← Election Series · Down-ballot coverage · Arizona
Endorses Miranda
The race
Alhambra Elementary School District voters fill one two-year seat on November 3, 2026. Vote for one. Both candidates are filed write-ins — no name for this seat is printed on the ballot, so voters must write in the name of the candidate they choose. The district's two four-year seats are not voted this year: Mathew Nevarez and Wilmarie Maldonado-Castro faced no opponents and those elections were cancelled, per the Superintendent's certified list.
The certified roster is: Jason Miranda (write-in, appointed incumbent) and Jonathan Ramsey (write-in). The district also asks voters to renew a District Additional Assistance override, covered in our measure coverage.
The candidates
Jason Miranda (write-in, appointed incumbent). Miranda was appointed to the board in July 2026 by Maricopa County School Superintendent Shelli Boggs to fill a vacancy, as reported by The Arizona Republic. Per the Superintendent's office announcement reported there, he has more than 12 years of military leadership and a bachelor's degree in homeland security and emergency management from Grand Canyon University, and he says he would focus on strong academics, safe campuses and responsible budgeting.
Pros: A published platform that matches the job — academics, campus safety, responsible budgeting — and the accountability of having been vetted through the appointment process. Cons: Appointed, not elected, and only months into the seat; no board voting record was sourced in this pass.
Jonathan Ramsey (write-in). Ramsey works as a fifth-grade teacher in the Washington Elementary School District and has worked in elementary schools since 2009, as reported by The Arizona Republic. He told the Republic his priorities include improving literacy and attendance rates and overseeing curricula and budgets to ensure teachers have what they need to be successful.
Pros: Seventeen years working in elementary schools, currently in a classroom; concrete priorities on literacy and attendance. Cons: No governing or budget-oversight record was sourced; his experience is instructional, not fiduciary.
OUR CALL
Our call: We endorse Jason Miranda. The basis is his own published platform, reported at his appointment: strong academics, safe campuses and responsible budgeting — the governing board's actual work — backed by more than a decade of military leadership. Ramsey is a credible classroom voice and unproven is not a demerit; on the sourced platforms in front of voters, Miranda's is the governing one. Either way, remember: this seat is write-in only. Write the name in, or the vote does not count.
For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.
Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Sources
- Maricopa County School Superintendent — "November 3, 2026 School District Governing Board Certified and Write-In Candidates (as of 8/25/26)" — the certified roster for this race (county grade) — https://schoolsup.org/s/2026-Certified-Write-In-Candidates-082526.pdf
- The Arizona Republic / azcentral, "Who's running for metro Phoenix school boards in the midterm election?" (Oct. 2, 2026) — candidate backgrounds, occupations and stated priorities as reported — https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/10/02/metro-phoenix-school-board-candidates-midterm-2026-election/91830892007/
Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.
AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.