The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

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The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

Kate Parker wins Board of Trustees District 7 seat

From+left%2C+Jesus+Campos+speaks+with+Kate+Parker+at+Viva+Modern+Mexican+on+Tuesday%2C+Nov.+6%2C+in+Santa+Barbara%2C+Calif.+Parker%2C+who+was+competing+for+a+seat+against+Daniel+Seymour+and+Laurie+Punches+as+the+District+7+Santa+Barbara+representative%2C+won+by+62+percent+of+the+vote.
Alejandro Gonzalez Valle
From left, Jesus Campos speaks with Kate Parker at Viva Modern Mexican on Tuesday, Nov. 6, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Parker, who was competing for a seat against Daniel Seymour and Laurie Punches as the District 7 Santa Barbara representative, won by 62 percent of the vote.

Kate Parker got herself a place on the Board of Trustees with 62 percent of the vote representing District 7 for City College on election night Nov. 6.

Parker won the election by 62 percent. Daniel Seymour came in second at 19 percent and Laurie Punches last at 17 percent.

Parker and her party celebrated her win at Viva Mexican restaurant in La Arcada Court on State Street. The party was packed with supporters celebrating the win alongside her.

As a librarian and a member of the Santa Barbara Unified School District for the last 12 years, Parker was close to student issues and said she ran to help solve the student housing crisis. She also said she is interested in working on the Facilities Master Plan at City College.

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“My first priority as a member of the board is to set office hours in the East Side Cafeteria so that students drop by to get a connection,” Parker said.

The other candidates Daniel Seymour and Laurie Punches did not attend any parties. Both candidates were not available for comment the night of the election.

Seymour, an economist himself, said during his campaign that he would have liked to work on better budgeting practices and wanted to utilize the new California funding formula.

Punches, a mother, grandmother and entrepreneur, said she wanted to put more balance with hiring teachers that are open minded.

One of the first things Parker will do is celebrate the win with her family.

“I got my daughter at home,” she said. “So when I get home I’ll give her a big hug.”

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