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Eau Claire Area School District elections (2018)

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2019
2017
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Eau Claire Area School District elections

General election date
April 3, 2018
Enrollment ('15-'16)
11,219 students

Four of the seven seats on the Eau Claire Area School District Board of Education in Wisconsin were up for at-large general election on April 3, 2018. Two of the at-large seats were up for three-year terms, one seat was up for a two-year term, and one seat was up for a one-year term. Two of the seats are up for special election after Carolyn Barstad and Jennifer Fager both resigned in 2017.[1] Incumbent Kathryn P. Duax did not file for re-election, leaving one open seat. The winners of the four seats were incumbents Lori Bica, Joe Luginbill, Eric Torres, and non-incumbent Laurie Klinkhammer. The other candidates were Joshua Clements, Tim Nordin, and John Plewa.[2][3]

Elections

Voter and candidate information

Eau Claire Area School District logo.jpg

The Eau Claire school board consists of seven members elected at large to three-year terms. Members receive a salary of $2,000 with a $2,500 salary for the board president.[4]

School board candidates in Wisconsin had to be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, and residents of the school district for a minimum of 28 consecutive days before filing as a candidate. They also could not be disqualified from voting under Wisconsin law.[5]

To get on the ballot, school board candidates had to file nomination papers with the school district clerk by January 2, 2018. If incumbents whose terms were up for re-election did not file to run in the race and did not file written notification that they would not be running, the candidate filing deadline could have been extended until January 5, 2018. The terms of candidates elected in the race started on April 23, 2018.[5]

Voter registration

See also: Voting in Wisconsin and Voter identification laws by state

To vote in Wisconsin, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state for at least 10 days prior to the election. A voter must be at least 18 years old.[6][7][8] One can register to vote by mail, online, or in person. For voters registering to vote in this 2018 school board election by mail, the application had to be postmarked by March 14, 2018. The online voter registration deadline was March 30, 2018, and the in-person deadline was April 3, 2018.

Candidates and results

At-Large

There are no official candidates yet for this election.

Additional elections on the ballot

See also: Wisconsin elections, 2018


Key deadlines

Endorsements

Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Past elections

See also: Past elections in the Eau Claire Area School District

To see results from past elections in the Eau Claire Area School District, click here.

What was at stake?

Report a story for this election

Ballotpedia researches issues in school board elections across the United States, but information availability is a challenge for us in many school districts. Please contact us about the issues that impact your local school district. Note that not all submissions may meet Ballotpedia's coverage requirements for inclusion.

Candidate survey

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Election trends

See also: School board elections, 2018
School Board Election Trends Banner.jpg

The 2018 Eau Claire Area School District election saw more candidates file for election than in the previous four years. With the exception of the 2016 election, the Eau Claire Area School District saw unopposed elections between 2014 and 2017. In 2018, seven candidates filed for four seats up for election. By comparison, five candidates filed for the four seats on the ballot in 2016, the second-largest candidate pool the district saw in the last five years.

School board election trends
Year Candidates per seat Uncontested seats Incumbent success rate Seats won by newcomers
Eau Claire Area School District
2018 1.75 0.00% 100.00% 25.00%
2017 1.00 100.00% 100.00% 0.00%
2016 1.25 0.00% 100.00% 50.00%
2015 1.00 100.00% 100.00% 50.00%
2014 1.00 100.00% 100.00% 50.00%
Wisconsin
2016 1.57 29.73% 68.97% 45.95%
2015 1.38 32.00% 84.00% 35.29%
2014 1.40 46.67% 88.46% 23.33%
United States
2016 1.90 34.05% 82.39% 41.04%
2015 1.72 35.95% 82.66% 40.81%
2014 1.89 32.59% 81.31% 38.24%

Issues in the district

Board accepts boundary changes, establishes timeline

Students from the area outlined in yellow switched from Memorial High School to North High School.

In June 2017, the Eau Claire Board of Education unanimously voted to accept a recommendation to change the boundary lines between Memorial High School and North High School. The recommendation was made to even out the enrollment difference between the two schools—during the 2016-2017 school year, Memorial High School had 395 more students enrolled than North High School.[9][10] “This is a conversation that has gone on for quite some time in our community and in our district,” board member Joe Luginbill said, regarding the board's decision to move forward with the district boundary change. "This issue of inequities between the two high schools - and really the effort to balance things out - and make sure we are providing and equitable education to all students no matter what side of town they are on."[11]

The board of education held listening sessions in August 2017 to get input from the community. WEAU 13 News reported that during the debate one mother did not feel as though her concerns were addressed. “I think that my kids are still going to end up having to go to North, even though I am upset and everything. I think that either way they're still going to be affected,” she said.[12]

After the meeting, Luginbill told reporters, "I would say to people definitely don't feel discouraged to contact us. We want to hear from you. That's why we're providing this opportunity. If we didn't want to hear from people, we would not provide an opportunity for it. We want it and we want it greatly."[12]

On September 25, 2017, the board unanimously voted to implement the boundary changes during the 2018-2019 school year.[13] The board also established a transition period during which students living within the boundary area would be allowed to remain at Memorial High School and incoming students with siblings attending Memorial High School would have the option to enroll there too. The district estimated that the new lines would affect 36 students during the 2018-2019 school year and would balance out enrollment figures by the 2024-2025 school year. The district also promised to provide transportation for the next three years to students from both high schools affected by the change. The change was expected to cost roughly $40,000 during the 2018-2019 school year.[14][15]


About the district

See also: Eau Claire Area School District, Wisconsin
The Eau Claire Area School District is located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin.

