Metro Atlanta runoff elections for school board may come with little fanfare and low turnout, but one race Tuesday came down to the wire — and appears to be within the margin for a recount.
Rachel Stone, a legal professional and former teacher, finished ahead of incumbent Gwinnett County school board member Karen Watkins in District 1, according to unofficial results.
The margin with all precincts reporting results was just 17 votes. Results are expected to be finalized by the end of the week.
Also in Gwinnett, business owner Steve Gasper won in District 3 over education professional and former teacher Shana White. He will replace Mary Kay Murphy, who is stepping down at the end of the year, her 28th on the board.
In the initial elections in these nonpartisan races in May, Gasper was the leading District 3 vote-getter in a field of five. Watkins led in District 1 with 41% versus Stone’s 31% in a field of three. In those elections, board member Tarece Johnson-Morgan secured another term by receiving a majority in her three-person race.
Gasper has spoken to the board frequently in recent years, speaking critically of policies related to the pandemic and also proposals such as a shift to comprehensive sex education resources. In written statements provided to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he voiced support for reversing a discipline policy adopted two years ago.
Stone, a recent special education and career and technical education teacher in Gwinnett, said she would like to provide teachers guaranteed duty-free lunches and bathroom breaks. She noted special education teachers need time set aside for their numerous administrative and planning responsibilities.
The last time these seats were up for grabs, in 2020, the circumstances of the race were different. School board elections were partisan and on the November ballot.
Almost 95,000 people voted in District 1, and just over 89,000 people voted in District 3. The turnout Tuesday in District 1 was about 3,700. In District 3, it was about 6,700.
DeKalb County result
Tiffany Tate Hogan will be the final member of the seven-person board in DeKalb, defeating Donna Priest-Brown in District 5. Hogan replaces Vickie B. Turner, who is in her 10th year on the school board. Turner did not seek reelection. The DeKalb school board races are also nonpartisan.
Hogan’s campaign website states she is a “strong advocate for educational equity” with more than 25 years of experience in public education. She states she has a doctorate in education and coordinates assessments in a local district. “My main goal is to ensure fairness in education, making sure every child receives the support they need to thrive and find their purpose.”
New members Hogan, Awet “Howard” Eyasu and Andrew Ziffer will join the board in 2025.
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