Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff

About this race

Governs the local public school district. Sets the school budget and local school taxes, hires and oversees the superintendent, and approves curriculum, school calendars and policies.

3 candidates ran for Poway Unified School Trustee Area D (San Diego County) in the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Poway Unified school district voters.

About Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff

Lawyer and adjunct professor of business law, University of San Diego; Governing Board Member, Poway Unified School District. Elected three times to the Poway Unified board, including five years as board president; she has held Area D since 2018. She holds degrees from Stanford University and UC Law San Francisco, is a certified special education advocate, and is a former Rancho Penasquitos Town Council member and former deputy legislative counsel.

What they say they'll focus on:

• Maintain facilities and win community support for a facilities bond in 2028
• Make budget cuts as far from the classroom as possible
• Student belonging, wellness and counseling supports
• Special education improvements, including inclusive practices and the Abraxas Transition Program
• Explore further limits on student phone and device use

In their own words: KPBS questionnaire

Summarized in our words from source 1, source 2, checked October 2026. Not an endorsement.

Where they stand

This is a nonpartisan race, so we don't estimate where candidates fall from their campaign materials or look up their personal voter registration. We'd place Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff only with a published academic score (from a voting record or campaign donors), and we haven't found one we can reliably source.

To see where they stand, read their own words: KPBS questionnaire. What they say they'll focus on is listed above.

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Also running

• Daniela Darling
• Jennifer Dahlquist Ramirez

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Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Quick answers

Is Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff the incumbent?

Yes. Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff currently holds this office.

What does the Poway Unified School Trustee Area D seat do?

Governs the local public school district. Sets the school budget and local school taxes, hires and oversees the superintendent, and approves curriculum, school calendars and policies.

Who is Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff running against?

Daniela Darling and Jennifer Dahlquist Ramirez, for Poway Unified School Trustee Area D (San Diego County).

Should I vote for Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Compare Michelle O'Connor-Ratcliff's record, funding and endorsements with the other candidates in this race and decide based on what matters to you.