Election 2026 · School and college districts

LA Community College Board, Seat 6

Published September 29, 2026 · Updated October 2, 2026

Tonia Arey, Gabriel Buelna (incumbent), Roberto David LaCarra and Randall Winston are the candidates for LA Community College Board, Seat 6 on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) runs nine public community colleges. A seven-member Board of Trustees, elected by voters, governs the district. Trustees serve staggered four-year terms, and a student trustee is also chosen each year.

Summary by CityHallPass, not the official text or legal advice. The official text controls: LA County's official election information.

What it means for the City of LA

LACCD's nine colleges are Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Harbor College, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, Los Angeles Valley College, Los Angeles Southwest College, West Los Angeles College and Los Angeles Mission College. Trustees are elected at large, so City of Los Angeles voters who live in the district vote on every seat on the ballot.

The candidates

The job

Powers. State law puts each community college district “under the control of a board of trustees.” The board sets policy for and approves academic and facilities plans, approves courses and programs, employs all staff and sets their pay and benefits, and “determine[s] and control[s] the district’s operational and capital outlay budgets” (Education Code 70902). LACCD says its board also selects and appoints the Chancellor and the college presidents and reviews site and facilities development (LACCD). The board has seven members elected at large to four-year terms, plus a student trustee chosen each year (LACCD Board Overview). The student trustee casts an advisory vote before the other members vote (Education Code 72023.5). The LA Times reported in 2024 that trustees are paid $2,000 a month (LA Times).

Budget. District staff presented the 2026-27 Final Budget at a September 9, 2026 special board meeting (agenda, which attaches the presentation and the full budget book).

• All funds total $9.5 billion. The largest pieces are the Building Fund of bond money ($7.5 billion), the unrestricted General Fund ($1.1 billion), student financial aid ($374.6 million) and restricted grant programs ($299.4 million) (2026-27 Final Budget book, attached to the Sept. 9 agenda).
• Unrestricted revenue is $994.2 million. Of that, $907.1 million comes from the state’s Student Centered Funding Formula (2026-27 Final Budget book).
• Reserves: a General Reserve of $64.6 million (6.5%) and a Contingency Reserve of $34.8 million (3.5%), as board policy requires (2026-27 Final Budget book and presentation, attached to the Sept. 9 agenda).
• The budget assumes flat enrollment and “No salary increases.” The presentation notes the labor contracts expired June 30, 2026 (Final Budget presentation, attached to the Sept. 9 agenda).
• College allocations range from $167.1 million for East Los Angeles College to $36.6 million for Los Angeles Southwest College (Final Budget presentation, attached to the Sept. 9 agenda).

Students. LACCD’s January 2026 fact sheet says the nine colleges enroll “nearly 200,000” students a year (LACCD fact sheet). In 2024-25 they awarded more than 44,300 degrees and certificates, including more than 5,600 transfer degrees, and gave out $334 million in financial aid. About half of students report incomes near or below the poverty line. In 2024-25, 58.2% of students were Hispanic, 18.9% white, 8.0% African American and 5.6% Asian (LACCD fact sheet).

Bonds. Voters have approved five construction bonds: Prop A (2001), Prop AA (2003), Measure J (2008), Measure CC (2016) and Measure LA (2022). KPMG’s audit for the year ending June 30, 2025 counts $14.3 billion authorized and $6.79 billion spent, with about $7.9 billion left. Of what is left, $5.3 billion is Measure LA money (KPMG performance audit, Feb. 19, 2026). KPMG found no significant control deficiencies and no significant charges that broke bond rules. It made six low-priority recommendations, such as requiring sign-off on schedule reports and tracking contractor delays (KPMG performance audit). Measure LA passed in November 2022 with 62.3% of the vote (LA County results). The board votes to issue bonds. On October 8, 2025 it approved Measure CC bonds, Series F (minutes).

