Shelly McFarland

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Shelly McFarland

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 20, 2021

Shelly McFarland (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to represent District 4. McFarland lost in the special primary on March 20, 2021.

Biography

Shelly McFarland lives in Winnfield, Louisiana. Her career experience includes working as a business owner and as Vice President of McFarland Timber.

Elections

2021

See also: Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education election, 2021

Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.

General election

Special general election for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 4

Michael Melerine defeated Cassie Williams in the special general election for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 4 on April 24, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Melerine (R)	61.8	23,541
		Cassie Williams (D)	38.2	14,546

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 38,087
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Special nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 4

Cassie Williams and Michael Melerine defeated Shelly McFarland, John Milkovich, and Cody Whitaker in the special primary for Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education District 4 on March 20, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cassie Williams (D)	29.3	10,768
✔		Michael Melerine (R)	28.2	10,361
		Shelly McFarland (R)	22.4	8,251
		John Milkovich (Independent)	15.9	5,844
		Cody Whitaker (Independent)	4.2	1,555

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 36,779
= 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.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Emma Shepard (D)

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Shelly McFarland did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

McFarland’s campaign website stated the following:

“	PREPARE STUDENTS FOR A PROMISING FUTURE Students deserve an education that provides them with the tools and knowledge necessary to graduate on time and be prepared to enter the workforce or college after graduation. That means providing every Louisiana high school student with access to career pathways and credentials that help them leave high school with a skillset – not empty handed. Every student’s path is different, but one thing should be certain – they all should receive an education rich in opportunities that prepare them for success post high school, whether that is in college or in work. INCREASE ACCESS TO EARLY EDUCATION The early years of a child’s life are critical to their mental development. For this reason, we know how critical early education is for a child’s future success. Children who receive access to quality early care and education can start school ready to learn, are more likely to read by the third grade, more likely to graduate high school on time, and more likely to succeed in life. Children deserve a smart start to school so they can have a strong finish that leads them to a life of opportunity and prosperity. ELEVATE THE TEACHING PROFESSION Teachers are undervalued and underpaid for the tremendous job they do. The pandemic proved to us just how hard teachers work and how important they are to students and families. At the same time, we are struggling to attract Louisianans to the teaching profession and keep great teachers in the classroom. We must elevate the teaching profession by improving teacher pay and providing better support and leadership for our teachers. Our students deserve the best and this is only possible through our efforts to recruit and retain great teachers and through valuing them and the hard work they do every day. IMPROVE TEACHER TRAINING Teachers must be prepared to provide students with a quality education before they enter the classroom. This means we must improve the quality of teacher preparation programs so that they are preparing teachers to be ready to succeed with kids the day they enter the classroom. Teachers must be trained and understand how to meet kids where they are, how to help each child learn and grow, and how to help students in the early grades read by third grade. Our teachers are invaluable – and they deserve quality training and continued supports and development to help them continue to improve their practice.	”
—Shelly McFarland’s campaign website (2021)

See also

2021 Elections

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