The Kern County Elections Office has verified that 108 ballots were mistakenly assigned to voters who were not eligible to participate in the Greenfield Union School District Trustee Area C election.

According to the Greenfield Union School District (GFUSD), this error is significant because the election results were very close. Only eight votes separated the candidates for the GFUSD board race. 

After Kern County Elections released the final ballot results last week, it shows incumbent Ricardo Herrera and challenger Macy Pena has an eight vote difference for the GFUSD Trustee Area C race. Pena with 50.2% of the votes and Herrera with 49.8% of the votes. 

Because of this error, the Greenfield Union School District filed a petition for a Writ of Mandate on December 4, 2024, with the Kern County Superior Court. This legal action seeks to address the mistake and ensure the integrity of the election process. 

“While the district takes no position on the outcome of the election, we are deeply committed to preserving the integrity of the process. In today’s climate, where trust in free and fair elections is a national concern, we must uphold the highest standards of electoral accuracy and fairness,” GFUSD said in a public statement. 

The matter of the error now awaits action by the court, which will likely determine what steps should be taken to resolve the issue. 

GFUSD said their focus remains on serving their students, families, and staff while continuing to deliver quality educational opportunities.