Audits. The outside audit of the district’s 2024-25 finances received an “unmodified” opinion. That means the auditor found the statements fair in all material respects (minutes). The board accepted it on February 18, 2026 (minutes). The bond financial audits for 2022-23 through 2024-25 also received unmodified opinions (March 4, 2026 minutes).

Accreditation. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accredits the colleges. None of the nine appears in the ACCJC lists of actions on institutions from January 2025 through June 2026 (ACCJC).

Student housing. The district planned to spend up to $150 million in Measure LA money on 800 to 1,600 student beds at Los Angeles City College and Pierce College, the LA Times reported (LA Times, Sept. 4, 2026). On September 2, 2026 it canceled the bidding and said it will run a new competition (LA Times, Sept. 4, 2026). In March 2026 the board adopted a resolution giving current and former foster youth priority in district student housing (March 4, 2026 minutes).

Leadership. The board named Alberto J. Román chancellor in May 2025 on a contract of about three years paying $440,000 a year, the LA Times reported (LA Times, May 8, 2025). The previous chancellor, Francisco Rodriguez, left in 2024 (LA Times, May 8, 2025).

How the seat is filled. No LACCD race was on the June 2, 2026 primary ballot (LA County results). LACCD trustees are elected only in November, with no primary and no runoff: “the person who gets the most votes in each seat wins,” as the LA Times described the 2024 race (LA Times). State law lets a district board move its elections to the statewide general election date (Elections Code 1302), and a plurality elects (Elections Code 15452). So every qualified candidate for the seat is on the November 3 ballot, and the winner may have well under half the votes. Candidates pick which seat to run for, and every voter in the district votes on every seat on the ballot.

Records

Gabriel Buelna

Time on the board. The LA Times editorial board endorsed Buelna in 2017 when he challenged Seat 6 incumbent Nancy Pearlman (LA Times, Feb. 13, 2017). Pearlman’s board service ended in 2017 (LA Times, 2024). He won re-election in November 2022 with 680,011 votes (73.1%) over Robert Payne (LA County results).

Votes and actions, August 2025 to July 2026 (from board minutes):

• Federal agents on campus. He co-sponsored and moved an August 6, 2025 resolution. It asks the federal government for a “constitutionally sound” process for treating immigrants near LACCD campuses and asks all law enforcement officers near campuses to wear visible identification. It passed 6-0 (minutes).
• Board leadership. On December 17, 2025 he and Nichelle Henderson cast the only votes against each 2026 officer choice: Sara Hernandez as president, Andra Hoffman as vice president, creating a second vice president post, and Steve Veres for that post. Each passed 5-2 (minutes). At the same meeting he abstained on reappointing a Personnel Commissioner, which passed.
• Personnel. On January 14, 2026 he cast the only no vote on suspending a classified employee, which passed 4-1 (minutes). On September 10, 2025 he abstained on a settlement with a district employee that passed 4-0 (minutes).
• Software contract. On February 4, 2026 he voted against tabling the cancellation of a planned Oracle contract to replace the district’s business software (the motion to table failed 3-3). He then moved the cancellation, which passed 5-1 (minutes).
• Bonds and budget. He moved the April 8, 2026 resolution to refinance general obligation bonds, which carried (minutes). He voted yes on the 2025-26 Final Budget on September 10, 2025 (Sept. 10, 2025 minutes). In 2022 he backed the Measure LA bond: “Measure LA will upgrade our academic and athletic facilities” (LA Times, 2022).
• Classes in other languages. He reports to the board for its Ad Hoc Committee to Advance In-Language Instruction (Oct. 8, 2025 minutes). In 2022 he proposed offering classes in multiple languages (LA Times, 2022).

Chancellor. When the board made Alberto J. Román permanent chancellor in May 2025, Buelna said in a statement that Román was taking over “at a time of intense national pressure” (LA Times, May 8, 2025).

