Arlington Central School District elections (2014)
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Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links |
Arlington Central School District Dutchess County, New York ballot measures Local ballot measures, New York |
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Three seats on the Arlington Central School District Board of Education were up for general election on May 20, 2014.
Incumbent Jim Shuttleworth and newcomers Peter Bodnar and Pauline Herr defeated board member Sean Johnston to win the seats. Board President Neil Martin did not file for re-election.[1]
About the district
Arlington Central School District is located in Dutchess County, New York. The county seat of Dutchess County is Poughkeepsie. Dutchess County was home to an estimated 296,916 residents in 2013, according to the United States Census Bureau.[2] Arlington Central School District was the 19th-largest school district in New York, serving 9,471 students during the 2011-2012 school year.[3]
Demographics
In 2012, Dutchess County had a slightly lower percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree compared to the state overall. The United States Census Bureau reported that 32.5 percent of residents aged 25 and older in the county had earned a bachelor's degree, versus 32.8 percent for New York. The median household income in Dutchess County was $71,508, above the state median of $57,683. The poverty rate in the county was 9.1 percent, compared to 14.9 percent statewide.[2]
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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
As of the 2014 election, the Arlington Central Board of Education consisted of nine members. All members were elected to three-year terms at-large by the district as a whole. There was no primary election, and the general election was held on May 20, 2014. Three seats were up for election in 2014.
The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was April 21, 2014. Candidates had to file nominating petitions with at least 82 legitimate signatures to get on the ballot.[5]
Elections
2014
Candidates
At-large
- Sean Johnston
- Incumbent
- Jim Shuttleworth
- Incumbent
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Pauline Herr |
29.2% | 2,321 | |
| Nonpartisan | Peter Bodnar |
26.6% | 2,114 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jim Shuttleworth Incumbent |
24.8% | 1,966 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sean Johnston Incumbent | 19.4% | 1,542 | |
| Total Votes | 7,943 | |||
| Source: Poughkeepsie Journal, "Arlington voters approve school budget," May 20, 2014 | ||||
Campaign finance
No candidates filed campaign finance reports with the New York State Board of Elections during the election.[6][7]
Past elections
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2013
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What was at stake?
Issues in the district
Budget cuts and school closures
During the several years prior to this election, the Arlington Central School District experienced significant budget shortfalls and student enrollment decline. When residents rejected a district budget proposal at the ballot box in 2010, district officials closed LaGrange Elementary School and moved their offices to the former school building in order to reduce district spending by $1.1 million. On November 12, 2013, Superintendent Brendan Lyons provided the Arlington Central Board of Education with a budget plan for the 2014-2015 school year that featured significant reforms. These changes included closing Arlington Middle School and moving students from Arthur S. May Elementary School to the former Arlington Middle School building in order to close the Arthur S. May Elementary School building. District officials acknowledged that the school closure plan would result in the loss of 23 full-time positions and that other budget cutbacks would lead to a total staff reduction of 31 full-time positions. The board approved the plan on January 28, 2014. Local parent Laurie Leal criticized the plan, expressing concern that the transfer of students would place additional strain on teachers and stating, "I think the school closures are disgraceful. Schools are more than buildings. It’s our community."[8]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Arlington Central School District election in 2014:[5]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| April 21, 2014 | Last day to file nominating petitions |
| May 20, 2014 | Election day |
Additional elections on the ballot
This election shared the ballot with a budget proposal and two additional propositions made by the Arlington Central School District. The 2014-2015 budget proposal totaled up to $193,518,394, which was a 1.25 percent increase from the 2013-2014 budget. The budget proposal was accompanied by a 2.0 percent increase in the tax levy. The other two propositions focused on transportation and health and safety. All three proposals were approved by voters.[9]
See also
- New York
- Arlington Central School District, New York
- New York school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Dutchess County, New York ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, New York
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arlington Central School District, "2014 School Board Elections – Candidate Bios," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 United States Census Bureau, "Dutchess County, New York," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "NYS Voter Enrollment by County, Party Affiliation and Status - Voters Registered as of November 01, 2013," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Poughkeepsie Journal, "Bids/Legal Notices/Foreclosures/Public Hearings," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Contribution Search," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Expenditure Search," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ Poughkeepsie Journal, "Arlington schools list big changes; district aims for smooth transition," April 10, 2014
- ↑ Arlington Central School District, "Arlington Proposes a Budget Under the Tax Levy Cap for the 3rd Year," accessed April 10, 2014
| 2014 Arlington Central School District Elections | |
| Dutchess County, New York | |
| Election date: | May 20, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Incumbent, Sean Johnston • Incumbent, Jim Shuttleworth • Peter Bodnar • Pauline Herr |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
