A Mountain View councilwoman who was accused of having a tow truck driver arrested for towing her car has filed papers to run for school board.
Councilwoman Ellen Kamei is running to represent an area between Central Expressway and Highway 101 in the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District.
Kamei works as a spokeswoman for the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District. She was mayor in 2021 and 2025 and is reaching the end of her two-term limit on council.
Kamei is the only candidate to run in her area ahead of an Aug. 12 deadline.
This will be the school district’s first election where voters are divided into five areas, with a board member elected from each one, rather than having the entire district elect the full board.
Incumbents Thida Cornes and Catherine Vonnegut are running against former board member Sanjay Dave in another area of southern Mountain View, and engineer Nir Paz is running unopposed in the northeast part of the city, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.
Kamei was accused by tow truck driver Felix Salcido of using her power and influence on council to have him arrested for making tows without written authorization — a felony charge that was later dropped.
Kamei was allegedly “infuriated” when she picked up the car at the tow yard on April 12, 2023, Salcido said in a lawsuit against the city.
“Call the captain,” her husband allegedly said.
Kamei declined an interview on the towing dispute.
Judge Nathanael Cousins sided with Kamei and the city on Nov. 14, saying that Salcido didn’t show that Kamei’s actions led to his arrest.
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