Local school district's elect new members to their governing boards

UPDATE: Wade Hamilton beats incumbent David Cooley for a spot on the Bay school board with 86.89% of the vote.

Incumbent Richard Rogers beats candidate Angela Culver- with 72.82% of the vote.

Rogers will keep his seat on the Valley View school board.

CRAIGHEAD COUNTY, Ark- It’s election day for multiple school districts as they determine who will represent teachers, students, and taxpayers for the next five years.

Voters are heading to the polls today in Bay and here in Jonesboro as they determine who will be the next member of the Valley View and Bay school boards.

“Absolutely, running over three hundred for a special is pretty good so, we’re pleased with that. And it’s not even halfway through the day. So, we’re going to have a good turnout, I think by the end of the day,” says Craighead County elections coordinator Jennifer Clack.

Incumbent David Cooley and Wade Hamilton are vying for a spot on the Bay school board.

Incumbent Richard Rogers and candidate Angela Culver are both hoping to be the next board member in the Valley View School District.

The Riverside School District will also elect two members to their school board.

However, candidates Greg Douglas and Books Hatch do not have an opponent.

With little voter turnout, one man explains why they wanted to come, cast his ballot.

“The community of Bay is so important to me and, we have children that go to school at Bay,” says voter Garrett Combs. “It[s] important to have somebody in the school board that I know will do a great job and do good things for the kids and the community.”

A total of 211 people voted early.

Valley view school board incumbent Richard Rogers says he wants to work with the state legislature while on the board.

While candidate Angela Culver says she wants to advocate for school children if elected.

“The legislation just changed our funding for our buildings from a fifty-fifty match if you build a building that’s been approved. To us only getting 11% from state funding to build that building,” says incumbent Rogers. So, I want to work with the legislature hand-in-hand to try and get that pushed back to at least fifty-fifty.”

“This is a way I felt I could use my unique talents and skills set to bring a different perspective to the [school] board,” Culver says. “ I would like to represent our working moms. I would like to be a better advocate for children. I would like to work on inclusiveness in our school district.”