 midnight Summary Report #3 showed Cathy Heseman 101 votes (31.08%), Skylar Wayne McCullar 86 (26.46%), Dennis Gale Benadom 73 (22.46%) and Ahmed Abdel Elhawary 65 (20.00%). The report showed 157 ballots cast out of 827 registered voters in the county’s part of the district, with zero of three precincts marked as fully reporting. These candidate-vote percentages are shares of selections made in a vote-for-three contest, not shares of individual participating voters.

Inyo County: a separate set of ballots

Sierra Wave’s Inyo County first-round mail ballot report listed Heseman with 6 votes, McCullar with 6, Elhawary with 3 and Benadom with 2. The Inyo report listed zero of one precinct fully reported. These are separate county numbers, not an official combined district result; the counts from both counties must be reconciled before reporting a definitive three-seat outcome.

Why this board matters

The board controls district budgets, school administration, facility planning and policy for students in Trona and surrounding communities. Local education is especially important as the district adjusts to its rebuilt high school campus. Because voters could select up to three people, the combined vote total exceeds the number of voters who cast ballots.

When will winners be known?

California law permits eligible mail and other ballots to be counted after Election Day; the figures above are partial returns. Searles Valley News will continue checking both counties’ reports rather than declare the top three formally elected from the midnight snapshot. Sources: San Bernardino County ROV; Sierra Wave reporting Inyo County’s early mail ballot totals.

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