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Pasco School District elections (2013)
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Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links References |
Pasco School District Franklin County, Washington ballot measures Washington local ballot measures |
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Three seats were up for election on the Pasco Board of Directors in Washington. Seats in Positions 3, 4 and 5 were up for election on November 5, 2013. Steven A. Christensen defeated William Leggett to win the Position 3 seat while Sherry Lancon overcame Javier Ruiz to win the Position 4 seat. Amy L. Phillips defeated Darrell Toombs to win the Position 5 seat.
The district was faced with balancing growth in enrollment in the previous five years with a potential budget shortfall after 2014.
About the district
- See also: Pasco School District, Washington
The City of Pasco in Franklin County is located along the Columbia River in southeastern Washington. The population of Pasco was 59,781 according to the 2010 U.S. Census.[1]
Demographics
Pasco lagged behind state averages for higher education achievement, median income and poverty rate in 2010. The percentage of city residents over 25 years old with undergraduate degrees (14.9%) was below the state average (31.4%). The 2010 U.S. Census calculated Pasco's median income at $47,252 while the state median income was $58,890. Pasco had a poverty rate of 22.2% in the 2010 U.S. Census while the state rate was 12.5%.[1]
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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.
Method of board member selection
The Pasco Board of Directors consists of five members who are elected at large to four-year terms. There was a primary for the Position 4 seat on August 6, 2013 while Positions 3 and 5 did not hold primaries as each seat had fewer than three candidates. Seats in Positions 1 and 2 were up for election on November 3, 2015.
Elections in Washington require candidates to pay filing fees equal to 1% of a position's annual salary. Board members in Pasco can be reimbursed up to $4,800 for district activities but do not receive salaries, which eliminates the filing fee. Candidates were required to file nominating petitions by May 17, 2013, to qualify for the November ballot. Each candidate could also submit a photo and statement of 100 words or less by May 24, 2013, for the local voters' pamphlet.[3]
Elections
2013
Position 3
- William Leggett
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Northwest Nazarene College and the University of Missouri-Kansas City
- Retired
- Steven A. Christensen
- Graduate, Brigham Young University
- Small business owner
Position 4
- Sherry Lancon
- Incumbent
- Graduate, San Bernardino Valley College
- Assistant Vice President, Sterling Savings Bank
- Javier Ruiz
- Graduate, Eastern Washington University
- Supervisor, Washington Department of Social and Health Services
Position 5
- Darrell Toombs
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Spokane Community College
- Manager, Yoke's Fresh Market
- Amy L. Phillips
- Graduate, Brigham Young University
- Homemaker
Election results
General election
| Pasco School District, Four-year term, Position 3, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Steven A. Christensen |
55.2% | 5,274 | |
| Nonpartisan | William Leggett Incumbent | 44.8% | 4,288 | |
| Total Votes | 9,562 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor, "November 5, 2013 General Election," November 26, 2013 | ||||
| Pasco School District, Four-year term, Position 4, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Sherry Lancon Incumbent |
60.4% | 5,833 | |
| Nonpartisan | Javier Ruiz | 39.6% | 3,821 | |
| Total Votes | 9,654 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor, "November 5, 2013 General Election," November 26, 2013 | ||||
| Pasco School District, Four-year term, Position 5, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Amy L. Phillips |
62.8% | 5,896 | |
| Nonpartisan | Darrell Toombs Incumbent | 37.2% | 3,495 | |
| Total Votes | 9,391 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor, "November 5, 2013 General Election," November 26, 2013 | ||||
Primary
A primary was held on August 6, 2013 for the Position 4 seat on the board. Sherry Lancon and Javier Ruiz advanced to the November 5, 2013 general election.
