Your monthly support provides voters the knowledge they need to make confident decisions at the polls. Donate today.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools elections (2014)
2016 →
|
 |
Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links |
Rowan-Salisbury Schools Rowan County, North Carolina ballot measures Local ballot measures, North Carolina |
 |
Four seats on the Rowan-Salisbury Schools school board were up for general election on November 4, 2014.
Incumbent Richard W. Miller faced Phil Hardin and W. F. Owens for the District 1 seat. In District 2, incumbent L.A. Overcash ran against newcomers Lawrence Helms and Dean Hunter. Travis Allen challenged District 4 incumbent Kay Wright Norman. Incumbent W. Jean Kennedy ran unopposed in District 6. Miller, Hunter, Allen, and Kennedy won election to their respective seats.
About the district
- See also: Rowan-Salisbury Schools, North Carolina
Rowan-Salisbury Schools is located in Rowan County, North Carolina. The county seat of Rowan County is Salisbury. Rowan County had a population of 138,323 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau in 2014.[1] In the 2011-2012 school year, Rowan-Salisbury Schools was the 18th-largest school district in North Carolina and served 20,340 students.[2]
Demographics
Rowan County underperformed in comparison to the rest of North Carolina in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 16.7 percent of Rowan County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 26.8 percent for North Carolina as a whole. The median household income in Rowan County was $41,561 compared to $46,450 for the state of North Carolina. The poverty rate in Rowan County was 16.5 percent compared to 16.8 percent for the entire state.[1]
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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
As of the 2014 election, the Rowan-Salisbury school board consisted of seven members elected to four-year terms by specific geographic districts. There was no primary election and the general election was held on November 4, 2014. Four seats were on the ballot in 2014.[4]
The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was August 15, 2014.[5]
Elections
2014
Candidates
District 1
- Richard W. Miller
- Incumbent
- Phil Hardin
- W. F. Owens
District 2
- L.A. Overcash
- Incumbent
- Lawrence Helms
- Dean Hunter
District 4
- Kay Wright Norman
- Incumbent
- Travis Allen
District 6
- W. Jean Kennedy
- Incumbent
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Richard W. Miller Incumbent |
50.2% | 16,100 | |
| Nonpartisan | Phil Hardin | 40.2% | 12,905 | |
| Nonpartisan | W. F. Owens | 9.1% | 2,934 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.4% | 132 | |
| Total Votes | 32,071 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 31, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Dean Hunter |
44.8% | 14,083 | |
| Nonpartisan | L.A. Overcash Incumbent | 42.1% | 13,243 | |
| Nonpartisan | Lawrence Helms | 12.8% | 4,021 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 97 | |
| Total Votes | 31,444 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 31, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Travis Allen |
52.7% | 17,582 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kay Wright Norman Incumbent | 47.1% | 15,702 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 89 | |
| Total Votes | 33,373 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 31, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | W. Jean Kennedy Incumbent |
97.9% | 26,134 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 2.1% | 567 | |
| Total Votes | 26,701 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 31, 2014 | ||||
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $14,345.00 and spent a total of $5.00 during the election, according to the Rowan County Board of Elections.[6]
In District 1, candidates received a total of $14,045.00 and spent a total of $5.00 during the election, according to the Rowan County Board of Elections.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard W. Miller | $6,000.00 | $5.00 | $5,595.00 |
| Phil Hardin | $8,045.00 | $0.00 | $8,045.00 |
| W. F. Owens | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
In District 2, candidates received a total of $200.00 and did not report any expenditures during the election, according to the Rowan County Board of Elections.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| L.A. Overcash | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Lawrence Helms | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Dean Hunter | $200.00 | $0.00 | $200.00 |
In District 4, candidates received a total of $100.00 and did not report any expenditures during the election, according to the Rowan County Board of Elections.[6]
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kay Wright Norman | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Travis Allen | $100.00 | $0.00 | $100.00 |
In District 6, W. Jean Kennedy did not report any contributions or expenditures during the election to the Rowan County Board of Elections.[6]
What was at stake?
Issues in the election
Candidate forum
The Salisbury Post, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, WSAT, and Catawba College sponsored a school board candidate forum on October 14, 2014. The only candidate not in attendance was Lawrence Helms. The candidates were allowed to present opening and closing comments, as well as answer several questions. They were given two minutes each time they spoke. The questions, which were submitted by Salisbury Post readers, covered policy, the consolidated central office, diversity, budget cuts, relationships with other governing bodies, and preparing students for 21st-century jobs.
Phil Hardin stated that he aimed to help the board refocus on student and teacher success, noting that budget cuts have required the district to reassess priorities and seek additional grant funding. Board chairman Richard W. Miller emphasized that staff retention is a high priority for the board, explaining that recent staffing reductions resulted from state legislative funding cuts. W. F. Owens expressed his belief that school system funding should be reduced and that students should be prepared to enter the workforce.
Dean Hunter said he believes there is a legitimate need for a central office and that he feels the board is making the district's administrators a priority over its students. L.A. Overcash stated that he aimed to see the board’s initiatives through to completion, including the district’s strategic plan, one-to-one technology program, and energy performance contract, and emphasized the need for a central office.
Travis Allen stressed the importance of prioritizing relationships and traditional teaching methods. He also emphasized the importance of technology, but that it was important that the district not neglect the fundamentals or get rid of classes like masonry and carpentry. Allen also said the district's priorities should be on the consolidated elementary school and Knox Middle, rather than a central office. Kay Wright Norman emphasized that the board needs to solve the literacy problem as well as focus on technology.
W. Jean Kennedy stated that education can't be uniform across the board, but the district had to meet the needs of varying students.[7]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Rowan-Salisbury Schools election in 2014:[5]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| July 18, 2014 | Candidate filing begins |
| August 15, 2014 | Candidate filing ends |
| September 5, 2014 | First day to request an absentee ballot by mail |
| October 10, 2014 | Voter registration ends |
| October 23, 2014 | One-Stop early voting begins |
| October 28, 2014 | Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail |
| November 1, 2014 | One-stop early voting ends |
| November 4, 2014 | Election day |
Additional elections on the ballot
In addition to the school board election, residents of Rowan County voted in races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, North Carolina State Senate, North Carolina House of Representatives, North Carolina District Attorney, Board of Commissioners, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, Clerk of Superior Court, North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice, North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice, and North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge.[8]
See also
- North Carolina
- Rowan-Salisbury Schools, North Carolina
- North Carolina school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Rowan County, North Carolina ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, North Carolina
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 United States Census Bureau, "Rowan County, North Carolina," accessed August 26, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed February 18, 2014
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "NC Voter Statistics Results," accessed August 26, 2014
- ↑ Rowan-Salisbury Schools, "Board of Education," accessed August 26, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Rowan County Board of Elections, "Filing Information," accessed August 26, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Rowan County Board of Elections, "Campaign Finance, accessed August 26, 2014
- ↑ The Salisbury Post, "School board hopefuls face off at candidate forum," October 15, 2014
- ↑ Rowan County Board of Elections, "Candidate List," accessed August 26, 2014
