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Onaway Area School District, Michigan, elections (2024)
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Fourteen candidates ran for six seats on the seven-member Onaway Area Community School Board in Michigan on November 5, 2024.
Eight candidates ran for three full six-year terms. Incumbents James Rieger and Lorrie Kowalski and challengers Kathleen Christian, James Gibson, John Kaszonyi, Tom Moran, Stacey Porter and Taed T.A. Price were on the general election ballot.
In the other three races on the ballot:
- Incumbents Joe Bonnard and Jeremy Veal ran against one another to fill a vacancy. The former incumbent, Erin Chaskey, resigned on June 11, 2024.[1] Bonnard and Veal ran to serve the last four years of Chaskey's unexpired term.
- Incumbent Annette L. Porter and Sheri LaFave ran for a two-year term.
- Incumbent John Palmer and Lain Veihl ran in a recall election.
According to The Alpena News, the elections took place following "infighting and controversy over a number of issues, leading earlier this year to the resignation of the district’s superintendent, a longtime principal, and a school board trustee all at the same meeting."[2] A four-member majority consisting of Chaskey, Kowalski, Rieger, and Palmer differed with Mike Hart, Porter, and Veal on issues including selecting a new football coach and looking for a new law firm.[3][4]
Candidate Stacey Porter, who was Annette L. Porter's daughter, launched a recall against the majority members of the board in 2023. Porter said the members had committed ethics violations and had misled the public about their policy towards charter schools.[5] County officials rejected the recall effort against Chaskey and the recall efforts against Kowalski and Rieger did not make the ballot. Click here for more on the recall against Palmer.
The Northeast Michigan League of Conservative Education issued endorsements for a full slate of candidates in this election, endorsing Christian, Kowalski, and Rieger for the three full terms, Bonnard for the four-year term, LaFave for the two-year term, and retention for Palmer.[6]
The Onaway Area Community School District is located in western Presque Isle County and eastern Cheboygan County in Michigan. The closest metropolitan area is Alpena to the southeast. The district enrolled 541 students in the 2023 school year. The district was, as of the 2024 election, one of 539 school districts in Michigan and 13,318 nationwide.
Tens of thousands of elections took place in 2024 up and down the ballot, including for school board. Hall Pass, our weekly education newsletter, is your one-stop shop for helping you stay current on school board elections, education legislation, and the debates influencing state and local K-12 policies. Click here to subscribe today to get our next edition in your inbox on Wednesday.
Elections
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Candidates and results
Per our coverage scope, Ballotpedia does not provide election results for this particular race. Check your city or county government's election website for vote totals.
Three seats (full terms -- expiring Dec. 2030)
General election
General election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large (3 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Kathleen Christian (Nonpartisan) | ||
| James Gibson (Nonpartisan) | ||
| John Kaszonyi (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Lorrie Kowalski (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Tom Moran (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Stacey Porter (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Taed T.A. Price (Nonpartisan) | ||
| James Rieger (Nonpartisan) | ||
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
One seat (expiring Dec. 2026)
General election
Special general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large
Sheri LaFave and Annette L. Porter ran in the special general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Sheri LaFave (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Annette L. Porter (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
One seat (expiring Dec. 2028)
General election
Special general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large
Joe Bonnard and Jeremy Veal ran in the special general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Joe Bonnard (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jeremy Veal (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
One seat (John Palmer recall election)
General election
Special general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large
Lain Veihl defeated incumbent John Palmer in the special general election for Onaway Area Community School District, At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Lain Veihl (Nonpartisan) | 52.3 | 1,512 | |
| John Palmer (Nonpartisan) | 46.4 | 1,343 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.3 | 38 | ||
| Total votes: 2,893 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Michigan elections, 2024
August 6, 2024
- United States Senate election in Michigan, 2024
- Michigan's 1st Congressional District election, 2024
- Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024
- Michigan intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
November 5, 2024
- United States Senate election in Michigan, 2024
- Michigan's 1st Congressional District election, 2024
- Michigan State Board of Education election, 2024
- Michigan State Board of Regents election, 2024
- Michigan House of Representatives elections, 2024
- Michigan Supreme Court elections, 2024
- Michigan intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- Michigan $15 Minimum Wage Initiative (2024)
- Onaway Area Community School District recall, Michigan (2023-2024)
Voting information
What was the voter registration deadline?[7]
- In person: November 5, 2024
- By mail: October 21, 2024
- Online: October 21, 2024
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?[8]
- In person: November 4, 2024
- By mail: November 1, 2024
- Online: November 1, 2024
What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?[8]
- In person: November 5, 2024
- By mail: Received by November 5, 2024
Was early voting available to all voters?[9]
Yes.
