The board president for the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District has resigned, saying she intends to run for the job of Santa Maria mayor, giving incumbent Alice Patino at least one challenger in the Nov. 5 election. 

Diana Perez’s announcement noted her resignation from the school board effective Monday. 

“The last 10 years on the school board have prepared me for the next step as I announce that I will be running for mayor of Santa Maria,” Perez said in a written statement released by the school district. “It’s the right time in my life to take on new challenges, and I am eager to address the issues facing our city, helping to guide Santa Maria towards a brighter future.”

Since 2002, Perez has served as director of the California Student Aid Commission’s Central Coast Cal-SOAP (California Student Opportunity and Access Program) and is based at Allan Hancock College.

Perez was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2014 and then was elected to the five-member board overseeing the district’s three comprehensive high schools plus a continuation school. 

She cited significant improvements at high schools for her election but said “great work” remains to be done and she has faith in the board and superintendent.

On Monday night, Patino confirmed to Noozhawk that she intends to seek another term leading the City Council after picking up nomination papers.

“I thought I had it in me to do another four years,” Patino said. 

Santa Maria’s first woman to serve as mayor, Patino has wielded the gavel since 2012. This would be her fourth term as mayor. 

She has served on the City Council since 2000, when she was appointed to fill a vacancy and then successfully ran for the role two years later before later becoming mayor.

She worked as a teacher in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District for 10 years and served on the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District board from 1976 to 1991.

Patino also cited re-election bids by incumbents Mike Cordero and Carlos Escobedo for her decision to run again. 

“I think our City Council is going in a good direction and a positive direction. I just think that’s important. I think it’s important to people of Santa Maria. We have a good working City Council right now,” Patino said. 

Cordero represents District 2, or the northeast section of the city, while Escobedo represents District 1, or the northwest area. 

Both also will face challengers since Maria Salguero has formed a committee to seek the District 1 seat, while Benjamin Ortiz intends to run for the District 2 seat and is scheduled to kick off his campaign at noon Friday at Atkinson Park.  

Voters across the city select the mayor since it remains an at-large position. The other four seats are filled by voters in four districts, or areas, of the city.

The filing period for the Nov. 5 election opened Monday and runs through Aug. 9. If an incumbent doesn’t file for re-election, non-incumbents have until Aug. 14.

In addition to the four-year terms for mayor and two council seats, the position of city clerk and city treasurer also will appear on the ballot.

Perez’s resignation statement, which included the announcement of her bid for mayor, was sent to local media on school district letterhead from a district staff member, although policies and laws typically prohibit public resources being used for political campaigns. Most public agencies have strict rules to avoid crossing the political campaign line. 

Perez said she sent her resignation letter to the district but denied playing a role in the district’s release including the mention of her mayoral campaign.

Meanwhile, when they next meet in August, the four remaining high school district board members are expected to consider whether to fill the vacancy by appointment or special election, an unlikely option because of the cost.

The school board has 60 days from the date of resignation to fill the vacancy.

The term filled by Perez, who represented Trustee Area 4, or the western side of the district, will expire in December 2026. 

The sprawling high school district includes Santa Maria, Orcutt, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, Casmalia, Sisquoc and Garey.

Two seats for the high school district board will be up for grabs this fall. One is now held by Alma Hernandez, who was appointed last year to fill the vacancy created by Amy Lopez’s resignation. That seat represents Trustee Area 3.

The second high school district board term expiring this year is now filled by Jack Garvin, who represents Trustee Area 1.