Ripon Unified   — in conjunction with the League of Women Voters — is conducting an informational workshop for potential candidates seeking to run Nov. 8 in the district’s first ever “area only” voting.

“It is also for anyone interested in the election but not running as this will be the first time that people will not be voting for all trustees and will (instead) vote only by district.” noted Ripon Unified Superintendent Ziggy Roberson.

That means voters within a specific trustee area will only be able to vote for candidates seeking that trustee seat. Up until this year, everyone in Ripon Unified could vote for board members in any trustee area regardless of where the voter lived.

The informational workshop takes place Tuesday, June 28, at the Ripon Pubic Library, 333 W. Main St. Ripon, starting at 6 p.m.

The seats that will be filled in the November election are Area 4 now represented by Mike Fisher and Area 5 currently represented by Christina Orlando.

Area 4 consists of everything south of West Ripon Road to Highland Avenue. The boundary then is along Highland Avenue and swings east along Fourth Street until it reaches Robert Avenue. Everything west of Robert Avenue to the San Joaquin River is in Area 4.

Area 5 consists of areas north of Santos Avenue to Carlhorn Street where it jogs north. Then as it heads west it is north of Cindy and then west of Fulton Avenue and then Van Anadel. Then it swings west for everything north of Colony until it goes to the northwest using Highway 99 as the western border. It also takes in the Spring Creek neighborhood and the rest of homes within the Ripon city limits that are west of Manley Road as well as rural Ripon that is east of Murphy Road and south of Santos Avenue.

Detailed trustee maps can be found on the Ripon Unified website.

The workshop will cover:

uThe history of the redrawing of trustee districts.

uThe non-partisan role the League of women’s Voters plays in promoting civic participation.

uWhat brought about area only election of trustees.

uA review of the trustee maps.

uA discussion of the school board candidate’s handbook created by the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters/Elections Office.

uThe process as well as the timeline involved with becoming a school board candidate.

For more information contact the district office at 209.599.2131.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com