Ann Arbor Public Schools elections (2016)

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2018 → ← 2014
Ann Arbor Public Schools Elections
General election date:
November 8, 2016
Enrollment (13–14):
16,454 students

Three of the seven seats on the Ann Arbor Public Schools school board were up for general election on November 8, 2016. Incumbents Simone Lightfoot and Deb Mexicotte filed for re-election, while Andy Thomas opted not to seek a new term. Lightfoot and Mexicotte ran against challengers Jeff Gaynor, Rebecca Lazarus, Jeremy Glick, Harmony Mitchell, Don Wilkerson, and Hunter Van Valkenburgh. Gaynor, Lightfoot, and Mitchell won in the election. Find out how Ann Arbor's school board races stack up with other Michigan school districts here. The candidates' views on issues facing the district were compared in this table.

Elections

Voter and candidate information

The Ann Arbor Board of Education consists of seven members elected at large to four-year terms. Michigan school board candidates had to file with their county elections department during the candidate filing period, which concluded on July 26, 2016. The deadline to withdraw from the election was July 29, 2016. Candidates needed to submit nominating petitions with signatures from district residents or $100 non-refundable deposits to reach the ballot. The deadline for voters to register for the election was October 11, 2016.

At-large

Results

Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 4-year terms, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jeff Gaynor	16.04%	22,258
Simone Lightfoot Incumbent	15.48%	21,487
Harmony Mitchell	14.78%	20,507
Deb Mexicotte Incumbent	14.07%	19,524
Hunter Van Valkenburgh	12.66%	17,566
Rebecca Lazarus	11.40%	15,822
Don Wilkerson	7.88%	10,940
Jeremy Glick	7.00%	9,718
Write-in votes	0.68%	940
Total Votes		138,762
Source: Washtenaw County, Michigan, "Official Election Results," accessed November 22, 2016

Candidates

Simone Lightfoot		Deb Mexicotte		Jeff Gaynor		Rebecca Lazarus
	Incumbent		Incumbent
Jeremy Glick		Harmony Mitchell		Don Wilkerson		Hunter Van Valkenburgh

Additional elections

See also: Michigan elections, 2016

School board elections in Michigan shared the ballot with races for president of the United States, U.S. House seats, and state legislative seats.

Key deadlines

The following dates were key deadlines for Michigan school board elections in 2016:

Deadline	Event
July 26, 2016	Candidate filing deadline
July 29, 2016	Deadline for candidates to withdraw from ballot
October 11, 2016	Voter registration deadline for general election
October 28, 2016	Pre-election campaign finance reporting deadline
November 8, 2016	General election
December 8, 2016	Post-election campaign finance reporting deadline

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

See also: List of school board campaign finance deadlines in 2016

School board candidates in Michigan were required to file pre-election campaign finance reports with their county election offices by October 28, 2016. Post-election reports were due by December 8, 2016.

In Michigan, candidates are prohibited from receiving contributions from corporations or labor organizations. Within 10 days of becoming a candidate, candidates must form a candidate committee. Following the creation of the committee, candidates have an additional 10 days to register the committee with the school district filing official by filing a statement of organization. A candidate committee that does not expect to receive or spend more than $1,000 during the election cycle is eligible to receive a reporting waiver, which allows that committee not to file pre-election, post-election, and annual campaign statements.

October 28 filing

Candidates received a total of $15,654.22 and spent a total of $8,378.46 as of October 30, 2016, according to the Wasthenaw County Clerk/Register.

Candidate	Contributions	Expenditures	Cash on hand
Simone Lightfoot (incumbent)	$4,143.57	$3,282.62	$1,005.98
Deb Mexicotte (incumbent)	$2,262.30	$450.00	$1,812.30
Jeff Gaynor	$1,361.12	$0.00	$1,361.12
Jeremy Glick	$3,815.00	$3,281.60	$553.40
Rebecca Lazarus	$1,350.00	$1,364.24	-$14.24
Harmony Mitchell	$1,361.12	$0.00	$1,361.12
Don Wilkerson	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Hunter Van Valkenburgh	$1,361.11	$0.00	$1,361.11

Past elections

Information about earlier elections can be found by clicking [show] at the right.