What were the early voting start and end dates?[10][11]
Early voting started on October 26, 2024, and ended on November 3, 2024.
Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?[12]
Photo ID was not required, but all voters who brought photo ID to the polls were required to present it.
When were polls open on Election Day?[12]
Polls opened at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to either the Presque Isle County Clerk or the Cheboygan County Clerk, depending on which county they lived in.
About the district
The Onaway Area Community School District is located in Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties in Michigan.
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[13]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $1,014,000 | $1,881 | 13% |
| Local: | $4,030,000 | $7,477 | 50% |
| State: | $2,944,000 | $5,462 | 37% |
| Total: | $7,988,000 | $14,820 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $6,772,000 | $12,564 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $6,605,000 | $12,254 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $4,475,000 | $8,302 | 66% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $57,000 | $105 | 1% |
| Administration: | $1,000,000 | $1,855 | 15% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $1,073,000 | $1,990 | 16% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $80,000 | $148 | |
| Construction: | $37,000 | $68 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $2,000 | $3 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $85,000 | $157 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 541 | 1.7 |
| 2021-2022 | 532 | -1.3 |
| 2020-2021 | 539 | -5.6 |
| 2019-2020 | 569 | -6.2 |
| 2018-2019 | 604 | -1.8 |
| 2017-2018 | 615 | 1.8 |
| 2016-2017 | 604 | -3.5 |
| 2015-2016 | 625 | -3.0 |
| 2014-2015 | 644 | -4.2 |
| 2013-2014 | 671 | 0.6 |
| 2012-2013 | 667 | 1.5 |
| 2011-2012 | 657 | -5.6 |
| 2010-2011 | 694 | -2.4 |
| 2009-2010 | 711 | -7.9 |
| 2008-2009 | 767 | -4.0 |
| 2007-2008 | 798 | -0.9 |
| 2006-2007 | 805 | -1.7 |
| 2005-2006 | 819 | -2.4 |
| 2004-2005 | 839 | -1.8 |
| 2003-2004 | 854 | -2.9 |
| 2002-2003 | 879 | -4.1 |
| 2001-2002 | 915 | -0.2 |
| 2000-2001 | 917 | -1.5 |
| 1999-2000 | 931 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Onaway Area Community School District (%) | Michigan K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 3.6 |
| Black | 0.6 | 18.1 |
| Hispanic | 1.3 | 8.9 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| White | 92.1 | 63.6 |
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.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Onaway Area Community School District had 36.10 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 14.99.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 2.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 2.00 |
| Elementary: | 14.10 |
| Secondary: | 17.00 |
| Total: | 36.10 |
Onaway Area Community School District employed 5.25 district administrators and 2.35 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 5.25 |
| District Administrative Support: | 0.00 |
| School Administrators: | 2.35 |
| School Administrative Support: | 4.08 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 1.50 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 0.10 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 0.15 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 11.00 |
| Other Support Services: | 11.70 |
Schools
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- Arizona's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (July 30 Republican primary)
- North Carolina's 13th Congressional District election, 2024 (May 14 Republican primary runoff)
- Utah gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2024 (June 25 Republican primary)
See also
| Onaway Area Community School District | Michigan | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Alpena News, "Chaos and resignations: Onaway school board meeting gets heated, Chaskey exits," June 13, 2024
- ↑ The Alpena News, "Crowded races for Onaway Area Schools board," October 7, 2024
- ↑ Up North Live, "Onaway school board meeting fizzles as four members fail to show," May 30, 2024
- ↑ Presque Isle County Advance, "Onaway school board decides to put Thrun Law Firm on 30-day notice," August 31, 2023
- ↑ UpNorth Live, "Effort to recall Onaway school board members moves forward," December 15, 2023
- ↑ Northeast Michigan League of Conservative Education, "Onaway Board of Education Candidates," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ State of Michigan, "Register to vote," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 State of Michigan, "Absentee voting," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ State of Michigan, "Early in-person voting," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ Presque Isle County Michigan, "Election & Voting," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ Cheboygan County Michigan, "Election," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 State of Michigan, "Vote on Election Day," accessed October 31, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
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