Ethics and lawsuits. He is a lawyer; his State Bar history shows only his 2021 admission, with no discipline or administrative actions (State Bar profile). No FPPC enforcement case or FEC matter names him (FPPC case search; FEC legal search). Searched Sept. 30, 2026.

Randall Winston

Career. Winston’s campaign says he is the City’s Deputy Mayor of Infrastructure and Climate Resilience and helped develop the City’s first Capital Infrastructure Plan (issues page). His Form 460 lists him as Deputy Mayor, City of Los Angeles (Form 460). The campaign says he was executive director of the California Strategic Growth Council under Gov. Jerry Brown and directed more than $1.3 billion in investments for affordable housing and community revitalization, including workforce partnerships with community colleges. It also says he is a Judge Advocate in the California Army National Guard (issues page). These are the campaign’s own claims. We did not find an official City or state page confirming his titles and dates.

Record. He has not held elected office and no prior race was found.

Ethics and lawsuits. He is a lawyer; his State Bar profile, listing the Mayor’s office as his address, shows only his 2021 admission, with no discipline or administrative actions (State Bar profile). No public enforcement actions were found in FPPC, City Ethics Commission or FEC records (FPPC case search; City Ethics enforcement orders; FEC legal search). Searched Sept. 30, 2026.

Tonia Arey

Career. Arey is a Realtor in Calabasas and says she has held no political office (Daily News questionnaire).

Races. In the June 2, 2026 primary for County Supervisor, District 3 she placed second of four with 16.3%. Incumbent Lindsey P. Horvath won with 66.4% (LA County results; LA Times guide).

Record. She says she has held no political office (Daily News questionnaire).

Ethics and lawsuits. No public enforcement actions were found in FPPC or FEC records, and she is not a State Bar licensee (FPPC case search; FEC legal search; State Bar search). Searched Sept. 30, 2026.

Roberto David LaCarra

Career. LaCarra lists himself as a community college professor living in North Hollywood (questionnaire).

Races. In the June 2, 2026 primary for State Senate District 20 he placed third of three with 10.1%. Incumbent Caroline Menjivar (62.0%) and Republican Tony Rodriguez (27.8%) advanced (Statement of Vote).

Record. He told the questionnaire he had held no other political position (questionnaire).

Ethics and lawsuits. No public enforcement actions were found in FPPC or FEC records, and he is not a State Bar licensee (FPPC case search; FEC legal search; State Bar search). Searched Sept. 30, 2026.

Where they stand

Issues come from the questions the LA Times asked LACCD candidates in 2022 and 2024 (enrollment, the budget, students’ basic needs, online classes and the bond) (LA Times, 2022; LA Times, 2024) and from the district’s current business: student housing and bond oversight. No 2026 media questionnaire for this race was found. Winston’s positions are from his campaign issues page and Buelna’s from his 2022 LA Times answers and board record. Buelna’s campaign site could not be read (it blocks automated access). Arey and LaCarra made no LACCD statements that we found.

On the other ballot measures

LACCD voters also decide 14 state propositions and County Measures A and E. Voters inside the City of Los Angeles also see City measures FD, TE, LA, PL, EE, PRK, PRT and SC. The LACCD board placed no measure on this ballot (County measures list). No statement by any Seat 6 candidate on these November measures was found. In her June Supervisor race, Arey opposed the County’s June 2 half-cent health care sales tax measure (Daily News questionnaire). That measure is not on the November ballot.

Endorsements

No newspaper editorial board endorsement in this race was found as of September 30, 2026. The LA Times editorial board endorsed Buelna in 2017 (LA Times).

