Campaign consultants tell Buena Park trustees Measure M passed with 67.54% after targeted outreach

Joy Coomer, a principal at TeamCivics, told the Buena Park School District Board of Trustees that Measure M received 67.54% yes votes and passed by 5,318 votes.

The consultant gave trustees a post-election analysis Tuesday night showing the bond exceeded the 55% supermajority threshold the measure required. “Measure M received 67.54% yes,” Coomer said, adding that 15,162 ballots were cast in the district’s contest and the margin of victory was 5,318 votes.

Why it matters: the presentation mapped turnout patterns by age, party and voting method and identified campaign tactics that the consultant and trustees credited for the margin of victory. The district’s success on the bond will allow the board and district staff to begin planning projects funded by the measure.

TeamCivics’ review noted a higher-than-normal ballot drop-off: about 16% of the district’s eligible voters cast ballots but skipped the Measure M line on the ballot. Coomer said that type of drop-off has been seen statewide and was one reason the campaign focused on direct contact. She said the campaign knocked on more than 4,400 doors, delivered three persuasion mail pieces and a get-out-the-vote mailer, and sent roughly 88,000 text messages in three waves.

“Walking, we had an incredible door to door program,” Coomer said, calling neighborhood canvassing a major contributor to the final result. She also summarized results from three pre-election ballot tests (initial, interim and final), noting an initial ballot test showed 67% support that tracked closely with the actual outcome.

Trustees and the superintendent asked clarifying questions about turnout and campaign operations. Board members noted broad community engagement — including volunteers, site principals and unions — and thanked TeamCivics and campaign volunteers for their work.

The presentation also pointed to demographic patterns: older voters turned out at the highest rates and represented a large share of ballots, while younger registered voters had lower turnout — a pattern Coomer said is typical across California and a reminder for future outreach strategies.

What trustees said: Board members praised volunteers and district staff for outreach. Trustee comments emphasized the role of school events and visible projects from prior bonds in persuading voters to support the measure.

Next steps: the board did not take an additional formal action on Measure M during the meeting; the presentation was intended to inform implementation planning and community communications as the district moves toward spending and project delivery phases.