Springfield Public Schools elections (2016)
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Three of the seven seats on the Springfield Public Schools Board of Education were up for at-large on April 5, 2016. Two regular three-year terms were up for election and candidates Allen Kunkel, Charles Taylor, Michelle Gavel, Mellisa Penkalski, and Alina Lehnert all filed in the race. One other three-year term was also up for special election after Francine Pratt vacated her seat in October 2015. School board incumbent Gerry Lee was the only candidate to file in the special. Due to the lack of opposition, the election was canceled and Lee automatically assumed the seat, while Taylor and Lehnert won the other open seats.[1][2]
Elections
Voter and candidate information
The Springfield Public Schools Board of Education consists of seven members elected at-large to staggered three-year terms. There was no primary election, and the general election was held on April 5, 2016. Two seats were up for general election and one seat was up for special election. Either election will be canceled if the number of candidates equals the number of board vacancies. [3]
An individual must be a registered voter in order to vote in a school election. In order to vote, a person must be 18 years of age or older, must be a citizen of the United States, and must reside in the school district for 30 days. School board candidates must be at least 24 years of age, have lived in the state for one year, and cannot be a convicted felon.[3]
Candidates and results
At-large general election
Results
| Springfield School District, At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2016 |
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| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Charles Taylor |
28.03% | 6,396 |
| Alina Lehnert |
27.71% | 6,323 |
| Allen Kunkel | 19.23% | 4,388 |
| Michelle Gavel | 14.93% | 3,407 |
| Mellisa Penkalski | 9.26% | 2,113 |
| Write-in votes | 0.82% | 188 |
| Total Votes (100) | 22,815 | |
| Source: Greene County Clerk, "Summary Report for April 5, 2016," April 5, 2016 | ||
| Allen Kunkel | Charles Taylor 
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Michelle Gavel | |||
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| Mellisa Penkalski | Alina Lehnert
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At-large special election
Results
Gerry Lee was the only candidate to file in the election. Due to this lack of opposition the race did not appear on the ballot and Lee was automatically elected.
| Gerry Lee
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*Incumbent |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Missouri elections, 2016
The general municipal election day in Missouri was April 5, 2016. The city could have choosen to place a local ballot measure before voters in this election, as well.
Key deadlines
The following were key deadlines for the 2016 Springfield Public Schools Board of Education election:[4]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| December 15, 2015– January 19, 2016 |
Candidate filing period |
| January 26, 2016 | Candidate filings certified |
| March 9, 2016 | Voter registration deadline |
| April 5, 2016 | Election Day |
Endorsements
Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Campaign finance
Campaign contributions were reported to the Greene County County Clerk.[5]
Past elections
Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2015
2014Incumbent Denise Frederick and newcomer Tim Rosenbury ran unopposed and won the election by default.[6] 2013
2012
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What was at stake?
Report a story for this election
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Candidate survey
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About the district
- See also: Springfield Public Schools, Missouri
Springfield Public Schools is located in southwest Missouri in Greene County. The county seat of Greene County is Springfield. Greene County was home to 285,865 residents in 2014, according to the United States Census Bureau.[7] The district was the second-largest school district in the state in the 2013–2014 school year and served 25,609 students.[8]
Demographics
Greene County outperformed the state of Missouri in terms of higher education achievement in 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 28.3 percent of Greene County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 26.2 percent for Missouri as a whole. The median household income in Greene County was $40,337, compared to $47,380 for the state of Missouri. The poverty rate in Greene County was 18.7 percent, compared to 15.5 percent for the entire state.[7]
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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.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Springfield Public Schools' 'Missouri'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Springfield Public Schools | Missouri | School Boards |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Springfield News-Leader, "Pratt resigns from Springfield school board, Missouri State posts," October 26, 2015
- ↑ Mandy Gillip, "Phone conversation with Kathy Looten, Springfield Public Schools District school board secretary," January 22, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Springfield Public Schools, "B-School Board Governance and Operations," accessed March 23, 2016
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "2016 Missouri Election Calendar," accessed August 31, 2015
- ↑ Greene County County Clerk, "Election Laws," accessed March 30, 2016
- ↑ KTTS 94.7 FM, "No Need For Springfield School Board Election This April," January 26, 2014
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 United States Census Bureau, "Greene County, Missouri," accessed February 3, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Missouri Election Results," accessed January 23, 2015
| 2016 Springfield Public Schools Elections | |
| Greene County, Missouri | |
| Election date: | April 5, 2016 |
| Candidates: | At-large (Special election): Incumbent, Gerry Lee At-large (General election): Allen Kunkel • Charles Taylor • Michelle Gavel • Mellisa Penkalski • Alina Lehnert |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
