Downingtown Area School District elections (2013)

2015 →
2013 Downingtown Area School District Elections
General Election date:
November 5, 2013
Table of Contents
About the district Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links References
See also
Pennsylvania Downingtown Area School District Local ballot measures, Pennsylvania Chester County, Pennsylvania ballot measures

Four seats on the Downingtown Area School Board were up for election on November 5, 2013. A primary was held on May 21, 2013.

Barbara Hurt-Simmons ran unopposed and won in Region 2. Bob Yorczyk defeated John Ganski for the Region 4 seat, while Suzanne DiVito Simonelli defeated Dawn Richter for the Region 6 seat. Barbara Albright defeated Jason Benfield for the Region 8 seat.

About the district

See also: Downingtown Area School District, Pennsylvania

Downingtown Area School District is located in Chester County, Pennsylvania

Downingtown Area School District is located in Chester County, which is in southeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the county was home to 506,575 residents.

Demographics

According to the 2010 Census, the median household income in Chester County was $86,264 compared to Pennsylvania's statewide median of $51,651. The rate of residents below the poverty level in Chester County was 6.1% while the state rate was 12.6%. The percentage of residents over 25 with a bachelor's degree or higher in Chester County was 48.1%, compared to the state average of 26.7%.

Racial Demographics, 2012
Race	Chester County (%)	Pennsylvania (%)
White	87.7	83.5
Black or African American	6.4	11.4
American Indian and Alaska Native	.3	0.3
Asian	4.0	2.7
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0.1	0.1
Two or More Races	1.6	1.7
Hispanic or Latino	6.7	6.1

Presidential Voting Pattern
Year	Democratic Vote (%)	Republican Vote (%)
2012	49.2	49.7
2008	54.0	45.0
2004	52.0	43.7
2000	53.3	43.7

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 Downingtown Area School Board consisted of nine members elected to four-year terms. The members of the board were elected by voters in nine district regions. The primary election for the Downingtown Area School Board was held on May 21, 2013 and the general election was scheduled for November 5, 2013. Four seats were up for election on November 5, 2013 and the remaining five seats were up for election in November 3, 2015.

Region 2

• Barbara Hurt-Simmons
  • Cross filed
  • Incumbent

Region 4

• John Ganski
  • Democrat
• Bob Yorczyk
  • Republican
  • Incumbent

Region 6

• Dawn Richter
  • Democrat
• Suzanne DiVito Simonelli
  • Republican
  • Incumbent

Region 8

• Steve Wisniewski
  • Republican
  • Withdrawn
• Jason Benfield
  • Democrat
• Barbara Albright
  • Republican

Election results

Downingtown Area School District, Region 2 General Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Cross filed	Barbara Hurt-Simmons Incumbent	98.2%	725
	Nonpartisan	Write-in	1.8%	13
Total Votes				738
Source: Chester County, Pennsylvania, "Summary Report," accessed December 13, 2013

Downingtown Area School District, Region 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Bob Yorczyk Incumbent	59.9%	595
	Democrat	John Ganski	40.1%	398
Total Votes				993
Source: Chester County, Pennsylvania, "Summary Report," accessed December 13 2013

Downingtown Area School District, Region 6 General Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Suzanne Divito Simonelli Incumbent	57.8%	487
	Democrat	Dawn Richter	42.2%	356
Total Votes				843
Source: Chester County, Pennsylvania, "Summary Report," accessed December 13, 2013

Downingtown Area School District, Region 8 General Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Barbara Albright	56%	487
	Democrat	Jason Benfield	44%	382
Total Votes				869
Source: Chester County, Pennsylvania, "Summary Report," accessed December 13, 2013

Downingtown Area School District Region 2 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Barbara Hurt-Simons	99.4%	351
	Republican	Write-In	0.6%	2
Total Votes				353
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 2 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democrat	Barbara Hurt-Simons	97.6%	80
	Democrat	Write-In	2.4%	2
Total Votes				82
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 4 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Bob Yorczyk	77.4%	223
	Republican	John C. Ganski	21.9%	63
	Republican	Write-In	0.7%	2
Total Votes				288
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 4 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democrat	John C. Ganski	57.9%	73
	Democrat	Bob Yorczyk	39.7%	50
	Democrat	Write-In	2.4%	3
Total Votes				126
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 6 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Suzanne Divito Simonelli	56.9%	156
	Republican	Dawn C. Richter	43.1%	118
	Republican	Write-In	0%	0
Total Votes				274
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 6 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democrat	Dawn C. Richter	56.3%	85
	Democrat	Suzanne Divito Simonelli	42.4%	64
	Democrat	Write-In	1.3%	2
Total Votes				151
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 8 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Steven P. Wisniewski	60.7%	133
	Republican	Jason Benfield	39.3%	86
	Republican	Write-In	0%	0
Total Votes				219
Source: Chester County Election Results

Downingtown Area School District Region 8 Primary Election, 4-year term, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democrat	Jason Benfield	57.9%	77
	Democrat	Steven P. Wisniewski	41.4%	55
	Democrat	Write-In	0.8%	1
Total Votes				133
Source: Chester County Election Results

Campaign finance

No contributions or expenditures were reported for the election, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

Endorsements

No candidates received any official endorsements.

What was at stake?

Four seats on the Downingtown Area School Board were up in the November election, including Vice President Barbara Hurt-Simmons' seat. Incumbents Hurt-Simmons, Bob Yorczyk and Suzanne DiVito Simonelli sought re-election.

Key deadlines

The following were key deadlines for the Downingtown Area School Board election:

Deadline	Event
February 19, 2013	First day for filing nominating petitions
March 12, 2013	Last day to file nominating petitions
March 27, 2013	Last day to withdraw from ballot
May 21, 2013	Primary Election Day
August 1, 2013	Last day to circulate and file nomination papers nominating independent candidates
August 8, 2013	Last day for candidates who have filed nomination papers to withdraw
August 12, 2013	Last day for candidates nominated at the Primary to withdraw
August 22, 2013	Last day to file substituted nominations
September 16, 2013	First day to receive Official Absentee Ballot Applications
October 7, 2013	Last day an elector may register to vote or make change to their voting record to be eligible for the General Election
November 1, 2013	Last day to receive Official Absentee Ballots in County Board of Elections by 5:00 PM
November 5, 2013	Election day

Additional elections on the ballot

In addition to the school board race, residents of Downingtown Area School District had statewide, countywide and citywide items on the ballot. They voted on a Judge of the Superior Court and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in statewide races. They also voted for treasurer, coroner, controller and clerk of courts in countywide races. There was also mayoral, council, tax collector, judge of election and inspector of election races in various townships and boroughs.

See also

• Pennsylvania
• Downingtown Area School District, Pennsylvania
• List of school board elections in 2013
• Chester County, Pennsylvania ballot measures
• Local ballot measures, Pennsylvania
• 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
• Pennsylvania school boards to see large turnover

External links

Suggest a link

• Downingtown Area School District
• Chester County
• Pennsylvania Department of Education