Chula Vista School District Withdraws Polling Places, Sweetwater Steps Up

Chula Vista Elementary School District cites graduation conflicts, but neighboring district offers to host voting centers.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Chula Vista Elementary School District has notified the San Diego County Registrar of Voters that it will need to remove 10 polling places located on its school campuses for the upcoming June primary election due to scheduled sixth-grade graduation events. However, the neighboring Sweetwater Union High School District has offered to step in and make its facilities available as voting centers to help make up for the lost polling locations.

Why it matters

The withdrawal of polling places from the Chula Vista Elementary School District campuses could create challenges for the nearly 8,000 voters who used those locations in the 2024 election. Ensuring adequate and accessible polling places is crucial for maintaining high voter turnout and participation in the democratic process, especially in local elections.

The details

The Chula Vista Elementary School District says the polling place conflicts are due to scheduled sixth-grade graduation rehearsals and ceremonies. However, the neighboring Sweetwater Union High School District, which has 33,000 students, has offered to make its school facilities available as voting centers to help address the shortage. Sweetwater officials say their campuses have more amenities like libraries, gyms, and theaters that can accommodate voters, compared to the elementary school multipurpose rooms.

  • The June 2 primary election is the upcoming election affected by the polling place changes.
  • In the November 2024 election, 10 of the 20 vote centers within the Chula Vista Elementary School District boundaries were located on school campuses.
  • For the June 2022 election, 8 school polling locations in the Chula Vista district had 1,201 voters.

The players

Chula Vista Elementary School District

A school district in Chula Vista, California that is withdrawing 10 polling places located on its campuses due to scheduled graduation events.

Sweetwater Union High School District

A neighboring school district in Chula Vista that has offered to make its facilities available as voting centers to help address the polling place shortage caused by the Chula Vista Elementary School District's withdrawal.

San Diego County Registrar of Voters

The office responsible for administering elections in San Diego County, including securing polling locations.

Moisés G. Aguirre

Superintendent of the Sweetwater Union High School District, who has told the registrar that the district will make its schools available to voters.

Antonia Hutzell

A spokesperson for the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office.

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What they’re saying

“Clearly, the importance of making space available for voting is fundamental to democracy.”

— Moisés G. Aguirre, Superintendent, Sweetwater Union High School District (Times of San Diego)

“We have more amenities than the elementary district. They might have a multipurpose room, like a cafeteria, but our students are older. We have libraries, gyms and theaters we can provide. We just have more options.”

— Moisés G. Aguirre, Superintendent, Sweetwater Union High School District (Times of San Diego)

What’s next

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters is still finalizing the list of 200 vote centers needed for the June primary election, and will begin recruitment for the November general election immediately after the June vote.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the importance of school districts and election officials working collaboratively to ensure adequate and accessible polling places, even when conflicts arise. The Sweetwater Union High School District's willingness to step up and offer its facilities is a positive example of how neighboring districts can come together to support the democratic process.