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Hope Jay
Hope Jay was a member of the Buffalo Board of Education in New York, representing North District. Jay assumed office in 2016. Jay left office on January 3, 2023.
Jay ran for re-election to the Buffalo Board of Education to represent North District in New York. Jay won in the general election on May 7, 2019.
Biography
Jay's career experience includes owning her own law firm concentrating on criminal, matrimonial, and family law. Prior to becoming an attorney, she worked as a social worker at Baker Victory Services. She has been a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Erie County Bar Association, the Western New York Women’s Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Erie County Bar Association Human Rights Committee, and the Erie County Bar Association Matrimonial and Family Committee. She has also volunteered with local nonprofits and as an evaluator for mock trials and competitions at a local law school. Jay earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and English from SUNY at Buffalo. She went on to earn a master's degree in social work from the same school. She returned to school and earned a J.D. from the University of Buffalo.[1]
Elections
2019
See also: Buffalo Public Schools, New York, elections (2019)
General election
General election for Buffalo Board of Education North District
Incumbent Hope Jay won election in the general election for Buffalo Board of Education North District on May 7, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Hope Jay (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 1,822 |
| Total votes: 1,822 | |||
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2016
- See also: Buffalo Public Schools elections (2016)
Six of the nine by-district seats on the Buffalo Public Schools school board were up for general election on May 3, 2016. The six seats drew 11 candidates—five incumbents and six challengers. Central Seat incumbent Mary Ruth Kapsiak decided not to file for re-election, leaving Paulette Woods and Bryon McIntyre to run for the open seat. East Seat incumbent Theresa Harris-Tigg ran unopposed after challengers Colleen Russell and Patricia Elliott were removed from the ballot as a result of challenges to their candidacy petitions. Elliott and Russell continued to run as write-in candidates. Ferry Seat incumbent Sharon Belton-Cottman ran unopposed. Candidate Hope Jay challenged incumbent Jason McCarthy for the North Seat. Incumbent Carl P. Paladino ran for re-election to the Park Seat against Austin Harig. West Seat incumbent James Sampson ran as a write-in candidate against newcomer Jennifer Mecozzi.[2]
Union-backed candidates Woods, Harris-Tigg, Belton-Cottman, Jay, and Mecozzi defeated their opponents to break up the majority faction on the board. Paladino was the only former majority member to win after he defeated Harig by a slim margin.
Results
| Buffalo Public Schools, North Seat General Election, 3-year term, 2016 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Hope Jay |
55.00% | 2,419 |
| Jason McCarthy Incumbent | 45.00% | 1,979 |
| Total Votes | 4,398 | |
| Source: Erie County, New York, "Buffalo School Board Canvas Book," accessed June 2, 2016 | ||
Funding
Jay reported $12,115.87 in contributions and $6,801.69 in expenditures to the Buffalo Public Schools, which left her campaign with $5,314.18 on hand during the election.[3]
Endorsements
Jay received an official endorsement from the Stonewall Democrats of Western New York and the Buffalo Teachers Federation.[4][5]
Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Hope Jay did not complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
2016
Jay listed the following campaign themes on her campaign website:
| “ | Hope Believes That:
All of our children should be in school today and everyday The district should be responsible for providing attendance support services for families to ensure their children attend school every day Parents should be engaged and schools should be open to the community Community Schools that engage families and encourage participation create stronger neighborhoods surrounding our schools. BPS should work with the State to provide services and access that allow schools to be the center of a strong neighborhood community. Teachers and staff should be supported with training and services that help them keep students engaged and in school every day, learning Reducing suspensions and creating an environment that engages children in the classroom everyday takes staff support and training. Providing that support so that staff can create a supportive environment where students and teachers thrive should be a priority in each Buffalo school.[6] |
” |
| —Hope Jay campaign website (2016)[7] | ||
See also
2019 Elections
External links
|
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Law Office of Hope R. Jay, "Hope Jay Bio," accessed April 20, 2016
- ↑ Erie County Board of Elections, "2016 Buffalo School Board Petitions Filed," accessed April 5, 2016
- ↑ Tiffany Rouse, "Email correspondence with Buffalo Public Schools Emlyn Rivera," May 2, 2016
- ↑ Stonewall Democrats of Western New York, "Hope Jay for the Buffalo Board of Education, North District," accessed April 12, 2016
- ↑ Buffalo News, "Once-sleepy race for Buffalo School Board becomes ‘vicious’," April 24, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Hope for Buffalo Schools, "Home," accessed April 20, 2016