2014 Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2014 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Nonpartisan Susan Baskett Incumbent 15.1% 17,121      Nonpartisan Donna Lasinski 13.9% 15,794      Nonpartisan Christine Stead Incumbent 13.2% 14,941      Nonpartisan Patricia Ashford Manley 12.2% 13,845      Nonpartisan Hunter Van Valkenburgh 10.4% 11,847      Nonpartisan Jeffery Harrold 8.5% 9,643      Nonpartisan Roland Zullo 7.2% 8,183      Nonpartisan Don Wilkerson 7% 7,908      Nonpartisan Jack Panitch 6.9% 7,785      Nonpartisan Deirdre Piper 5.6% 6,353 Total Votes 113,420 Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Election Summary Report," accessed December 29, 2014 2012 Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2012 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Nonpartisan Deb Mexicotte Incumbent 63.2% 31,440      Nonpartisan Dale R. Leslie 35.7% 17,761      Nonpartisan Write-in votes 1.1% 557 Total Votes 49,758 Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Official Election Results - Cumulative Report," accessed September 1, 2014 2011 Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2011 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Nonpartisan Andy Thomas Incumbent 24.2% 5,840      Nonpartisan Simone Lightfoot Incumbent 21.8% 5,261      Nonpartisan Lawrence A. Murphy 18.4% 4,430      Nonpartisan Patrick Leonard 17.3% 4,181      Nonpartisan Ahmar Iqbal 14.4% 3,473      Nonpartisan Albert Howard 3.5% 854      Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.4% 92 Total Votes 24,131 Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Official Election Results - Cumulative Report," accessed September 1, 2014 2010 Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Nonpartisan Susan Baskett Incumbent 49.7% 25,243      Nonpartisan Christine Stead Incumbent 49.4% 25,090      Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.9% 478 Total Votes 50,811 Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Official Election Results - Cumulative Report," accessed September 1, 2014 Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large Special Election, 2-year term, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Nonpartisan Deb Mexicotte Incumbent 98.7% 26,553      Nonpartisan Write-in votes 1.3% 347 Total Votes 26,900 Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Official Election Results - Cumulative Report," accessed September 1, 2014 Ann Arbor Public Schools, At-Large Special Election, 1-year term, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Nonpartisan Simone Lightfoot Incumbent 50.7% 24,877      Nonpartisan Andy Thomas Incumbent 48.5% 23,776      Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.8% 389 Total Votes 49,042 Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Official Election Results - Cumulative Report," accessed September 1, 2014

What was at stake?

Election trends

Ann Arbor's 2016 school board elections featured more candidates per seat than the district's 2014 elections. Voters saw 2.67 candidates per seat up for election in 2016, while the 2014 ballot featured 2.5 candidates per seat. The district's 2016 elections surpassed the 2.3 candidates per seat average for all Michigan school board elections covered by Ballotpedia. Ann Arbor's 2.5 candidates per seat in 2014 exceeded the 2.09 candidates per seat for Michigan districts in Ballotpedia's coverage. The following table compares candidates per seat in 2014 and 2016 for school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in Michigan and the United States:

Comparing candidate positions

Seven of eight candidates for Kalamazoo school board in 2016 answered questions for the voter guide assembled by MLive.com. Hunter Van Valkenburgh did not provide responses to the survey. The following table compares the candidates' answers to the question "What is the most pressing issue for this office?"

