Amarillo Independent School District elections (2015)
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Three seats on the Amarillo Independent School District Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 9, 2015.
The at-large seats of incumbents Jim Austin, Anette Carlisle and Jack Thompson were up for election.[1] The only incumbent to file for re-election was Austin, and he faced three challengers: John Betancourt, Vianey Valdez Earthman and Scott Flow.[2]
Austin defeated Betancourt, Earthman and Flow for the at-large seat.[3]
About the district
Amarillo Independent School District is primarily located in Potter County, Texas, with parts of the district extending into Randall County. The county seat of Potter County is Amarillo. Potter County was home to an estimated 121,661 residents in 2013, according to the United States Census Bureau.[4] In the 2011-2012 school year, Amarillo Independent School District was the 39th-largest school district in Texas and served 32,995 students.[5]
Demographics
Potter County underperformed in comparison to the rest of Texas in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 15.6 percent of Potter County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 26.7 percent for Texas as a whole. The median household income in Potter County was $37,951 , compared to $51,900 for the state of Texas. The poverty rate in Potter County was 23.1 percent, compared to 17.6 percent for the entire state.[4]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Amarillo Board of Trustees consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Trustees are elected according to an at-large cumulative voting method. There was no primary election, and a general election took place on May 9, 2015. Three seats were on the ballot in May 2015.[7]
School board candidates submitted paperwork with the school district secretary by February 27, 2015. Each candidate must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter and a resident of the district for at least six months. Members filed two campaign finance reports with the district clerk prior to the election unless they did not receive or spend $500 during the campaign.[8]
Elections
2015
Candidates
At-large
Jim Austin 
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John Betancourt
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| Vianey Valdez Earthman | Scott Flow
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Election results
| Amarillo Independent School District, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Jim Austin Incumbent |
34.5% | 9,616 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Betancourt |
24.4% | 6,787 | |
| Nonpartisan | Scott Flow |
22.2% | 6,197 | |
| Nonpartisan | Vianey Valdez Earthman | 18.9% | 5,271 | |
| Total Votes | 27,871 | |||
| Source: NewsChannel10.com, "Election Results," accessed May 9, 2015 These election results are not official and will be updated when certified results are available. You can submit certified results by contacting us. | ||||
Endorsements
Scott Flow was endorsed by outgoing Amarillo board member Jack Thompson.[9]
Campaign finance
No contributions or expenditures were reported as of April 9, 2015, according to the Texas Ethics Commission.[10] The next filing deadline was May 1, 2015.
Texas school board candidates and officeholders must file semiannual reports, which were due on January 15, 2015, and July 15, 2015. In addition, candidates in contested elections were required to file 30-day and 8-day pre-election reports, unless the candidate chose modified reporting.[8]
Candidates in contested elections who did not intend to exceed $500 in contributions or expenditures, excepting filing fees, were eligible for modified reporting. If they exceeded the threshold before the 30th day prior to the election, candidates were required to submit the 30- and 8-day reports. If they exceeded the threshold after the 30th day prior to the election, they were required to file a report within 48 hours of exceeding the threshold and participate in regular reporting for the rest of the election cycle.[11]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Amarillo Independent School District election in 2015:[8][12]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| December 29, 2014 | Deadline to post notice of candidate filing deadline |
| January 28, 2015 | First day to file for place on general election ballot |
| February 27, 2015 | Last day to file for place on general election ballot |
| March 4, 2015 | Last day to withdraw from ballot |
| March 10, 2015 | First day to apply for ballot by mail |
| April 9, 2015 | Last day for voter registration with county clerk |
| Campaign finance report due | |
| April 27, 2015 | First day of early voting |
| April 30, 2015 | Last day to apply for ballot by mail |
| May 1, 2015 | Campaign finance report due |
| May 5, 2015 | Last day of early voting |
| May 9, 2015 | Election Day |
| May 20, 2015 | Final day for canvassing of votes |
| July 15, 2015 | Campaign finance report due |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Texas elections, 2015
The election on May 9, 2015, shared the ballot with other municipal elections.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Amarillo + Independent + School + District + Texas"
See also
- Texas
- Amarillo Independent School District, Texas
- Texas school board elections, 2015
- List of school board elections in 2015
- School board elections, 2015
- Potter County, Texas ballot measures
- Randall County, Texas ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, Texas
- Decreased success for school board incumbents in Texas; 1/3 defeated in largest districts (May 11, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Amarillo Independent School District, "About the Board," accessed January 20, 2015
- ↑ Lauren Dixon, "Email correspondence with Susan Hoyl, Director of Community Relations, Amarillo ISD," March 4, 2015
- ↑ NewsChannel10.com, "Election Results," accessed May 9, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 United States Census Bureau, "Potter County, Texas," accessed August 5, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed August 5, 2014
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Potter County," accessed December 31, 2014
- ↑ Amarillo Independent School District, "About the Board," accessed February 20, 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Texas Ethics Commission, "2015 Filing Schedule for Elections Held on Uniform Election Dates," accessed January 21, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Timeline," accessed April 30, 2015
- ↑ Texas Ethics Commission, "Search Campaign Finance Reports," accessed April 10, 2015
- ↑ Texas Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with Local Filing Authorities," September 1, 2013
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2015 Election Dates," accessed January 20, 2015
| 2015 Amarillo Independent School District Elections | |
| Potter County, Texas • Randall County, Texas | |
| Election date: | May 9, 2015 |
| Candidates: | At-large: Incumbent, Jim Austin • John Betancourt • Vianey Valdez Earthman • Scott Flow |
| Important information: | Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
