10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 4-10, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com NEWS It was a festive atmosphere at Mo’s River Road Grill on Tuesday, June 2 even before the first election results came in. About 70 supporters of Dan Burns, a candidate for Monterey County Superintendent of Schools, had gathered for finger food like calamari and breaded chicken and three types of cookies while the playlist “Fun Cocktail Hour” from Spotify played in the background. Preliminary results show Burns, the former superintendent at Salinas Union High School District, leading by 14 points over Ralph Porras, the current deputy superintendent at Monterey County Office of Education and former superintendent of Pacific Grove Unified. As of midnight on Wednesday, June 3 he has 24,451 votes to Porras’ 18,443. Last year, Deneen Guss, the current MCOE superintendent, announced she will retire in 2027 after leading MCOE for two four-year terms. She endorsed Porras to take her seat. Burns says this year was the right time to run for superintendent after working as a consultant for various school districts and reigniting his passion to impact the education future of young people. “I have a granddaughter here,” Burns adds. “To be able to have some type of impact on her potential, continuing learning through her years is very important for me as well.” This was the first time since 2010, that the superintendent of schools’ seat was contested. Both candidates have 70 years of experience combined. MCOE provides services for the county’s 24 school districts and eight charter schools, as well as programs for migrant and special education students, and administers the Early Learning Program (combining federal Head Start and state preschool). “I really want the County Office of Education to be a premier support environment for all of our school districts,” Burns says. Class Time Dan Burns leads by a 14-point margin for Monterey County Superintendent of Schools. By Celia Jiménez Just after 7:30pm on Tuesday, June 2, Clint Novak carried a tray of Bloody Marymarinated tri-tip into the kitchen, advising people to be careful around the hot dish. The tri-tip was the centerpiece of a full menu for dinner at Glenn Church’s Royal Oaks home, which also included seasoned chicken wings, beer-marinated bratwurst and pepperoncini-marinated potato salad with no relish—a secret recipe, says Novak, Church’s nephew and a self-described hobby cook. It was a feast at home and at the polls for Church on election night as he vies for a second term as Monterey County supervisor. In early election results released just after 8pm Tuesday, Church held a sizable lead over his opponent, Ramon Gomez, garnering nearly 72 percent of the vote, a margin that held overnight at 71 percent as of June 3. Church was first elected to represent District 2, which encompasses North County communities and North Salinas, in 2022. The area has faced two major disasters since Church took office: the Pajaro River flood in 2023 (less than three months after he was seated) and the Vistra battery energy storage facility fire in Moss Landing in 2025. Those disasters, and Church’s responses to them, took center stage in his campaign. In Pajaro, for example, Church says he is now warmly greeted in the community that for years felt neglected by its government. “It’s a lot more supportive than it was in 2022,” Church says of his interactions with voters this time around compared to his first campaign. “I try to work with everybody. I try to be civil. I try to compromise. I try to find middle ground. With the fire and the flood, I tried to be straight up and honest with people.” Gomez arrived to his election night party at 101 Wine Press in Prunedale after the polls closed at 8pm, noting he wanted to be out campaigning right up to the last minute. Gomez, who serves on the Monterey County Planning Commission and North County Fire District board, says he is happy with how the campaigns were run on both sides. “I’ve been very proud of running a clean campaign and focusing on the issues,” the Prunedale resident says. “I think my opponent has done the same thing. That’s been a good thing for the voters.” Church says he’s making a plan for what he wants to accomplish over the next four-and-a-half years. Many things are already in motion, he notes, including flood control in the Bolsa Knolls neighborhood (with the supervisors hearing a report on a drainage study on June 2), additional sidewalks in Castroville and the proposed transfer station at the former Crazy Horse Landfill in Prunedale. “What I like about a nonpartisan office is that you cross those red and blue lines,” he says. “I’ve had some texts today, one coming from a conservative Republican and one coming from a liberal Democrat, and both were wishing me the best of luck.” Glenn Church (right) chats with family and friends during an election night gathering at his Royal Oaks home, where his dog Shasta greeted visitors. Round Two Early results show Glenn Church netting two-thirds of the vote for another term as county supervisor. By Erik Chalhoub Israel Salazar congratulates Dan Burns on election night. Burns has worked mostly in Salinas and was surprised by the support he received from areas like Carmel, Pacific Grove and South County. “I tried to be straight up and honest with people.” ERIK CHALHOUB CELIA JIMÉNEZ
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