Jacob George

Jacob George is an at-large member of the Balsz Elementary School District in Arizona. He assumed office on January 1, 2025. His current term ends on January 1, 2029.

George ran for election for an at-large seat of the Balsz Elementary School District in Arizona. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

George completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jacob George was born in Murray, Utah. He earned a high school diploma from Desert Edge High School. His career experience includes working as a political organizer.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Balsz Elementary School District, At-large (3 seats)

Incumbent Gail Knight, Jacob George, and incumbent Vic Grace defeated Lezley Shepherd in the general election for Balsz Elementary School District, At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Gail Knight (Nonpartisan)	25.9	4,001
✔		Jacob George (Nonpartisan)	25.8	3,992
✔	Submit photo	Vic Grace (Nonpartisan)	25.0	3,863
	Submit photo	Lezley Shepherd (Nonpartisan)	22.6	3,494
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	106

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,456
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view George's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for George in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Jacob George completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by George's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a product of public education in Arizona. Our generation faces unique challenges, including school shootings, rising mental health issues, and the complexities of new technology. I believe a new generation is needed for the complex problems faced in our communities, which is something I can bring. Growing up I was taught the value of community, education, and compassion. In the midst of the 2008 financial crash, my family faced its own share of challenges as we lost our home, my parents separated and filed for divorce, and my mother was laid off from her job. In high school, I spent many nights sleeping in my car and working full-time just to make ends meet. Resiliency, empathy, and a new generation of leadership is what our communities need.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Education Retention- We need to continue striving to keep our qualified educators in our schools. Teachers are the backbone of our children's future. Lack of parent engagement, overworked teachers, and low salaries are just some of the many reasons why we can't keep our qualified educators in our classrooms. We must continue to find common-sense solutions and work towards increasing salaries and parent engagement while decreasing the stress and workload of our educators.
School safety- We must establish safety practices so families aren't sending their children off to war zones when they thought they were sending them to school.
Financial Accountability- I understand the financial troubles that many in our community are experiencing right now, it’s a board members job to responsibly maintain taxpayer dollars.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In a fast and ever-changing world, mental health cases are on the rise. We can't expect our children to deal with these challenges independently. There is an immediate need for how we think and address mental health issues in our communities. I do agree that we need to increase behavioral health programming and access to counselors in our district.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Growing up in a union family, I admire civil rights activist César Chávez. His dedication to serving and creating a brighter future for generations to come inspires me every day.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity, empathy and positivity.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: George submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on September 11, 2024.

September 3 submission

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I come from a family marked by significant political and religious differences, which has shaped my commitment to bridging divides and taking action. In high school there were nights spent in my car while seeking stable housing, all the while pursuing full-time education and juggling multiple jobs to make ends meet. Presently, I am enrolled at Arizona State University, where I am pursuing a degree in political science, channeling my passion for understanding and bridging gaps within our society. As a child I grew up understanding resilience and the importance of service. In the midst of the 2008 financial crash, my family faced its own share of challenges as we lost our home, my parents separated and filed for divorce, and my mother was laid off from her job. During those tough times, we had to rely on the safety nets and support systems that Democrat's advocate for, which helped us get back on our feet. It was during this period that I learned the value of community, education and compassion.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Educator Retention - We need to continue striving to keep our qualified educators in our schools. Teachers are the backbone of our children’s future.
School Safety - Growing up, I thought active shooter drills were normal; I have since learned that this is not the case. No parent should have to worry about whether their child will come home.
Financial Accountability - As a taxpayer and a student, I understand the financial troubles that many in our community are experiencing right now. I will make sure to responsibly maintain the taxpayers dollars.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about: Educator Retention, School Safety, Financial Accountability, School Curriculum, and Parent/Student Engagement.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Civil Rights Activist César Chávez

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, Passion, and Empathy.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: George submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on September 3, 2024.

External links

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Candidate

Balsz Elementary School District, At-large

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 3, 2024

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 3, 2024

[1]

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Jacob George

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Balsz Elementary School District, At-large (3 seats)

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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2024 Election analysis

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