Published: May 07, 2008 12:21 am            

Glitch delays KCS board outcome

Faces on Kokomo-Center board to change.

A voting machine malfunction meant Kokomo-Center School Board candidates did not know who won their races until late Tuesday.

County Clerk Mona Myers said some voting machines would only read two of every three ballots in the District 4 race between incumbent Tom Reed and Cristi Brewer-Allen. Election officials decided to recount school board ballots to be sure all votes were counted.

Three of the four races were not close, as Harold Canady had 56 percent of the vote in District 1, to incumbent Ted Schuck’s 25 percent and Mickey Hart’s 19 percent. Marsha Bowling had 69 percent to Janice Warren’s 31 percent in District 2 and Wayne Luttrell had 66 percent in District 3, to Jim Main Jr.’s 34 percent.

However, in District 4, Brewer-Allen led Reed in a race that was close all evening, winning with 51 percent to Reed’s 49 percent.

Brewer-Allen said she had checked the results around 8:20 p.m., after returning from one of her children’s ball games, and was down by 12 votes.

“I was like, ‘Oh, darn, maybe next time,’” she said. Her mother then clicked “refresh” and the next total showed she was up by three votes.

“Then every time she would hit ‘refresh’ I was more and more and more ahead and I was starting to get nervous, this might actually happen.”

Brewer-Allen said she did not campaign hard out of respect to Reed, but she left it in God’s hands.

“If it was meant to be, it would happen. I’m excited. I have the most respect for him, and I’ll try to do my best. It’s going to be an exciting four years.”

Reed said he was surprised by the result.

“She actually didn’t campaign that hard that I was aware of. I thought I campaigned pretty hard, but apparently not hard enough. She’s given me a good race, which is more power to her if she wins, and more power to me if I win.”

In District 1, Canady felt his reputation in the community helped him win such a large number of voters.

“I’ve been in this community my entire life, the last 19 years as principal [of Kokomo High School.] The people who have grown up here know me. Whatever people in the community may want to think, the kids and people I have had in school know the character of who I am and what I am.”

Bowling was glad to be elected to the board after previously serving two terms as an at-large member. She had to sit out two years before running for school board again. She said she continued to mentor students and volunteer even when she was not on the board.

“I really love kids. The only reason I ran for school board is I’m passionate about it. I’m excited that I’m going to be able to possibly do great things for the students and the staff for Kokomo-Center. I believe I have something to offer.”

Luttrell was pleased that it seemed he would get to keep the District 3 position he was appointed to earlier in 2008, after Kevin Summers resigned when he took office on the Kokomo City Council.

“I’m thrilled to have won the race. Jim is really a good guy, and both of us ran because we wanted to see the school corporation go forward and really wanted to do what is best for the kids and education in this county. There are lots and lots of things to do, with the reorganization and picking the new superintendent, and lots of decisions to be made that will affect a lot of people.”

Howard County’s only other opposed school board race was for the Jackson Township seat in the Eastern Howard School Corp.

Matt Adams defeated Keith Myers for the seat, with 1,042 votes to Myers’ 744. Both candidates were newcomers, vying to replace Bill Heck, who did not run for re-election.

Adams said he looks forward to “working with the school system and the other board members and our new superintendent, Dr. [Tracy] Caddell, in continuing the excellence we’ve had at Eastern.”

In Miami County, Brian Troyer defeated Loren Hays to retain his seat on the Maconaquah School Board. In Tipton County, Rick Powell defeated Shelley Langley for the Madison Township seat on the Tipton School Board.

Danielle Rush may be reached at (765) 454-8585 or via e-mail at

danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com

Eastern Howard

Kokomo-Center

Maconaquah Corp.

Tipton Community

        

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