School board elections will be uncontested

DOWNEY – Downey Unified School District’s Board of Education will see no contests come the election this November, as only one candidate filed to run for each of its three eligible seats.

Trustee Areas 1, 5, and 7 are all up for election this year. Trustee Area 1 was guaranteed to see a new representative take over at the start of the new term, as current Board Vice President Martha Sodetani had announced she would be stepping away.

As of the filing deadline, incumbents Nancy Swenson and current Board President Bobbi Samperi are unopposed and will see another term with the School District.

Samperi is currently the second-longest serving member of the school board, being first elected in 1993. Representing Trustee Area 7, she is currently sitting in her fourth term as president of the board.

Swenson, of Trustee Area 5, was first elected in 2005. She has served as board president twice.

Tyrone Conde - a political newcomer - is poised to take over Trustee Area 1 and fill the void of the departing Sodetani, as he is also unopposed on the upcoming ballot.

Conde’s previous community involvement comes through Downey Federal Credit Union, where he is vice president of marketing. He announced his campaign in July, including early endorsements from every current member of the school board.

There are no term limits applied to the Board of Education.