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Benjie Forrest
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Benjie Forrest is the District 9 representative on the Pitt County Schools school board in North Carolina. Forrest won election to the District 9 seat in the general election on November 8, 2016.
Biography
Forrest graduated from D. H. Conley High School and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University. Forrest was an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at Washington High School from 1977 until 1995. He has been an Eastern Region Agricultural Education Coordinator since 1996. He is also the manager and co-owner of B.D. Forrest Family Farms, LLC and the owner of Benjie Forrest Farms, LLC.[1]
Elections
2016
- See also: Pitt County Schools elections (2016)
Nine of the nine seats on the Pitt County Schools school board were up for general election on November 8, 2016. The 2016 election provided an opportunity for the entire school district to be divided into nine new electoral districts.
In District 1, former board member Robert Moore filed for election unopposed and won the seat. In District 2, incumbent Mildred Council ran unopposed for re-election and won another term. District 3 saw three candidates file for the seat including the two board members Mary Blount-Williams and Billy Peaden, as well as newcomer Herbert Wright. Blount-Williams successfully secured the seat. In District 4, incumbent Marc Whichard lost his seat to challenger Betsy Flanagan. District 5 was another unopposed race: Anna Smith ran for the seat and won. District 6 saw incumbent Worth Forbes file for the seat. He defeated challenger Connie Blake. Districts 7, 8, and 9 were all unopposed races with one candidate who filed for each seat: board incumbent Caroline Doherty, Melinda Fagundus and incumbent Benjie Forrest, respectively. All three won.[2][3]
Results
| Pitt County Schools, District 9 General Election, 4-year term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Benjie Forrest (unopposed) |
95.21% | 5,639 |
| Write-in votes | 4.79% | 284 |
| Total Votes (100) | 5,923 | |
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official General Election Results-Pitt," accessed December 5, 2016 | ||
Funding
School board candidates in North Carolina were required to file campaign finance reports to their county's board of elections unless the candidate:
(1) Did not receive more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in contributions, and
(2) Did not receive more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) in loans, and
(3) Did not spend more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).[4]
The third quarter campaign finance deadline was October 31, 2016, and the fourth quarter deadline was January 11, 2017.[5]
2014
- See also: Pitt County Schools elections (2014)
Four seats on the Pitt Board of Education were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Incumbents Mary Blount-Williams and Robert Moore faced Minnie Johnson Anderson for Districts 1 and 2, seat B. Newcomer Nathan L. Carson and incumbent Benjie Forrest ran for seat B in Districts 3 and 6. Robert Bitner, Ernest L. Cox, Caroline Doherty, and Eric Reifschneider competed for seat B in Districts 4 and 5. Incumbent Mildred Atkinson Council was unopposed for a two-year term for District 1, seat A.
The districts were temporarily combined for 2014 with candidates elected to two-year terms as the board transitioned from having 12 to nine members. The process was completed with the 2016 elections.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Benjie Forrest Incumbent |
53.1% | 6,514 | |
| Nonpartisan | Nathan L. Carson | 46% | 5,643 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 1% | 117 | |
| Total Votes | 12,274 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
Campaign themes
2014
Forrest's campaign website listed his themes for 2014:
| “ | Pitt County is experiencing unprecedented growth that is challenging our schools and communities to prepare ALL students to reach their potential. Five areas of concern, which remain as my platform for the next two years are:
Student Achievement: “I believe testing is not the only evaluation of student achievement. Student interest, career preparation, and drop-out rates all measure individual success and need to be emphasized.” Quality Educational Programs: “Students in every school must have the same opportunities. Partnerships with health institutions, Pitt Community College, and ECU are important, but vocational courses should be equally emphasized. No program that excites students should be eliminated. Every dollar spent must be student focused. Safe Schools “Traffic patterns should be examined to direct school traffic away from dangerous areas. Security in schools and on buses should be periodically assessed and improved.” Community Involvement: “The Board needs to encourage parents and community leaders to become more involved. Cooperation should be cultivated between County Commissioners and School Board members.” Open Door Policy: “Every phone call is important. I will return every call in a timely manner. I will also be a visible contributor in our schools.” |
” |
| —Benjie Forrest's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Benjie Forrest Pitt County Schools. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Pitt County Schools, North Carolina
- Pitt County Schools elections (2016)
- Pitt County Schools elections (2014)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Benjie Forrest for Pitt County Board of Education, "History," accessed October 20, 2014
- ↑ Elisabeth Moore, "Email conversation with Dave Davis," January 22, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Unofficial General Election Results-Pitt," accessed November 8, 2016
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "Chapter 163: Elections And Election Laws, Article 22A - Regulating Contributions and Expenditures in Political Campaigns," accessed February 11, 2016
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Reporting Schedules," accessed October 11, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Benjie Forrest for Pitt County Board of Education, "Platform," accessed October 20, 2014
| 2016 Pitt County Schools Elections | |
| Election date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Candidates: | District 1: Robert Moore District 3: Mary Blount-Williams • Billy Peaden • Herbert Wright District 4: Incumbent, Marc Whichard • Betsy Flanagan District 6: Incumbent, Worth Forbes • Connie Blake |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines |
