The four Republican candidates for the Guilford County Board of Education ran as a team in the Nov. 8 election, and half the “New Vision, New Direction” team won.
The Republicans held on to the Republican seats but didn’t make any inroads into the Democratic majority on the school board.
In the at-arge Guilford County Board of Education race Democrat Alan Sherouse, with an unofficial count of 100,277 votes for 55 percent, handily defeated Republican Demetria Carter with 81,946 votes for 45 percent. Sherouse will replace Democrat At-large Guilford County Board of Education member Winston McGregor, who did not run for reelection and currently serves as vice chair of the school board.
In the District 2 school board race Republican Crissy Pratt, with 13,660 votes for 58.5 percent, easily defeated Democrat Amanda Cook, who had 9,683 votes for 41.5 percent. Prattt will replace Republican District 2 Board of Education member Anita Sharpe, who didn’t run for reelection.
Republican District 4 Board of Education member Linda Welborn won another four years on the school board with 14,306 votes for 52 percent over Democrat Deon Clark who had 13,193 votes for 48 percent.
Democrat District 6 Board of Education member Khem Irby also won another four-year term on the school board with 13,015 votes for 52.5 percent over Republican Tim Andrew who had 11,781 votes for 47.5 percent.
District 8 Board of Education member and Chair of the board Deena Hayes-Greene did not have an opponent and won with 100 percent of the vote.
So, at the end of the night, the Republican incumbent and the Democrat incumbents won and the open seat held by a Democrat will be replaced with a Democrat and the open seat held by a Republican will be replaced with a Republican.
However, the Nov. 8 election did create and open unfilled seat on the Guilford County Board of Education. District 3 school board member Pat Tillman won election to the District 3 seat on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners and his seat on the school board will have to be filled. Tillman was reelected to the school board in 2020, so there are two years remaining in his term.
Not good for the students or taxpayers in Guilford County.
So sorry Ms. Carter didn’t win. I was really excited to see how she could help on this Board.