Scranton School District elections (2013)
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Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links References |
Scranton School District |
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Five seats were up for election on the Scranton Board of Education. Six candidates were seeking four seats with full terms. There was an unexpired two-year term with two candidates including an incumbent who was listed for both seats.
About the district
- See also: Scranton School District, Pennsylvania
Scranton School District serves K-12 students in Scranton, the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Scranton had a population of 76,089 according to the 2010 U.S. Census.[1]
Demographics
Scranton lagged behind state rates for higher education achievement, median income and poverty according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The percentage of city residents over 25 years old with bachelor's degrees (19.2%) was lower than the state average (26.7%). The 2010 U.S. Census calculated a median income of $36,968 in Scranton and $51,651 in the state of Pennsylvania. Scranton had a poverty rate of 20.4% in 2010 while Pennsylvania's poverty rate was 12.6%.[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 Scranton Board of Education consists of nine members who are elected at-large to four-year terms. There was a primary on May 21, 2013 and the general election was held on November 5, 2013. Five seats including an unexpired two-year term were on the ballot in 2013 and five seats will be up for election on November 3, 2015.
Candidates running in the May primary were required to file nominating petitions with the Lackawanna County Board of Elections by March 12, 2013. The last day for candidates nominated in the primary to withdraw from the ballot was August 12, 2013. Voters could register for the general election through October 7, 2013. The Board of Elections allowed voters to request civilian absentee ballots until October 29, 2013 and accepted these ballots until November 1, 2013.[3]
Elections
2013
Candidates
Full terms
- Attending, East Stroudsbourg University
- Customer service, Gerrity's Supermarket
- Graduate, Culinary Institute of America
- Culinary arts instructor, Lackawanna Career Technology Center
- Incumbent
- Retired educator
- Adjunct instructor, University of Scranton
- Incumbent
- Owner, D&S Auto Sales
- Retired police officer
- Incumbent
- Bus driver, County of Lackawanna Transit System
Carol Oleski
- Paraprofessional, Northeast Educational Intermediate Unit (NEIU)
Unexpired term
- Graduate, Temple University
- Political consultant
- Incumbent
- Bus driver, County of Lackawanna Transit System
Election results
| Scranton School District, At-large General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democrat |  Robert Casey |
19.9% | 9,014 | |
| Democrat | Mark McAndrew |
19% | 8,627 | |
| Cross filed | Cy Douaihy Incumbent |
18.4% | 8,354 | |
| Cross filed | Bob Sheridan Incumbent |
16.9% | 7,648 | |
| Republican | Bob Lesh Incumbent | 13.1% | 5,938 | |
| Republican | Carol Oleski | 12.2% | 5,546 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in | 0.5% | 240 | |
| Total Votes | 45,367 | |||
| Source: Lackawanna County, "Certified Election Results," accessed December 14, 2013] | ||||
| Scranton School District, At-large General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democrat | Kyle Donahue |
62.2% | 8,977 | |
| Republican | Bob Lesh Incumbent | 37.4% | 5,390 | |
| Total Votes | 14,423 | |||
| Source: Lackawanna County, "Certified Election Results," accessed December 14, 2013] | ||||
Campaign Finance
No contributions or expenditures were reported during the election, according to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State.[4]
Endorsements
The Times-Tribune endorsed Cy Douaihy and Mark McAndrew ahead of the November 5, 2013 general election.[5]
Primary
| Scranton School District, Democratic Primary, May 21, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Robert Casey |
12% | 4,272 | |
| Democratic | Cy Douaihy Incumbent |
11% | 3,900 | |
| Democratic | Bob Sheridan Incumbent |
10.6% | 3,773 | |
| Democratic | Mark McAndrew |
10.5% | 3,727 | |
| Democratic | Bob Lesh Incumbent | 9.8% | 3,495 | |
| Democratic | Carol Oleski | 8.4% | 2,984 | |
| Democratic | Tom Schuster | 8.2% | 2,925 | |
| Democratic | Tom Borthwick | 8.1% | 2,872 | |
| Democratic | James J. Timlin | 7% | 2,492 | |
| Democratic | Kevin J. Manley | 5.6% | 1,980 | |
| Democratic | Todd Hartman | 5.1% | 1,818 | |
| Democratic | Douglas J. Miller | 3.5% | 1,234 | |
| Democratic | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 92 | |
| Total Votes | 35,564 | |||
| Source: Lackawanna County Board of Elections | ||||
| Scranton School District, Republican Primary, May 21, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Bob Sheridan Incumbent |
14.4% | 907 | |
| Republican | Carol Oleski |
12.9% | 811 | |
| Republican | Bob Lesh Incumbent |
11.5% | 724 | |
| Republican | Cy Douaihy Incumbent |
10.9% | 682 | |
| Republican | Mark McAndrew | 10.5% | 659 | |
| Republican | Robert Casey | 10.4% | 653 | |
| Republican | Tom Borthwick | 9.6% | 604 | |
| Republican | James J. Timlin | 8.8% | 550 | |
| Republican | Tom Schuster | 8.7% | 546 | |
| Republican | Write-in votes | 2.3% | 145 | |
| Total Votes | 6,281 | |||
| Source: Lackawanna County Board of Elections | ||||
Past elections
2011
| Scranton School District, At-large, November 8, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Nathan C. Barrett |
18.1% | 8,597 | |
| Democratic | Jason A. Shrive |
17.7% | 8,422 | |
| Democratic | Sean O'Shea |
15.4% | 7,323 | |
| Republican | Kathleen M. McGuigan |
14.9% | 7,097 | |
| Republican | Lyn Ruane |
14.7% | 7,009 | |
| Republican | Bill Fox | 10.4% | 4,949 | |
| Republican | James J. Timlin | 8.8% | 4,177 | |
| Total Votes | 47,574 | |||
| Source: Lackawanna County Board of Elections | ||||
What was at stake?
