Sharon H. Van Leer
Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This board member is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.
Sharon H. Van Leer is an at-large representative on the South Washington County Schools school board in Minnesota. First elected in 2013, Van Leer won a new term in the at-large general election on November 7, 2017.
Biography
Van Leer earned an A.A. in business administration from Century College in 1996 and a B.A. in business from Metropolitan State University in 2001. Van Leer studied both for an M.P.A. and a master's degree in organizational leadership from Bethel University. She began her career as a claims processor for the Higher Education Assistance Foundation, and in 1991, she left that position to join the William Mitchell College of Law as a multicultural specialist.[1][2]
Elections
2017
Five of the seven seats on the South Washington County Schools school board in Minnesota were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. Four seats were up for general election to regular four-year terms, and the fifth seat was up for special election to a two-year term due to a vacancy on the board.[3] In the race for the four-year terms, at-large incumbents Tracy Brunnette, Katie Schwartz, and Sharon H. Van Leer won re-election. Incumbent Katy McElwee-Stevens did not win re-election, as Patricia Driscoll won the fourth seat. Challengers Thor Halverson, Alexandra Hedberg, Douglas Hoffman, David Pyrz, and William Thurmes were defeated in that race. Heather Hirsch won the two-year term, defeating Wael Abdelkader, Sean Brown, Duane Girard, and Steve Lagoon.[4][5]
Results
| South Washington County Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Patricia Driscoll |
11.96% | 4,353 |
| Katie Schwartz Incumbent |
11.07% | 4,031 |
| Tracy Brunnette Incumbent |
10.92% | 3,977 |
| Sharon H. Van Leer Incumbent |
10.91% | 3,970 |
| William Thurmes | 10.04% | 3,656 |
| Alexandra Hedberg | 9.84% | 3,582 |
| Katy McElwee-Stevens Incumbent | 9.53% | 3,471 |
| Douglas Hoffman | 9.19% | 3,345 |
| David Pyrz | 8.97% | 3,267 |
| Thor Halverson | 7.01% | 2,553 |
| Write-in votes | 0.55% | 199 |
| Total Votes | 36,404 | |
| Source: South Washington County Schools, "School Board Meeting Minutes November 16, 2017," accessed December 8, 2017 | ||
Funding
The South Washington County Schools does not publish and freely disclose school board candidate campaign finance reports. If you have any information regarding the campaign finance disclosures in this race, please contact the school board elections team at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Endorsements
Van Leer was endorsed by the United Teachers of South Washington County, OutFront Minnesota Action, and former South Washington County Superintendent Tom Nelson.[6]
2013
Sharon Van Leer, Katy McElwee-Stevens, Katie Schwartz, and Tracy Brunnette defeated ten other candidates to win four at-large seats with four-year terms in the general election on November 5, 2013.
Results
| South Washington County Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year terms, 2013 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan | Katie Schwartz |
11.5% | 3,239 | |
| Nonpartisan | Tracy Brunnette Incumbent |
10.6% | 2,990 | |
| Nonpartisan | Katy McElwee-Stevens Incumbent |
9.4% | 2,648 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sharon H. Van Leer |
8.7% | 2,464 | |
| Nonpartisan | Molly Lutz | 8.7% | 2,458 | |
| Nonpartisan | David G. Kemper Incumbent | 8% | 2,267 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mike Thissen | 6.7% | 1,900 | |
| Nonpartisan | Michael P. Edman | 6.7% | 1,880 | |
| Nonpartisan | Raj Gandhi | 6.4% | 1,803 | |
| Nonpartisan | Frederick E. Hess | 5.9% | 1,679 | |
| Nonpartisan | Leilani Holmstadt | 5.5% | 1,567 | |
| Nonpartisan | Wayne A. Johnson | 5.5% | 1,541 | |
| Nonpartisan | John P. Griffin, II | 4.7% | 1,323 | |
| Nonpartisan | Safiyyah Cummings | 1.2% | 339 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.6% | 163 | |
| Total Votes | 28,261 | |||
| Source: Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, "Results for Selected Contests in School District No. 833 - South Washington County," accessed December 18, 2013 and South Washington County Bulletin, "Recount confirms Van Leer District 833 School Board victory," November 22, 2013 | ||||
Funding
Van Leer reported $1,832.62 in contributions and $1,826.66 in expenditures to South Washington County Schools, which left her campaign with $5.96 on hand in the election.[7]
Endorsements
Van Leer was endorsed by former district superintendent Tom Nelson.[8]
Campaign themes
2017
Van Leer participated in the following survey conducted by the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. The survey questions appear bolded, and Van Leer's responses follow below.
What qualifies you to hold this position?
| “ | My direct involvement over the past 35 years with our school system has given me the necessary tools to be an advocate for children, and the opportunity to empower and engage residents in open meaningful dialog. My experience has given me the opportunity to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.[9] | ” |
| —Sharon H. Van Leer (2017)[10] | ||
What would your top priorities be if elected?
| “ | I support academic excellence, meaning every student has the resources and opportunities that prepare them for a successful future in a global society. I support the levy and referendum. Regaining financial stability to ensure that our tax dollars benefit the education of our children, and we make ethical, and fiscally responsible decisions.[9] | ” |
| —Sharon H. Van Leer (2017)[10] | ||
What do you think is the primary role of government?
| “ | The Constitution was adopted to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insures domestic tranquility, provides for common defense, promotes the general welfare of citizens, and secures liberty for all. Government is responsible for the national policy, contributing to sustainable economic development, and to health and safety of all people.[9] | ” |
| —Sharon H. Van Leer (2017)[10] | ||
2013
In a survey with United for MN School District 833, Van Leer provided the following campaign themes:
| “ |
[...]I would like to see District 833 continue to invest in technology for our children and to support academic excellence. Every child should have access to opportunities to prepare for a successful future in a global society. In addition, the District needs to continue on the path to ensure that our children are safe inside and outside of the schools. [...]
|
” |
| —Sharon H. Van Leer (2013)[11] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Sharon H. Van Leer South Washington County Schools school board. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- South Washington County Schools, Minnesota
- South Washington County Schools elections (2017)
- South Washington County Schools elections (2013)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Van Leer for Schools, "Sharon’s Biography," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Sharon Vanleer," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ South Washington County Bulletin, "Candidacy Filing Notice," June 26, 2017
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Results for Selected Contests in School District No. 833 - SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY," accessed November 7, 2017
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, "Candidate Filings: 2017 Municipal and School District Elections," accessed August 16, 2017
- ↑ Sharon Van Leer District 833 School Board, "Endorsements," accessed October 26, 2017
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through e-mail from the Communications department of South Washington County Schools on January 3, 2014
- ↑ Van Leer for Schools, "Endorsements," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Twin Cities Pioneer Press, "Minnesota elections: South Washington County school board candidates," October 24, 2017
- ↑ United for MN School District 833, "Sharon Van Leer," accessed October 22, 2013
 |
State of Minnesota St. Paul (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
