Five candidates are competing for two seats on the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) Board of Education on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in a race that has drawn national media attention.

Board President Judy Manouchehri is the only incumbent on the ballot. Board Member Rachelle Marcus, who holds the other open seat, is not seeking reelection after two terms, according to the Beverly Press. The winners will serve four-year terms.

Challenging Manouchehri are teacher Jared Gonzales, attorney Jackie Kruger, paralegal Kim Lifschitz and attorney David Cienfuegos.

Who's running

Judy Manouchehri, 46, was elected in 2022 and has served as board president since December 2025, according to Patch. A BHUSD graduate and licensed attorney, she is the parent of three children in the district. She has pointed to reported gains in English, math and science scores during her term.

Jared Gonzales, 29, teaches seventh- and eighth-grade math at Yavneh Hebrew Academy in West Los Angeles and previously taught at Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy in Beverly Hills, according to Patch. He holds a master's degree in dispute resolution from USC's Gould School of Law. Gonzales has said BHUSD test scores lag 10 to 30 percent behind comparable nearby districts despite higher per-student spending.

Jackie Kruger is a second-generation Beverly Hills resident, attorney and Beverly Hills High School graduate with two children in BHUSD schools. She has made transparency and governance central to her campaign. Kruger was among parents who launched a recall effort in 2025 against Board Members Russell Stuart and Sigalie Sabag. That effort was dropped.

Kim Lifschitz, 39, is a paralegal and parent of a special education student at Horace Mann Elementary School, according to Patch. She has focused on district governance and returning attention to students.

David Cienfuegos is a trial attorney with more than 20 years of experience and the parent of three BHUSD students, according to Patch. He chaired Horace Mann Elementary's Principal's Advisory Council during the 2025-26 school year. His campaign has centered on academics and reducing what he considers unnecessary classroom technology use.

A contentious race

The campaign has been marked by sharp disputes. The Beverly Hills Courier reported that the race attracted coverage from The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post in its final weeks.

The New York Post reported that the contest has featured dueling restraining-order petitions and accusations of smear campaigns. Kruger obtained a temporary restraining order against Cienfuegos, according to the Post. He sought one against her son, but a judge denied that request.

The race has also touched on broader cultural disputes. The board voted in 2025 to display Israeli flags in schools as part of an antisemitism resolution; the superintendent later scrapped the plan, citing safety concerns, according to the Post. The board then adopted a flag policy that ended the display of rainbow flags during Pride Month.

How to vote

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, according to the Beverly Hills Standard. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by county election offices by Nov. 10, according to Patch's voter guide. Ballots deposited at drop boxes must arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Official results will be posted at results.lavote.gov. As of Monday, the LA County Registrar-Recorder listed the election night tally as in progress.