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Spokane Public Schools elections (2013)
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Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links References |
Spokane Public Schools |
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Two seats were up for election on the Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors on November 5, 2013. Seats in Positions 1 and 2 were on the ballot. Future board members will determine how to implement charter schools into the district. Susan Chapin was unopposed for the Position 1 seat, while Bob Douthitt defeated Sally Fullmer for the Position 2 seat.
About the district
- See also: Spokane Public Schools, Washington
The City of Spokane is the county seat of Spokane County, which is located in eastern Washington. The city sits in the middle of the county about 20 miles west of the state's border with Idaho. The population of Spokane was 209,440 according to the 2010 U.S. Census.[1]
Demographics
Spokane lags behind state averages for median income, higher education achievement and poverty rate. The percentage of city residents over 25 years old with undergraduate degrees (29.2%) is below the state average (31.4%). The 2010 U.S. Census calculated Spokane's median income at $41,466 while the state median income was $58,890. Spokane had a poverty rate of 18.6% 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 Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors consists of five members elected to six-year terms. There was not a primary election on August 6, 2013 as both board positions did not have more than two candidates. Seats in Position 1 and 2 were up for election on November 5, 2013. Voters will choose members in Position 3 and 4 in November 2015 and Position 5 in November 2017.
Elections in Washington require candidates to pay filing fees equal to 1% of a position's annual salary. Board members in Spokane 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 county's local voter pamphlet.[4]
Elections
2013
Candidates
Position 1
- Susan Chapin
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Washington State University
- Registered nurse
Position 2
- Bob Douthitt
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Princeton University, University of Virginia and New York University
- Lawyer
- Sally Fullmer
- Graduate, Seattle Pacific University
- Former educator
Election results
On November 5, 2013 candidates Susan Chapin and Bob Douthitt were elected to the Spokane School District Board of Directors.
| Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors, Position 1, Six-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Susan Chapin Incumbent |
96.8% | 32,169 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write In | 3.2% | 1,070 | |
| Total Votes | 33,239 | |||
| Source: Spokane County Elections, "Election Results," November 26, 2013 | ||||
| Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors, Position 2, Six-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Bob Douthitt Incumbent |
54.1% | 22,971 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sally Fullmer | 44.6% | 18,936 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write In | 1.3% | 558 | |
| Total Votes | 42,465 | |||
| Source: Spokane County Elections, "Election Results," November 26, 2013 | ||||
Endorsements
The Spokesman-Review endorsed Bob Douthitt on November 3, 2013.[5]
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $19,018.04 and spent a total of $18,438.46 during the election, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.[6]
In the Position 1 race, no contributions or expenditures were reported during the election.
In the Position 2 race, candidates received a total of $19,018.04 and spent a total of $18,438.46.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Douthitt | $19,018.04 | $18,438.46 | $579.58 |
| Sally Fullmer | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Past elections
2011
| Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors, Position 5, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Deana Brower |
51.9% | 29,006 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sally Fullmer | 48.1% | 26,843 | |
| Total Votes | 55,849 | |||
| Source: Spokane County Elections, "Election Results," November 29, 2011 | ||||
What was at stake?
Incumbent Susan Chapin sought re-election to the District 1 seat without opposition. Bob Douthitt defeated challenger Sally Fullmer to win a second term in the District 2 seat.
Issues
The issue of charter schools emerged in the district during the 2013 election. A statewide initiative passed in November 2012 allowing 40 charter schools in public school districts by 2017. Superintendent Shelley Redinger has advocated the creation of charter schools since her appointment in 2012 and the district applied to the state to develop authorized charter programs.[7] The Washington State Board of Education approved Spokane as the first district with charter school authorization powers on September 11, 2013.[8]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Spokane Public Schools election in 2013:[9]
| 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 23, 2013 | Last day to submit candidate materials for voter pamphlet |
| August 6, 2013 | Primary day |
| November 5, 2013 | Election day |
| November 26, 2013 | Certification of vote results |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Spokane Public Schools race shared the ballot with additional city and county measures. Voters chose candidates for three seats on the Spokane City Council and three municipal judges. Spokane residents also chose commissioners for Spokane First Districts 1-5 and 8-13. The ballot also featured a single seat for a six-year term on the Spokane County Commission. Voters also cast ballots for Proposition 1, which requested a tax levy to support continued operations at Fairchild Air Force Base. There were two statewide initiatives and five advisory votes on the November 5, 2013 ballot.[10]
See also
- Washington
- Spokane Public Schools, Washington
- Spokane 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: Spokane," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Pre-2004 Election Results," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Spokane County Elections, "Results and Statistics from Previous Elections," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Spokane County Elections, "Running for Office," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Spokesman-Review, "Editorial: The Spokesman-Review’s choices for Tuesday’s election," November 3, 2013
- ↑ Washington Public Disclosure Commission, "Local Candidates," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ The Spokesman-Review, "Spokane Public Schools step closer to charter schools," July 10, 2013
- ↑ Yakima Herald, "State board empowers Spokane district to OK charter schools," September 12, 2013
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Elections Calendar," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Spokane County Elections, "Offices Open for Election," accessed August 5, 2013
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