The Eau Claire Area School District is located in Eau Claire County in western Wisconsin. The county seat is Eau Claire. Eau Claire County was home to 102,105 residents between 2010 and 2015, according to the United States Census Bureau.[16] The district served 11,219 students during the 2015-2016 school year.[17]

Demographics

Higher education achievement

Eau Claire County outperformed Wisconsin as a whole in terms of higher education achievement between 2011 and 2015. The United States Census Bureau found that 31.1 percent of Eau Claire County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 27.8 percent for the state as a whole.[16]

Median household income

The median household income in Eau Claire County was $49,513 between 2011 and 2015. During that same time period, the median household income for Wisconsin as a whole was $53,357, and it was $53,889 for the entire United States.[16]

Poverty rate

From 2011 to 2015, the poverty rate in Eau Claire County was 13.6 percent, compared to 12.1 percent statewide. During that same time period, the poverty rate for the country as a whole was 13.5 percent.[16]

Racial Demographics, 2015[16]
Race Eau Claire County (%) Wisconsin (%)
White 92.4 87.6
Black or African American 1.1 6.6
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.6 1.1
Asian 4.0 2.8
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 0.1 0.1
Two or More Races 1.8 1.8
Hispanic or Latino 2.3 6.6

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.


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Twenty-three of 72 Wisconsin counties—32 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Adams County, Wisconsin 21.92% 8.73% 18.35%
Buffalo County, Wisconsin 21.82% 2.93% 14.66%
Columbia County, Wisconsin 2.14% 13.58% 15.26%
Crawford County, Wisconsin 5.40% 19.98% 27.03%
Door County, Wisconsin 3.22% 6.99% 17.33%
Dunn County, Wisconsin 11.09% 4.97% 14.95%
Forest County, Wisconsin 26.58% 5.44% 15.16%
Grant County, Wisconsin 9.43% 13.77% 23.88%
Jackson County, Wisconsin 11.74% 15.01% 21.84%
Juneau County, Wisconsin 26.05% 7.03% 9.00%
Kenosha County, Wisconsin 0.31% 12.23% 18.06%
Lafayette County, Wisconsin 8.99% 15.37% 22.32%
Lincoln County, Wisconsin 20.60% 0.71% 12.48%
Marquette County, Wisconsin 24.09% 0.27% 5.28%
Pepin County, Wisconsin 23.08% 2.22% 12.89%
Price County, Wisconsin 25.00% 0.04% 13.40%
Racine County, Wisconsin 4.28% 3.54% 7.41%
Richland County, Wisconsin 5.50% 16.13% 20.63%
Sauk County, Wisconsin 0.35% 18.47% 23.04%
Sawyer County, Wisconsin 18.41% 0.49% 6.23%
Trempealeau County, Wisconsin 12.64% 14.08% 26.39%
Vernon County, Wisconsin 4.43% 14.73% 22.00%
Winnebago County, Wisconsin 7.34% 3.73% 11.66%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Wisconsin with 47.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Wisconsin cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Wisconsin supported Republicans slightly more than Democratic candidates, 50.0 to 46.7 percent. The state, however, favored Democrats in every presidential election from 2000 to 2012 before voting for Trump in 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in Wisconsin. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[18][19]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 43 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 34.1 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 36 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 34.6 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 56 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 12.1 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 63 out of 99 state Assembly districts in Wisconsin with an average margin of victory of 19.4 points. Trump won two districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.


Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Eau Claire Area School District Wisconsin election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

Eau Claire Area School District Wisconsin School Boards
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External links

Footnotes

  1. Eau Claire Area School District, "Board of Education Election Procedures Under Unified School District," accessed January 5, 2018
  2. Leader-Telegram, "7 candidates seek 4 EC school board seats," January 2, 2018
  3. Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, "Election Results Summary," April 3, 2018
  4. Eau Claire Area School District, "Board Member Compensation and Expenses," February 2003
  5. 5.0 5.1 Wisconsin Association of School Boards, "Guide for Candidates," accessed November 26, 2017
  6. DMV.org, "Voter Registration in Wisconsin," accessed January 22, 2015
  7. State statutes stipulate that an individual must have resided in Wisconsin for at least 28 days prior to the election in order to register to vote in that election. However, the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ruled that "the increase of the durational residency requirement from 10 days to 28 days is unconstitutional." Consequently, the earlier 10-day requirement took effect once again. An appeal of the district court's decision was pending as of September 20, 2016.
  8. Wisconsin Statutes, "Section 6.10," accessed November 7, 2016
  9. Eau Claire School District, "Meeting Minutes, Monday, June 19, 2017," accessed March 29, 2018
  10. Eau Claire School District, "High School Enrollment Differences," accessed March 29, 2018
  11. WQOW, "Eau Claire high school boundary changes to begin 2018-19 school year," September 25, 2017
  12. 12.0 12.1 WEAU 13 News, "Second listening session held Monday night on Eau Claire school boundaries," August 14, 2017
  13. Eau Claire School District, "Meeting Minutes, Monday, September 25, 2017," accessed March 29, 2018
  14. Eau Claire School District, "Transition Timeline Action Taken by School Board on 9/25/17," accessed March 29, 2018
  15. WEAU 13 News, "School district to implement boundary change in 2018-19 school year," September 25, 2017
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 United States Census Bureau, "Eau Claire County, Wisconsin," accessed December 15, 2016
  17. National Center for Education Statistics, "Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Survey Data," accessed January 29, 2018
  18. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  19. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017