School Board Elections Orange County

Conservative Christian candidates appeared to be failing Tuesday in bids to attain majorities on school boards ranging from Fullerton in northern Orange County to San Juan Capistrano and surrounding areas in the south. Based on early returns, the so-called "Christian right" was taking its biggest hit in the Capistrano Unified School District, with moderates holding commanding leads in races for four seats. Incumbent Peter J.

Sixteen school districts in Orange County are electing board members in Tuesday's election. Several districts did not have enough candidates to force an election. Here are profiles of more than 80 school board candidates--information for which was provided by the candidates to reporters for The Times or to the registrar of voters and has not been independently verified: ANAHEIM UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT Two Elected Frank G. Cozza Jr.

Seven candidates are running for three seats on the board of the Garden Grove Unified School District. Incumbent Joyce T. Johnson is not seeking another term.

Two contenders have staked their claims for an open seat on the Orange Unified School District Board of Education. William G. Vasquez, 51, a Santa Ana resident who is assistant city manager of Chino, and Terri Sargeant, 44, of Orange, a land-use planner for the county, are running for the seat being vacated by Max Reissmueller. Four trustees on the seven-member board, which has become one of the most politically controversial in the county, are up for election on Nov. 4.

Three candidates are vying for two open seats on the board of the La Habra City School District. A look at the district and the candidates: THE DISTRICT Area: La Habra, parts of Brea and Fullerton Enrollment: 5,686 Facilities: Three schools for kindergarten through second-grade, three schools for third- through fifth-grade, and two middle schools. Open seats: 2 THE CANDIDATES Morrison M.

For much of two decades Nativo V. Lopez has stumped hard and loud for the rights of immigrants, one month marching picket lines in Anaheim or Orange, the next rallying rent strikes or railing against housing or bank or police officials. As the national co-director of Hermandad Mexicana Nacional--National Mexican Brotherhood--the 46-year-old has dug deep under the skin of more than one politician. On Tuesday, this relentless Santa Ana outsider pulled up a chair at the establishment's table.

Two candidates are vying to complete the term of former school board Trustee Ventura Cornejo, who resigned in 1995. The board appointed Rick Gaede as an interim trustee, and he is now running to fill the two remaining years of the term, opposed by Dave Giese. Incumbents Donna McDougall and Donna Erickson have no opponent and will automatically be reelected to four-year terms.

This week's election of trustees for the Orange Unified School District followed a heated campaign in which incumbents Maureen Aschoff and Bill Lewis, who were reelected, ran on a platform advocating less government and union influence in schools. Factions within the school district are sharply at odds over such issues as teacher salaries, the expansion of the charter school concept and privatization of services.

Emotions flared this week on the Saddleback Valley Unified School District board as Trustee Frank L. Ury pressed colleague Dore J. Gilbert to identify conservative candidates whom Gilbert has described as "extremists." Ury, who does not face reelection, said Gilbert had made several references in news stories to candidates who were "intolerant" and harbored a religious-right agenda.

The political action committee of the South Orange County Chambers of Commerce has endorsed the four incumbents running for reelection to the boards of the Saddleback Valley Unified School and Capistrano Unified School districts. The incumbents are Dore J. Gilbert and Bobbee Cline in Saddleback Valley, and Annette B. Gude and Crystal Kochendorfer in Capistrano Unified. The school board endorsements are the first made by the organization in nearly a decade.

Although ballots were still being counted on election night, Denise Keller went to bed confident of victory in her first try for public office. Now Keller is biting her nails as she awaits the final result in her race for a seat on the Brea Olinda Unified School District board. And she's hoping for a tiny miracle. As absentee ballots were being counted this week, Keller was losing to nine-year incumbent Bernie P. Kilcoyne by five votes.

For much of two decades Nativo V. Lopez has stumped hard and loud for the rights of immigrants, one month marching picket lines in Anaheim or Orange, the next rallying rent strikes or railing against housing or bank or police officials. As the national co-director of Hermandad Mexicana Nacional--National Mexican Brotherhood--the 46-year-old has dug deep under the skin of more than one politician. On Tuesday, this relentless Santa Ana outsider pulled up a chair at the establishment's table.

In this city's financially battered school district, a new guard swept into power Wednesday, with final vote tallies favoring a pair of cost-conscious reformers who helped author a dump-the-debt proposal titled "101 Ways to Save $1 Million." Eileen T. Walsh, 46, a former Orange County finance director, and Steven Rabago, 41, owner of an investment and consulting firm, ousted incumbent Jan Vickers, 49, and also claimed the seat of Timothy D. Carlyle, 48, who chose not to run.

Key to Election Tables * An asterisk (*) denotes an incumbent candidate; a: dagger (**) denotes an appointed incumbent. * Elected candidates and approved measures--or those leading with 99% of precincts reporting--are in bold type. North Orange County Community College District 100% Precincts Reporting: Votes (%) Trustee Area 1 2 Elected Leonard L. Lahtinen *: 98,142 (40.5) Cynthia P. Coad *: 93,349 (38.6) J. Carolan Smyth: 50,645 (20.9) Trustee Area 3 Nancy C. Rice *: 100,524 (60.2) Craig H.

Conservative Christian candidates appeared to be failing Tuesday in bids to attain majorities on school boards ranging from Fullerton in northern Orange County to San Juan Capistrano and surrounding areas in the south. Based on early returns, the so-called "Christian right" was taking its biggest hit in the Capistrano Unified School District, with moderates holding commanding leads in races for four seats. Incumbent Peter J.

Eight candidates, including two incumbents, are campaigning for three open seats on the board of Tustin Unified School District. Incumbent Merlin L. Henry is not seeking reelection. A look at the district and the contenders: The District Boundaries: Tustin, unincorporated North Tustin, part of unincorporated Santa Ana, small areas of northwest Irvine and eastern Santa Ana. Enrollment: 14,337 in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Although ballots were still being counted on election night, Denise Keller went to bed confident of victory in her first try for public office. Now Keller is biting her nails as she awaits the final result in her race for a seat on the Brea Olinda Unified School District board. And she's hoping for a tiny miracle. As absentee ballots were being counted this week, Keller was losing to nine-year incumbent Bernie P. Kilcoyne by five votes.

Orange County's off-year elections Tuesday could be hotter than blazes--or colder than ice. In Irvine, where three city measures are on the ballot, the election may prove to be a showdown between longtime political foes. But the county's five school board contests have generated little excitement, if the low-key speeches and door-to-door campaigns of the past month are any indication.

Seven candidates, including three incumbents, are campaigning for three open seats on the board of Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

Cliff Berning is a rarity in modern politics. A candidate for a hotly contested school board race in Fullerton, he takes pride in calling himself an "onward soldier" of the Christian right. He favors school prayer--with a passion. He also believes in creationism, and though he teaches elementary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, he contends the story of Adam, Eve and Genesis ought to be taught in all public schools as the literal and indisputable start of human life.