Position summaries for school board candidates
Simone Lightfoot	Deb Mexicotte	Jeff Gaynor	Rebecca Lazarus
"Growing programs, teacher development, modernizing tools and providing the staff support necessary for student wrap around services is under constant strain. Democracy, governance and constitutional structures matter and when those structures are being attacked and dismantled, school district suffer tremendously. While we have many protective buffers in our district (financial resources, political will, educated and regarded electorate, etc.) we are not immune nor have we been spared the impacts of the pain felt by our neighbors in surrounding districts."	"The overarching issue for every Board of Education Trustee is the de-prioritization of education in the State of Michigan, especially for traditional public education. This de-prioritization is not just a funding issue, but also results in our legislators not understanding how the expertise of our educational leaders – teachers, administrators, researchers, community – must be tapped and valued to improve outcomes for our students. They don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, how students learn, that resources matter and that there are real research and experience based strategies and methodologies that improve student outcomes. As for funding, in real dollars Ann Arbor received $4 less per student last year than we did in 2003. If per-pupil funding in Ann Arbor had just kept up with inflation since the passage of Proposal A, we would be receiving an additional $2000 more per student – imagine the impact that could have on class size or individualized learning!"	"The board, as stewards for the community, must have open and transparent communication about issues and decision making. The guiding principle must be ethical decision making rather than expediency. Public Relations chatter must give way to an honest discussion of both successes and concerns, at board meetings and beyond. In order to teach students to become informed, capable and caring citizens, we must model treating the all members of the Ann Arbor Public School community with respect. We may not use some as sacrificial pawns, and ignore others, as we buy into policies that don't serve students well. Staff development is increasingly focused on how to use spreadsheets rather than on how to reach and support students in their myriad abilities, needs and developmental stages. Teachers must be held accountable to the highest standards, just as students are - but not to onerous teacher evaluations which not only divert time, but also subvert meaningful teaching and learning."	"To fiscally manage funds, reduce waste, and ensure ALL students and teachers have equal access to state-of-the-art resources, facilities, and academic programs."
Harmony Mitchell	Jeremy Glick	Don Wilkerson	Hunter Van Valkenburgh
"Unfortunately when it comes to running a school system there is no most pressing issue. The answer is complex and as tedious as building a house. The easy answer would be to suggest a balanced budget. This is a fair answer, but it does not speak to the kind of education, equity, and experience the student and staff will obtain. Like a house there are many fine details involved from minor, paint color, to major, plumbing and the roof involved. So while we can certainly lay a strong foundation with a balanced budget, if we don't build a functioning structure it will not matter. It is my hope that each board member brings their perspective to the table with the goal of better serving the students, staff, and community in mind."	"The most pressing issue which faces the Ann Arbor Board of Education, is the issue of the state's defunding of public education. In recent history, the state has made multiple cuts to the funding of public education, which have forced districts to eliminate cherished programs, increase classroom size, or privatize services. As a Trustee of the Board of Education, I will lobby state officials for increased funding to public education in order to benefit our students. I will also campaign for millages which benefit, and candidates who are allies for our schools. Beyond the political scope, there is also the aspect of fiscal responsibility. As a Trustee, I will work to ensure that the funds we receive are used in the best and most efficient ways possible, and protect the financial future of the district and our students."	"The most pressing issue for this office is a lack of community engagement and outreach. If we look at many of the issues we face In Ann Arbor, they either stem from groups within our community not having an adequate voice in shaping the future of our community, or from a lack ways to engage the community to promote additional creative ideas to address the constraints we face. If we implement policies and procedures that support a two-way dialogue, not only can we ensure that every voice is heard, but we can also draw creative solutions from our diverse group of stakeholders to address the issues we have in our district. If we bring all the stakeholders of our community to the table, together we can positively shape the outcome of education within Ann Arbor!"	The candidate did not provide responses to the survey.

Candidate survey

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Click here to view or fill out the survey.

About the district

See also: Ann Arbor Public Schools, Michigan

Ann Arbor Public Schools is located in Washtenaw County, Mich.

Ann Arbor Public Schools is located in Washtenaw County in southeastern Michigan. The county seat is Ann Arbor. Washtenaw County was home to 358,880 residents in 2015, according to the United States Census Bureau. The district was the sixth-largest school district in the state in the 2013–2014 school year and served 16,454 students.

Demographics

Washtenaw County outperformed Michigan as a whole in terms of higher education achievement from 2010 to 2014. The United States Census Bureau found that 51.8 percent of Washtenaw County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 26.4 percent for Michigan as a whole. The median household income for Washtenaw County was $60,805, compared to $49,087 for the entire state. The percentage of people below poverty level was 14.3 percent, while it was 16.2 percent statewide.

Racial Demographics, 2015
Race	Washtenaw County (%)	Michigan (%)
White	74.3	79.7
Black or African American	12.8	14.2
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.4	0.7
Asian	9.1	3.0
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	0.1	0.0
Two or more races	3.4	2.3
Hispanic or Latino	4.6	4.9

Presidential Voting Pattern, Washtenaw County
Year	Democratic Vote	Republican Vote
2012	120,890	56,412
2008	130,578	53,946
2004	109,953	61,455
2000	86,647	52,459

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 'Ann Arbor Public Schools' 'Michigan'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Ann Arbor Public Schools elections (2016) - Google News

See also

Ann Arbor Public Schools	Michigan	School Boards
Ann Arbor Public Schools elections (2014) List of school districts in Michigan	Michigan school board elections, 2016 Public education in Michigan Local ballot measures, Michigan	School board elections, 2016 School board elections, 2015 School board election data analysis, 2016 School board election data analysis, 2015

External links

Suggest a link

• Ann Arbor Public Schools
• Washtenaw County, Michigan
• Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Michigan Department of Education
• Michigan Association of School Boards