Question 1

Trustee Conley says a recall election will cost the school district $1 Million.  Is this true?

Accepted Answer

No, it is misleading.

This recall campaign is timed to align with the June 2, 2026 California Primary Election.(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026)  According to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters, the cost of a consolidated special election is estimated at $163,787, not $1 million.

Trustee Conley’s figure assumes this recall will require a stand-alone special election — which is not our goal.

And if Trustee Conley chooses to resign rather than face recall, the cost to the district would be $0.

Question 2

Isn’t $163,787 still a lot of money?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is.  But what's the cost of no accountability?

This recall is not about a single bad vote — it’s about a long, repeated pattern of wasteful spending, poor judgment, and disregard for public input. Holding elected officials accountable is never free — but the cost of poor leadership is far greater.

Also, consider that Trustee Conley will vote on tens of millions in school district spending before her term ends. Based on her track record, can we afford to trust her with those decisions?

Question 3

Doesn’t Trustee Conley’s term end in December 2026?  What’s the point of recalling her with 6 months left on her term?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Trustee Conley’s term ends in December 2026.  However, between June and December, the MVWSD Board will vote on tens of millions of dollars of school district spending.  As an example:  the Board recently voted through a $53.5 Million dollar land purchase in a single meeting, while providing only 24 hours of notice to the public, during summer break —  while also disabling public comments over Zoom. This kind of rushed, opaque decision-making has become a hallmark of the leadership culture during Conley’s tenure as Board President. We cannot afford to let that continue — not even for 6 more months.

Additionally:  accountability matters, regardless of timing.

Question 4

Why are you singling out Trustee Conley?  Weren’t other Trustees also responsible for poor fiscal oversight?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for sure, former Trustees Laura Blakely and Laura Berman also voted in support of and defended millions of dollars of wasteful expenditures.  Both of them have retired from the School Board, so there is no current opportunity to hold them accountable.  Trustee Bill Lambert (current Board President) also made some bad votes, and a case could be made that he is responsible as well.  However, we believe Conley bears greater responsibility since she was Board President in 2024 (when many of the wasteful expenses occurred), she set the board direction and agendas, she prematurely renewed Rudolph’s contract, and she dismissed and ignored public concerns in a way that Lambert did not.

Question 5

How many signatures are needed to qualify for the ballot?

Accepted Answer

To get the recall added to the ballot and go to election, we need signatures from 20% of the MVWSD electorate.  This equals 7,399 signatures.  We will need some safety margin above this, so 8,000 is the target.

Question 6

Isn't it a lot of effort to get 8,000 signatures?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but we're ready.

We've got a strong core grassroots team of dedicated volunteers, ready to pound the pavement!   But we could always use more help - even a few hours can make a difference.  Click here to volunteer! (https://recalldevonconley.org/get-involved)

Question 7

What do you use donations for?

Accepted Answer

Donations go toward:
   -  Website development
   -  Petition printing
   -  Yard signs, posters, flyers
   -  Digital and print outreach
   -  Professional signature gatherers (if we raise enough)

Question 8

Are donations tax-deductible?

Accepted Answer

No, since this is a political campaign effort, donations are not tax-deductible.

Question 9

If I sign the petition, is my signature made public?

Accepted Answer

No.  In California, petition signatures are not published publicly, and they are not available to the public even with a public records request.  All signatures will be kept confidential.

Question 10

If Trustee Conley is recalled, will they need to replace her?

Accepted Answer

TBD.  In many cases, a replacement trustee is appointed by the remaining Board members.

Question 11

Who is behind this campaign?

Accepted Answer

We are a group of parents, PTA members, taxpayers, and community advocates who believe our schools deserve better leadership. Trustee Conley’s record has caused real harm — to public trust, to district finances, and ultimately to students.

This campaign was initiated by 42 Mountain View residents who signed the original notice of intent.(https://www.mv-voice.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Notice-of-Intention.pdf) Many of us are active in the schools. We believe accountability is not optional — it’s essential to good governance.

If you agree, we invite you to join us.(https://recalldevonconley.org/get-involved)