ENCINITAS — San Dieguito Union High School District board candidate Kevin Sabellico has conceded the race for the Area 4 seat to incumbent Michael Allman. Election results continue to show a gap of several hundred votes between the two candidates.
Sabellico, a political consultant and former Carlsbad Planning Commissioner, has 8,566 votes as of Nov. 21, approximately 385 behind Allman. Around 20,000 ballots remain to be counted in San Diego County, with the next update scheduled for Nov. 27.
In a social media statement on Thursday, Sabellico said he wished Allman well in his next term and hoped the board would lead the district with “wisdom and compassion” going forward.
“This campaign, through its trials and tribulations, was rooted in higher principles — principles that transcend any one candidate, any one election. Standing up for academic freedom, fiscal transparency, and equal rights for every student in our district will always be the right thing to do,” Sabellico said.
Allman’s campaign declared victory last week and thanked voters for their support.
“Shout out to our huge army of volunteers who worked hard for this victory. Thank you to our community who kept the faith and never wavered,” Allman said on social media on Nov. 15.
Controversy abounded in the Area 4 race, which Sabellico entered in May after dropping his initial Carlsbad City Council bid. Sabellico reported $102,675 in campaign donations, and Allman reported $59,876.
Much of Sabellico’s campaign focus was on attacking Allman, who he branded as “MAGA Mike,” and highlighting his divisive track record in his first term, including supporting a redistricting map that landed the district in a gerrymandering lawsuit and being accused of bullying behavior toward fellow board members, students, district staff and the former superintendent.
In August, Allman challenged Sabellico’s claim of being an educator in his ballot designation, with a judge later agreeing that the designation was “false and misleading.” Sabellico defended the use of the title by stating that he had been hired by the San Dieguito school district, which district officials denied.
Allman was also investigated by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission related to three complaints that alleged he failed to meet campaign filing deadlines, improperly accepted a $2,500 donation from a developer recently contracted by the district, and could not meet advertising disclaimer requirements.
In the latter case, Allman accused Sabellico and complainant Bob Ayers of faking the evidence sent to the FPPC.
In the much less controversial but competitive Area 2 race, current Encinitas Union School District trustee Jodie Williams has maintained a steady lead over parent Kelly Friis, who trailed by 481 votes as of Nov. 21.
Williams, who did not reply to requests for comment, will fill the seat currently held by Katrina Young, maintaining the board’s current Democratic majority. She is the second trustee in the last few years to come to San Dieguito from the Encinitas Union board, following the same trajectory by Board President Rimga Viskanta in 2022.
Friis conceded the race to Williams on social media a few days after the Nov. 5 election, as the vote gap between the candidates continued to grow.
Friis and Allman have positioned themselves as parent-supported candidates and criticized their opponents for being funded by the San Dieguito Faculty Association, the union representing district teachers and faculty.
“We were up against a very powerful machine in the teacher union backed candidate,” Friis said on social media. “Thank you for supporting me and congratulations to Jodie. I hope and pray the board does right by not just what teacher union leadership want, but what children, parents and taxpayers need.”
While the San Dieguito Faculty Association contributed to Williams, giving $2,025 in monetary donations, Sabellico was their primary beneficiary by far, receiving $54,925 from the association as of Oct. 28. The association also funded mailers supporting both candidates.
The SDFA has been involved in past efforts to oust Allman, including leading a failed recall effort in 2021.
The election occurs at a critical time for the board, which has often found itself split along party lines. The high-achieving district continues adopting its state-mandated ethnic studies curriculum and faces increasing calls from parents for transparency.