Randall Winston

From his campaign endorsements page, checked September 30, 2026:

• Party: Los Angeles County Democratic Party (campaign list).
• Unions: LA County Federation of Labor; AFT College Faculty Guild Local 1521; AFT Staff Guild Local 1521A; SEIU Local 721; IBEW Local 11; SMART Local 105; UTLA (campaign list).
• Organizations: Asian Democrats of LA County; Westside Young Democrats; East Area Progressive Democrats; West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club; LA League of Conservation Voters (campaign list).
• LACCD trustees: Andra Hoffman, Steve Veres and David Vela (campaign list).
• Elected officials: Mayor Karen Bass; Supervisor Hilda Solis; former Gov. Jerry Brown; state Sen. Henry Stern; Assemblymembers Mike Fong, Rick Chavez Zbur, Jessica Caloza, Tina McKinnor and Al Muratsuchi; City Councilmembers Curren Price, Heather Hutt and Hugo Soto-Martinez; LAUSD Board President Scott Schmerelson (campaign list).

Gabriel Buelna

No endorsement list could be read. His campaign site has an “Endorsers & Supporters 2026” page (archived site menu), but the site blocks automated access and no archived copy of that page could be opened on September 30. The AFT Staff Guild Local 1521-A, which is on Winston’s endorsement list (Winston list), gave Buelna’s campaign $10,000 on September 3, 2026 (Buelna Form 460). The Staff Guild’s own report shows $10,000 each to Buelna and Winston, both dated September 3 (AFT Staff Guild Form 460).

Tonia Arey

No endorsements found for this race.

Roberto David LaCarra

No endorsements found for this race.

Polls

No public polls of this race were found.

Money

LACCD candidates file with the LA County Registrar on NetFile. A candidate who files a Form 470 states that they expect to raise and spend less than $2,000 in the year and files no itemized reports (FPPC Form 470).

Sources: Form 460s for Buelna (Jan-Jun 2025; Jul-Dec 2025; Jan-Jun 2026; Jul-Sep 2026) and Winston (2025; Jan-Jun 2026; Jul-Sep 2026) and Winston’s Form 497 late reports (Sep 24 late report; Sep 28 late report), plus Arey’s Form 470. Winston’s $2,512.41 counts one donor’s $1,000 (dated September 22) once; it is listed on both the September 24 and September 28 reports. Spending figures are the calendar-year totals on the summary pages. Buelna’s largest payment from July 1 to September 19 was $108,000 to the LA County Registrar-Recorder, which he coded as a candidate filing or ballot fee (Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460). LaCarra filed a Form 501 statement of intention for Seat 6 on July 31, 2026 (Form 501). No Form 470 or 460 from him for this race was found as of September 29 (County NetFile portal).

Who is giving

Method: every itemized contribution on each committee’s Form 460s from January 1, 2025 to September 19, 2026, plus Form 497 late reports through September 28. A donor is a name plus ZIP code. ZIP codes are assigned to the City of LA when at least half the ZIP’s area is inside the City, and to the rest of LA County by Census ZIP-to-county data. Industry comes from the employer and occupation each donor listed. Data: LA County NetFile.

Source: itemized contributions on Buelna’s Form 460s (Jan-Jun 2025; Jul-Dec 2025; Jan-Jun 2026; Jul-Sep 2026) and Winston’s Form 460s (2025; Jan-Jun 2026; Jul-Sep 2026) and late reports (Sep 24 late report; Sep 28 late report). Winston’s figures count the $1,000 gift listed on both late reports once (see above).

Gabriel Buelna.

• Unions. Unions gave nearly a quarter of his itemized money. The largest were the AFT College Staff Guild Local 1521-A ($10,000), the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 ($7,500), UA Local 250 and the Painters union’s IUPAT committee ($5,000 each), and Laborers Local 300, the Southern California District Council of Laborers, Plumbers Local 761 and UFCW Local 770 ($2,500 each) (Jan-Jun 2026 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).
• Other large donors. The Latino Chamber of Greater Los Angeles gave $10,000. The law firm McNicholas & McNicholas gave $7,000 and the Good Governance PAC gave $5,000. Two individuals gave $7,000 and $5,000. Several law firms gave $200 to $1,000 each (Jan-Jun 2026 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).
• District employees. 29 donors who list LACCD or one of its colleges as employer gave $9,200 (5.4%). Six of them gave on August 2-4, 2026 ($1,300 total) (Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).
• Loans. His wife, Pilar Buelna (LACCD board biography), lent the campaign $35,000 (Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).
• Real estate. Real estate and property donors gave about $1,800 (1.1%) (Jul-Dec 2025 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).

