Tacoma Public Schools elections (2013)
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Tacoma Public Schools |
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One seat on the Tacoma Public Schools Board of Directors was up for election on the November 5, 2013, ballot. Campaign issues included maintaining the district's standing as a state-designated Innovation Zone, the impacts of recent budget cuts and the district's efforts toward charter school authorization. Debbie Winskill defeated Dexter Gordon for the Position 1 seat.
About the district
- See also: Tacoma Public Schools, Washington
The City of Tacoma is the county seat of Pierce County, which is located along the Puget Sound in western Washington. The population of Tacoma was 198,397 according to the 2010 U.S. Census.[1]
Demographics
Tacoma 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 (24.3%) is below the state average (31.4%). The 2010 U.S. Census calculated Tacoma's median income at $49,232 while the state median income was $58,890. Tacoma had a poverty rate of 17.1% 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 Tacoma Public Schools Board of Directors consists of five members elected at-large to six-year terms. There was not a primary election on August 6, 2013 as the single seat that was up for election did not have more than two candidates. Two seats were up for election on November 3, 2015.
Elections in Washington require candidates to pay filing fees equal to 1% of a position's annual salary. Board members in Tacoma 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 August 14, 2013 for the county's local voter pamphlet.[3]
Elections
2013
Candidates
Position 1
- Debbie Winskill
- Incumbent
- Dexter Gordon
- Professor, University of Puget Sound
Election results
| Tacoma Public Schools, Position 1, Six-year term, November 5, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Debbie Winskill Incumbent |
55.4% | 21,661 | |
| Nonpartisan | Dexter Gordon | 44.6% | 17,414 | |
| Total Votes | 39,075 | |||
| Source: Pierce County Elections, "November 5, 2013 General Election, November 26, 2013</ref> | ||||
Endorsements
The Bellingham Herald endorsed Debbie Winskill for the November 5, 2013 board election.[4] Dexter Gordon received the endorsement of the Pierce County Democrats on October 15, 2013.[5]
Campaign finance
Candidates received a total of $43,809.53 and spent a total of $41,240.49 during the election, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission.[6]
In the Position 1 race, candidates received a total of $43,809.53 and spent a total of $41,240.49.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dexter Gordon | $43,809.53 | $41,240.49 | $2,569.04 |
| Debbie Winskill | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Past elections
2011
| Tacoma Public Schools, Position 3, Six-year term, November 8, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Scott Heinze |
51% | 20,809 | |
| Nonpartisan | Dexter Gordon | 49% | 20,012 | |
| Total Votes | 40,821 | |||
| Source: Pierce County Elections, "November 8, 2011 General Election," November 29, 2011 | ||||
| Tacoma Public Schools, Position 5, Six-year term, November 8, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Karen Vialle |
63.4% | 26,108 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kim Washington | 36.6% | 15,041 | |
| Total Votes | 41,149 | |||
| Source: Pierce County Elections, "November 8, 2011 General Election," November 29, 2011 | ||||
What was at stake?
Debbie Winskill ran for her fifth term on the board against challenger Dexter Gordon for an at-large seat.
Issues
The 2012-2013 district budget featured cuts totaling $4.5 million from the 2011-2012 budget with most cuts coming from regular instruction.[7] In 2012, Superintendent Randy Dorn named the district as an Innovation Zone. The district featured 12 schools that were considered innovative out of 33 schools throughout the state.[8]
A 3-0 vote by the Board of Directors in September 2013 approved the district's letter of intent to become a charter school authorizer. A 2012 statewide initiative allowed a limited number of charter schools to be created by 2017. Members Karen Vialle, Catherine Ushka and Kurt Miller supported a letter of intent to the Washington Board of Education while Debbie Winskill abstained and Scott Heinze was not available for the vote. The Board of Directors voted unanimously prior to Initiative 1240 to oppose charter schools in Tacoma because members believed that charters would contribute to decreased funding for existing schools.[9]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Tacoma Public Schools election in 2013:[3]
| 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 |
| August 6, 2013 | Primary day |
| August 14, 2013 | Last day to submit candidate materials for voter pamphlet |
| November 5, 2013 | Election day |
| November 26, 2013 | Certification of vote results |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Tacoma Public Schools election shared the ballot with other city offices. The ballot included the mayoral race, four positions on the Tacoma City Council and two positions on the Civil Service Board. Three seats on the Port of Tacoma Commission were up for election on November 5, 2013. Voters will also cast ballots for two statewide initiatives and five advisory votes that deal with changes to state tax policy.[3]
See also
- Washington
- Tacoma Public Schools, Washington
- List of school board elections in 2013
- Pierce 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: Tacoma," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ Pierce County Elections, "Archived Elections," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pierce County Elections, "2013 Election Guide for Candidates," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ The Bellingham Herald, "Our choices for Tacoma, Puyallup, Bethel schools," October 8, 2013
- ↑ Pierce County Democrats, "Pierce County Democrats Release Updated Endorsements for Nov. Ballot!" October 15, 2013
- ↑ Washington Public Disclosure Commission, "Local Candidates," accessed December 17, 2013
- ↑ Tacoma Public Schools, "General Fund Financial Summary," July 25, 2012
- ↑ Tacoma Public Schools, "Leading Innovation," accessed August 5, 2013
- ↑ The News Tribune, "Tacoma shows new interest in charter schools," September 22, 2013
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