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Peoria Public Schools District 150 elections (2014)
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One seat on the Peoria Public Schools Board of Education was up for general election on March 18, 2014. Challenger Sue L. Wolstenholm defeated incumbent Laura Petelle for the District 3 seat.[1] District 3 represents schools on the northern edge of Peoria.
Wolstenholm withdrew from the race on February 21, 2014, but her name still appeared on the ballot.[2] A group called Change150 supported Wolstenholm in the general election to protest the current superintendent and board members. Wolstenholm said she would not accept her seat, allowing the board to fill the vacancy within 45 days of the end of Petelle's term in July.[3][4]
About the district
Peoria Public Schools District 150 is located in Peoria in central Illinois, which is the county seat of Peoria County. According to the United States Census Bureau, Peoria is home to 115,021 residents.[5] Peoria Public Schools District 150 was the 13th-largest school district in Illinois, serving 14,183 students during the 2010-11 school year.[6]
Demographics
Peoria outperformed in comparison to the rest of Illinois in terms of higher education achievement in 2010. The United States Census Bureau found that 32.7% of Peoria residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 31.1% for Illinois as a whole. The median household income in Peoria was $45,772 compared to $56,853 for the state of Illinois. The poverty rate in Peoria was 22.2% compared to 13.7% for the entire state.[5]
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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.
Voter and candidate information
The Board of Education consists of seven members elected by geographic district to five-year terms. There was no primary election and the general election was held on March 18, 2014. There was one seat up for election in 2015 and 2018. The board elections in 2016 and 2017 each featured two seats.[8]
A candidate for the Board of Education must be 18 years old, a resident of the district for one year and a registered voter. Candidates began to file nominating petitions on August 6, 2013. The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was November 4, 2013.[9]
Elections
2014
Candidates
- Laura Petelle
- Incumbent
- Graduate, University of Notre Dame and Duke University
- Lawyer
- Sue L. Wolstenholm
- Account services supervisor, Comcast
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Sue L. Wolstenholm |
68.6% | 3,793 | |
| Nonpartisan | Laura Petelle Incumbent | 31.4% | 1,735 | |
| Total Votes | 5,528 | |||
| Source: Peoria County Elections, "Cumulative Report-Official," April 1, 2014Peoria Election Commission, "Election Night Results," accessed April 9, 2014</ref> | ||||
Endorsements
Wolstenholm was backed by a community group called Change150 in the general election.
Campaign finance
As of January 23, 2014, no candidate filed a campaign finance report with the Illinois State Board of Elections.[10]
Past elections
Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2013Martha Ross won the District 1 seat on the board without opposition on April 9, 2013.[11] 2012
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What was at stake?
Issues in the election
Change150's campaign for Sue Wolstenholm
A community group called Change150 asked voters to choose Wolstenholm in the March 18 election despite her withdrawal from the race. Wolstenholm stated that she would not accept office if elected, which would force the board to choose a new member. Change150 believes the policies of superintendent Grenita Lathan and the current board drive away experienced teachers and discourage academic improvement. The group gained support from the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).[12] The following themes for the 2014 campaign were stated on Change150's website:
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| —Change150's website (2014) | ||
February 8th candidate forum
The League of Women Voters sponsored a candidate forum on February 8th featuring both candidates for District 3. Petelle stated that another five-year term was necessary to promote alternative education, gifted education and vocational education courses. Wolstenholm criticized district officials for deliberating in closed sessions to deal with issues including land purchases and testing issues at Charter Oak Primary School. Petelle countered Wolstenholm's critique by noting that the board and district officials were required by state law to decide some issues away from open session.[15]
The forum also highlighted differences between the candidates on the district's public perception. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis suggested during his State of the City speech in January that the district was heading in the wrong direction. Petelle expressed frustration with the mayor's speech, suggesting that Ardis has alternated between open support and criticism of district policies. Wolstenholm echoed Ardis in stating that the district's public profile needs help from the entire community.[15]
Issues in the district
Tensions with school resource officers
District officials arranged for city police officers to serve as security personnel at three high schools in early January 2014. This arrangement created tensions with the district's 150 school resource officers, who were armed personnel responsible for school security. The district stripped resource officers of their ability to carry weapons in fall 2013. This decision led to the decertification of district resource officers as law enforcement personnel by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. Resource officers have criticized the district for failing to communicate the agreement with the Peoria Police Department. The Police Benevolent and Protective Association Unit 114, which represents resource officers, claimed the switch to city police officers violated the officers' collective bargaining agreement.[16] The district was negotiating a more comprehensive agreement with city police to provide security throughout the district.[17]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Peoria Public Schools District 150 election in 2014:[9]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| August 6, 2013 | First day to circulate nominating petitions |
| October 28, 2013 | First day to file nominating petitions |
| November 4, 2013 | Last day to file nominating petitions |
| March 17, 2014 | Last day to file pre-election campaign report |
| March 18, 2014 | Election day |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Peoria Public Schools election took place on the same day as the statewide primary election. These primary elections included seats in the United States Senate and U.S. House as well as the race for governor. Peoria residents also voted for the Peoria County Board, County Clerk, Treasurer, Sheriff and Regional Superintendent of Schools.[1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Peoria + Public + Schools"
See also
- Peoria protest vote boosts withdrawn school board candidate over incumbent
- Illinois
- Peoria Public Schools District 150, Illinois
- Illinois school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Peoria County, Illinois ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, Illinois
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Peoria County Clerk, "2014 General Primary Candidate Filings," accessed January 22, 2014
- ↑ Pam Adams, Peoria Journal-Star, "Sue Wolstenholm drops out of District 150 race," February 21, 2014
- ↑ Alex Rusciano, Peoria Public Radio, "Sue Wolstenholm unseats D 150 school board incumbent Laura Petelle," March 18, 2014
- ↑ Alex Rusciano, Peoria Public Radio, "‘Change 150’ group targets third district school board race," March 4, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 United States Census Bureau, "Peoria, Illinois," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ Peoria County Clerk, "Election Results," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ Peoria Public Schools District 150, "Board Policies," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Peoria Public Schools District 150, "Notice for Filing Nominating Petitions," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Candidate Filing Search - By Name," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ Peoria County Clerk, "City of Peoria Sample Ballot," accessed January 23, 2014
- ↑ Pam Adams, Journal Star, "Change 150 coalition lists goals," March 14, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Change150, "The Core Issues," accessed March 16, 2014
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Chris Kaergard, Journal Star, "District 150 candidates square off at forum," February 8, 2014
- ↑ Journal Star, "District 150 police in the dark about deactivation," January 6, 2014
- ↑ Peoria Public Radio, "PPD officers in District 150 High Schools," January 7, 2014
| 2014 Peoria Public Schools District 150 Elections | |
| Peoria, Illinois | |
| Election date: | March 18, 2014 |
| Candidates: | District 3: • Laura Petelle • Sue L. Wolstenholm |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
