Walnut Creek Passes Measure T as School Board Incumbents Lead

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Voters in Walnut Creek approved Measure T to convert the city treasurer’s office from an elected post to an appointed position and gave early leads to incumbents on the Walnut Creek School District and Acalanes Union High School District boards in preliminary 2026 midterm election returns released Tuesday night, November 3.

Measure T Passes 60% to 40% as Moran, Khaund, and Cassano Fill Uncontested Municipal Posts

According to the 10:44 p.m. Contra Costa County election report cited by Patch Walnut Creek, Measure T—which requires a simple majority to make the city treasurer position appointed rather than elected—was passing with 60% (60 percent, or 12,516 yes votes) to 40% (40 percent, or 8,240 no votes).

Incumbent City Treasurer Ronald Cassano, who ran unopposed on the ballot, received 100% (17,002 votes). On the Walnut Creek City Council, 2 (two) open citywide seats carrying 4-year (four-year) terms were uncontested and will be filled by Brendan Moran and Cherise Khaund.

Walnut Creek, Acalanes Area 1, and Mount Diablo Unified School Board Returns

Across local public school districts serving Walnut Creek residents:

• Walnut Creek School District Governing Board (3 Seats): Incumbent Heidi Hernandez Gatty (24%), Eryn Holl King (22%), and Geetha Ganti (17%) led the 6-candidate field ahead of incumbent Wenlei Johnson (15%), Aileen Ong (15%), and Rod Ehsani (7%).
• Acalanes Union High School District, Trustee Area 1: Appointed incumbent Stacey Schweppe led education nonprofit executive Nithin Iyengar by 58% (2,560 votes) to 42% (1,833 votes).
• Mount Diablo Unified School District, Trustee Areas 2 and 4: In Trustee Area 2, Jane Baulch-Enloe led Dorothy Weisenberger by 55% (6,799 votes) to 45% (5,596 votes). In Trustee Area 4, Brian Thomas Lawrence led Al Anderson by 68% (8,587 votes) to 32% (4,045 votes).

Contra Costa County Turnout, Registration & Statewide Context

As of September, the California Secretary of State reported 23,164,977 registered voters statewide—more than 85% of eligible Californians (45% Democrats and 25% Republicans)—while Contra Costa County registration exceeded 90% (51.6% Democrats and 19% Republicans). Political Data analyst Paul Mitchell told The San Francisco Chronicle that California was on pace for a gubernatorial-year record 60% turnout, with Democratic voters accounting for 51% of ballots returned statewide as of October 29 (Oct. 29) compared with 28% for Republicans as voters weighed 14 statewide propositions (Propositions 3, 40, 41, and 42 alongside Proposition 50 redistricting across 52 House seats, including 5 target districts such as District 22 and the 48th District) and the U.S. Justice Department sued over 20,000 ballots. In Contra Costa County’s gubernatorial tally, Democrat Xavier Becerra led Republican Steve Hilton by 72% (171,635 votes) to 28% (66,994 votes).