Arlington Independent School District elections (2014)
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Two seats on the Arlington Board of Trustees were up for general election on May 10, 2014. Place 6 incumbent and board president Bowie Hogg won re-election to the board without opposition. Kecia Mays defeated fellow challenger Bridgett Davis for the Place 7 seat held by Tony Pompa. Pompa did not file for re-election by the February 28, 2014 deadline.
About the district
Arlington Independent School District is located in Arlington, Texas, a city located in Tarrant County. According to the United States Census Bureau, Arlington is home to 375,600 residents.[1] Arlington Independent School District was the ninth-largest school district in Texas, serving 64,703 students during the 2011-2012 school year.[2]
Demographics
Arlington outperformed the rest of Texas in terms of higher education achievement in 2010. The United States Census Bureau found that 28.7 percent of Arlington residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 26.3 percent for Texas as a whole. The median household income in Arlington was $53,341 compared to $51,563 for the state of Texas. The poverty rate in Arlington was 15.9 percent compared to 17.4 percent for the entire state.[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.
Voter and candidate information
The Arlington Board of Trustees consists of seven members elected to three-year terms. Each member is elected to a specific seat but represents the entire district. There was no primary election and a general election took place on May 10, 2014. Three seats will be on the ballot in May 2015 and two seats will be up for election in May 2016.[4]
Candidates for the Board of Trustees submitted paperwork with the school district secretary by February 28, 2014. Each candidate must be at least 18 years old, a registered voter and a resident of the district for at least six months. Members filed two campaign finance reports with the district clerk prior to the election unless they did not receive or spend $500 during the campaign.[4]
Elections
2014
Candidates
Place 6
- Bowie Hogg
- Incumbent
- Graduate, Texas A&M University
- Human resources executive, Aon Hewitt
- Fellow, Next Generation Project, University of Texas-Austin
Place 7
- Bridgett Davis
- Homemaker
- Ran for board seats in 2011 and 2012
- Kecia Mays
- Graduate, Texas A&M University
- Auditor, Texas State Comptroller's Office
- Ran for board seat in 2012
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Bowie Hogg Incumbent |
100% | 9,637 | |
| Total Votes | 9,637 | |||
| Source: Tarrant County Elections, "Cumulative Results-Official," May 21, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kecia Mays |
54.7% | 6,232 | |
| Nonpartisan | Bridgett Davis | 45.3% | 5,159 | |
| Total Votes | 11,391 | |||
| Source: Tarrant County Elections, "Cumulative Results-Official," May 10, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
Kecia Mays received the endorsement of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the United Educators Association and the Arlington Board of Realtors.[5]
Campaign finance
Candidates reported a total of $7,410 and spent a total of $2,827.28 prior to the election, according to the district office.[6]
In the Place 6 race, candidates raised a total of $2,545.00 and spent a total of $550.00.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie Hogg | $2,545.00 | $550.00 | $3,568.28 |
In the Place 7 race, candidates raised a total of $4,865.00 and spent a total of $2,277.28.
| Candidate | Contributions | Expenditures | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgett Davis | $2,565.00 | $1,071.25 | $1,493.75 |
| Kecia Mays | $2,300.00 | $1,206.03 | $1,093.97 |
Past elections
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2013
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What was at stake?
Issues in the district
Concerns over bond debt
An April 13, 2014 report by the Arlington Voice found that the district could accrue $500 million in interest and principal payments from the $663 million bond passed on May 10, 2014. The district already holds $465 million in debt according to the state comptroller's office. Pro-bond advocacy group Arlington First and district officials had not discussed the debt in public meetings. District financial supervisor Cindy Powell has noted that the debt is difficult to ascertain given daily fluctuations in bond interest rates. The approved bond package will finance expanded district facilities and new athletic and fine arts buildings.[7]
Bullying incident at Lynn Hale Elementary
Parents filed complaints with district officials and the Arlington Police Department regarding a bullying incident at Lynn Hale Elementary School on February 21, 2014. The complaint accused a police officer of gathering 25 students in the cafeteria for a lecture about bullying. The students were accused of bullying fellow students, photographed and told they would be observed for further bullying activity. Parents involved in the complaint note that they heard about the incident from their children rather than school administrators. The district does not have a full-time resource officer and officials are investigating the incident along with the police department.[8]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Arlington Independent School District election in 2014:[4]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| January 29, 2014 | First day to file paperwork for ballot placement |
| February 28, 2014 | Last day to file paperwork for ballot placement |
| March 5, 2014 | Last day to withdraw from ballot |
| April 10, 2014 | Due date for first campaign finance report |
| April 10, 2014 | Last day for voter registration with county clerk |
| May 1, 2014 | Last day to request mailed ballot from county clerk |
| May 2, 2014 | Due date for second campaign finance report |
| May 10, 2014 | Election day |
| May 21, 2014 | Final day for canvassing of votes |
| July 15, 2014 | Last campaign finance report for election |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Arlington Board of Trustees election shared the ballot with races for four seats on the Arlington City Council.[9] District residents voted by a 40-percent margin to approve a $663 million bond intended for new school construction and facilities upgrades.[10]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Arlington + Independent + School + District"
See also
- Texas
- Arlington Independent School District, Texas
- Texas school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Tarrant County, Texas ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, Texas
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 United States Census Bureau, "Arlington, Texas," accessed March 4, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Historical Election Results," accessed March 4, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Arlington Independent School District, "Election Information," accessed March 4, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ Committee to Elect Kecia Mays, "Endorsements," accessed May 2, 2014
- ↑ Arlington Independent School District, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed April 14, 2014
- ↑ AISD admits half-billion in extra debt if bond package passes," April 13, 2014
- ↑ CBS DFW, "Parents Accuse Police And Educators Of Bullying Elementary Students," February 28, 2014
- ↑ City of Arlington, "Election Information," accessed March 4, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ Star-Telegram, "Arlington trustees unanimously approve $663 million bond election," February 14, 2014
| 2014 Arlington Independent School District Elections | |
| Arlington, Texas | |
| Election date: | May 10, 2014 |
| Candidates: | Place 6: • Bowie Hogg Place 7: • Bridgett Davis • Kecia Mays |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