| Pasco Board of Director, Primary, Position 4, August 6, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Sherry Lancon Incumbent |
66.9% | 5,013 | |
| Nonpartisan | Javier Ruiz |
25% | 1,873 | |
| Nonpartisan | Taylor Franklin Taranto | 8.1% | 606 | |
| Total Votes | 7,492 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor | ||||
Endorsements
The Bellingham Herald endorsed William Leggett, Sherry Lancon and Amy L. Phillips on October 10, 2013.[4]
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $10,312.92 and spent a total of $9,533.79 during the election, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.[5]
In the Position 3 race, candidates received a total of $2,708.59 and spent a total of $2,708.59.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven A. Christensen | $2,708.59 | $2,708.59 | $0.00 |
| William Leggett | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
In the Position 4 race, candidates received a total of $3,464.96 and spent a total of $3,113.17.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherry Lancon | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Javier Ruiz | $3,464.96 | $3,113.17 | $315.79 |
In the Position 5 race, candidates received a total of $4,139.37 and spent a total of $3,712.03.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amy L. Phillips | $4,139.37 | $3,712.03 | $427.34 |
| Darrell Toombs | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Past elections
2011
| Pasco Board of Director, Primary, Position 1, November 8, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Ruben Peralta |
100% | 8,032 | |
| Total Votes | 8,032 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor | ||||
| Pasco Board of Director, Primary, Position 2, November 8, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Ryan Brault |
64.6% | 6,268 | |
| Nonpartisan | Patrick McBurney, Sr. | 35.4% | 3,428 | |
| Total Votes | 9,696 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor | ||||
| Pasco Board of Director, Primary, Position 5, November 8, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Jeffrey W. Dong |
100% | 8,399 | |
| Total Votes | 8,399 | |||
| Source: Franklin County Auditor | ||||
What was at stake?
Incumbents William Leggett, Sherry Lancon and Darrell Toombs sought re-election during the November 5, 2013 general election. Leggett was seeking a fifth term on the board against challenger Steven A. Christensen while Lancon ran for a second full term against Javier Ruiz. Toombs was appointed to the board in April 2013 and sought a first full term against challenger Amy L. Phillips.
Growing enrollment, tightening budget
The district experienced a 16.7% increase in enrollment between 2008 and 2012. This growth in enrollment was expected to strain district resources based on budget projections. In a work session on August 27, 2013, the Board of Directors discussed a budget shortfall expected with the expiration of the existing maintenance and operations levy in December 2014. The district received $4.46 per $1,000 of assessed property value to fill in gaps left by state funding and other revenue. A tax levy increase of at least $0.10 per $1,000 would be necessary to fill the expected budget gap. Superintendent Saundra Hill and board members in attendance voiced no support for an increased tax levy on the February 2014 ballot. The board was set to study potential cuts in the budget while maintaining the existing levy amount.[6]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Pasco Board of Directors election in 2013:[7]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| April 29, 2013 | First day to file nominating petitions by mail |
| May 13, 2013 | First day to file nominating petitions online or in-person |
| May 17, 2013 | Last day to file nominating petitions |
| May 24, 2013 | Last day to submit statements and photos for voter pamphlet |
| August 6, 2013 | Primary day |
| November 5, 2013 | Election day |
| November 26, 2013 | Certification of vote results by county |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Pasco Board of Directors election shared the ballot with additional local and county elections. Voters in Pasco chose four members of the City Council as well as one member of the Port of Pasco Commission. The ballot also featured one seat each on the Franklin Superior Court and the Washington Court of Appeals.[8] There were also two statewide initiatives and five advisory votes on the November 5, 2013 ballot.[9]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Pasco + School + District + Washington"
See also
- Washington
- Pasco School District, Washington
- List of school board elections in 2013
- Franklin County, Washington ballot measures
- Financial policies, education standards at stake in November school board elections
- School board election wrap-up: Incumbents re-elected overwhelmingly in November 5 elections
- School board elections review: Voters opt for experience over new blood in nation's largest school districts
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 U.S. Census, "Quick Facts: Pasco," accessed August 29, 2013
- ↑ Franklin County Auditor, "Archived Election Results," accessed August 29, 2013
- ↑ Franklin County Auditor, "2013 Candidate Guide," accessed August 29, 2013
- ↑ The Bellingham Herald, "Pasco School Board: Phillips, Leggett, Lancon," October 10, 2013
- ↑ Washington Public Disclosure Commission, "Local Candidates," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Tri-City Herald, "Pasco school operations levy won't meet expected costs, board told," August 27, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedfranklin - ↑ Pasco School District, "Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed August 29, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ King County Elections, "2013 Offices Subject to Election," accessed August 2, 2013
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