Incumbents Cy Douaihy, Bob Lesh and Bob Sheridan sought re-election to full terms on the board. They were joined by Robert Casey, Mark McAndrew and Carol Oleski in pursing four available seats on November 5, 2013. Voters also filled an unexpired two-year term left by the resignation of Sean O'Shea in April due to obligations in the Pennsylvania National Guard. The Lackawanna County Democratic Party selected Kyle Donahue as their candidate for the seat in September. Bob Lesh also pursued the unexpired term as the Republican candidate.[6]
Federal lawsuit by suspended principal
On October 25, 2013, suspended Robert Morris Elementary principal Gwendolyn Damiano filed a lawsuit in federal court against the district claiming deprivation of her right to due process. Damiano was suspended by the district on July 3, 2013 due to allegations that she failed to adequately oversee administration of state standardized tests in the school. The district was under investigation by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as cheating allegations clouded local schools. District officials suspended four teachers and recommended the firing of another teacher related to these investigations. The Board of Education overturned these suspensions and prevented the firing.[7]
Her lawsuit claims that the district failed to provide a timely appeal of her suspension due to the upcoming school board election. Damiano's lawsuit accuses five board members including Cy Douaihy, Bob Lesh and Bob Sheridan of delaying her September 19, 2013 appeal hearing to avoid embarrassment ahead of the election. The board held three preliminary hearings in August and early September but canceled the September 19 hearing without rescheduling the meeting.[7]
Key deadlines
The following table lists important dates for the Scranton Board of Education elections:[8]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| February 19, 2013 | First day to circulate and file nomination petitions |
| March 12, 2013 | Last day to circulate and file nominating petitions |
| March 27, 2013 | Last day for withdrawal by candidates who filed nomination petitions |
| April 22, 2013 | Last day to register before primary |
| May 14, 2013 | Last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot |
| May 17, 2013 | Last day for County Board of Elections to receive voted civilian absentee ballots |
| May 21, 2013 | Municipal primary |
| May 28, 2013 | Last day for County Board of Elections to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots |
| August 12, 2013 | Last day for withdrawal by candidates nominated at the primary |
| October 7, 2013 | Last day to register before the November election |
| October 29, 2013 | Last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot |
| November 1, 2013 | Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive voted civilian absentee ballots |
| November 5, 2013 | Municipal election |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Scranton Board of Education elections shared the general election ballot with other local and county elections. Voters in Scranton cast ballots for Mayor, Tax Collector and three seats on the City Council. The ballot also included races for Lackawanna County Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills and Sheriff. Voters also chose candidates for District Attorney and seats on the Superior Court and Court of Common Pleas.[9]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Scranton + School + District + Pennsylvania"
See also
- Pennsylvania
- Scranton School District, Pennsylvania
- List of school board elections in 2013
- Lackawanna 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
- District page
- Lackawanna County Department of Elections
- Northeast Pennsylvania Democratic Caucus
- Lackawanna County Republican Party
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 2010 U.S. Census, "Quick Facts: Scranton," accessed November 1, 2013
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Voter Registration Statistics," accessed November 1, 2013
- ↑ Lackawanna County Board of Elections, "Voter Registration," accessed November 1, 2013
- ↑ "Pennsylvania Department of State," "Campaign Finance Online Reporting," accessed December 19, 2013
- ↑ The Times-Tribune, "School board in transition Vacancies, cross-filing complicate ballot, politics," October 29, 2013
- ↑ The Times-Tribune, "Dems pick nominee for Scranton School board," September 11, 2013
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Times-Tribune, "Suspended Scranton principal sues several school directors," October 26, 2013
- ↑ Lackawanna County Board of Elections, "Important Dates to Remember," accessed November 1, 2013
- ↑ Lackawanna County Board of Elections, "Sample Ballot," accessed November 1, 2013
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