Randall Winston.

• Largest donors. Two individuals and the AFT College Staff Guild Local 1521-A gave $10,000 each. Three individuals gave $5,000 each (Jan-Jun 2026 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).
• Industries. Lobbying, public affairs and political consulting is his largest industry, at 28.8% of itemized dollars from 41 donors. State and local government employees gave 3.6%. Real estate and development gave about $5,250 (4.5%) (Jan-Jun 2026 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460; Sep 24 late report; Sep 28 late report).
• Geography. More than half his money (54.0%) came from California donors outside LA County, largely Sacramento and the Bay Area. Only 4.5% came from LA County outside the City (Jan-Jun 2026 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).
• Same-employer timing. No group of four or more donors from one employer gave within three days.
• Data note. One donor appears twice under two spellings ($1,047.43 each) (Jan-Jun 2026 Form 460; Jul-Sep 2026 Form 460).

Tonia Arey and Roberto David LaCarra. Arey filed a Form 470 and LaCarra filed only a Form 501, so no donor-level data exists.

Outside spending

No independent expenditure report (Form 496) naming a Seat 6 candidate was filed with the County as of September 29, 2026 (County NetFile portal).

One committee formed to support three LACCD candidates is spending for Winston. The Coalition for LA Community College Reform to Support Veres, Harris, and Winston, sponsored by the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild, AFT Local 1521, registered on September 2, 2026 (Form 410).

• Money in: $250,000 on September 14 from the Los Angeles College Faculty Guild COPE (Form 460).
• For Winston: $141,166.67 on September 18. It paid $137,500 to five slate mailer organizations: Budget Watchdogs Newsletter ($34,732), Voter Newsletter ($34,124), Election Digest ($28,875), Senior Advocate ($26,863) and CAL Voter ($12,906). It paid another $3,666.67 to Tzunu Strategies for consulting (Coalition Form 460). The committee reported these as contributions to Winston’s campaign (late report). Winston’s Form 460 for the period ending September 19 lists no nonmonetary contributions (Winston Form 460).
• Other spending: $3,666.67 for Steve Veres (Seat 2) and $3,666.66 for Darryn Harris (Seat 4). Nothing was spent for or against Buelna. It had $101,675.18 left on September 19 (Coalition Form 460).
• Who funds it: the Faculty Guild COPE reported all of its 2025-26 receipts as unitemized contributions under $100: $217,866 in July-December 2025 and $53,856 in January-April 2026 (Jul-Dec 2025 Form 460; Jan-Apr 2026 Form 460). Winston’s own campaign reported giving the coalition $30,000 on September 28 (Winston Sep 28 late report).

Key moments

Debates and forums. No candidate debate or forum for Seat 6 was found.

Party and faculty union back the challenger (2026). Winston lists endorsements from the LA County Democratic Party, the faculty and staff guilds, Mayor Karen Bass and three of Buelna’s board colleagues: Andra Hoffman, Steve Veres and David Vela (campaign site). The faculty union’s committee registered in September to support Winston and did not name Buelna (Form 410). The same colleagues elected the 2026 board officers over Buelna’s no votes in December 2025 (minutes). No public comment from Buelna on the endorsements was found.

Housing bid canceled (September 2026). The board was set to vote September 2 on starting talks with CTI Housing to build student housing at City College and Pierce (LA Times, Sept. 4, 2026). The district canceled that meeting (Sept. 2 agenda), then canceled the bidding (LA Times, Sept. 4, 2026). No comment from Buelna or Winston was found.