Piedmont voters elected two City Council and three Board of Education members in the Nov. 3 election, according to the City of Piedmont website. They also approved Measure UU, but failed to pass Measure TT.

Incumbent Jen Cavenaugh and new member Conna McCarthy have been elected for City Council, while incumbent Cory Smegal and newcomers Veronica Anderson-Thigpen and Hilary Cooper have been chosen for the Board of Education. Both races were determined by rank-choice voting, in which voters selected their top two or three candidates, for City Council and the Board of Education, respectively.

“I am honored to be given the opportunity to serve Piedmonters on the City Council for four more years,” Cavenaugh said. “Critical to our success as a city is the engagement of residents in the everyday decisions that affect us all.”

Smegal, who was re-elected to the Board of Education, said her first priority in this term will be to improve communication between Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) and the community.

“We need to help everyone understand where we are as a district and our plans for moving forward,” Smegal said.

Measure UU, the bond measure which would provide funding for the construction of a new city pool, was approved by Piedmont residents.

“This is an incredible opportunity,” Cavenaugh said. “As kids and families will be primary users, I hope Piedmont students will be actively involved in the process [of developing plans for the pool].”

Cavenaugh said that community input will help the city construct a safe, sustainable, and affordable facility.

McCarthy was elected along with Cavenaugh and filled a vacant seat on City Council. As a first time candidate, McCarthy said COVID-19 presented special challenges to her campaigning process.

“I wasn’t able to stand in front of Mulberry’s and introduce myself to voters,” McCarthy said. “I wasn’t able to stand at casual carpool corners in the mornings and introduce myself, [or] attend neighborhood forums of any kind.”

Despite these challenges, McCarthy said she found ways to make herself known to voters and is appreciative of the Piedmont community for granting her their votes.

“I spent endless hours calling voters seeking endorsements,” McCarthy said.

Even though she placed nearly 250 signs throughout Piedmont and sent a postcard to every household in town, McCarthy said her past records contributed more to her win than her campaign.

“I had the support of my community because I had 25 years of involvement as a volunteer leader in a wide variety of issues,” McCarthy said. “People remembered me and honored me with their vote.”

Unlike the pool measure, Measure TT, which would have increased the existing real property conveyance tax in Piedmont, did not pass.