Voters in Carlsbad are getting a clearer picture of who could serve on the Carlsbad Unified School District Board of Trustees after Tuesday's election, with three candidates holding leads in the latest unofficial returns.

Incumbent Michele Tsutagawa Ward leads in Trustee Area 1, while Tracey Perrault is ahead of incumbent Gretchen Vurbeff in Area 4. Chris Waidelich also holds a lead over Joel Gutierrez in Area 5.

The latest reported figures, compiled by The Ballot Book, show Ward receiving 2,629 votes, Perrault receiving 2,821 and Waidelich receiving 2,234.

The races remain unofficial as the San Diego County Registrar of Voters continues counting ballots.

Ward holds a strong lead in Trustee Area 1

Ward, the current school board president, leads challenger Amber Martinez by a substantial margin.

Unofficial results show Ward with 2,629 votes, or 68.7%, compared with Martinez's 1,196 votes, or 31.3%.

Ward has served on the district's governing board, while Martinez, a real estate agent and longtime Carlsbad resident, campaigned on accountability and greater community involvement.

Martinez previously told The Coast News that she considers herself a political moderate and wanted to bring a different perspective to the board.

Perrault leads incumbent Vurbeff in Trustee Area 4

The race for Trustee Area 4 is closer, with Perrault leading Vurbeff by 384 votes in the reported tally.

Perrault has received 2,821 votes, or 53.7%, compared with 2,437 votes, or 46.3%, for Vurbeff.

Perrault, an associate principal and teacher, challenged Vurbeff, a sitting board member and educator.

During the campaign, Vurbeff pointed to her work on school policies, including stricter rules on student cellphone use, as an example of her accomplishments.

With a narrower margin than the other two races, the Area 4 contest remains one to watch as additional ballots are counted.

Waidelich leads Gutierrez in Trustee Area 5

Waidelich, an attorney and parent, holds the lead in Trustee Area 5 over Gutierrez, an airline pilot and parent.

Unofficial returns show Waidelich with 2,234 votes, or 56.6%, compared with Gutierrez's 1,714 votes, or 43.4%.

Gutierrez emphasized student funding and arts education during the campaign, while Waidelich was among the candidates receiving significant financial support from a labor-backed political committee.

The two candidates were competing for an open seat on the district's five-member board.

Campaign fundraising drew attention before Election Day

The three candidates currently leading their races — Ward, Perrault and Waidelich — also led in campaign fundraising.

According to an investigation published by The Coast News on Nov. 2, the six candidates raised a combined total of more than $125,000 through Oct. 17.

Ward, Perrault and Waidelich accounted for more than 82% of that amount, with each raising over $30,000.

The publication also reported that Carlsbad Families for Strong Schools, a political committee supported by labor and teachers union organizations, contributed between $18,336 and $19,705 to each of the three candidates.

Their opponents raised substantially less, making campaign financing a prominent issue in the final days before the election.

What the election means for Carlsbad schools

The three races will determine a majority of the seats on Carlsbad Unified's five-member governing board.

The board oversees district policies, budgets and decisions affecting students, teachers and families across Carlsbad.

With Ward seeking another term, Vurbeff facing a challenger and an open seat in Area 5, the election could bring changes to the board's membership and direction.

The outcome will matter to families following issues such as school funding, classroom policies, student safety and educational programs.

When will the results become official?

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters is continuing to process ballots from the November 3 election.

Although the latest figures show leads in all three contests, the results could change as additional eligible ballots are counted.

Election officials are expected to complete certification by early December.

Residents can follow updated vote totals through the county's official election website.