Plenty of school-board candidates

Oakridge Elementary's principal wants a promotion — to the Granite Board of Education.

Carole Cannon in Tuesday's primary election is challenging Lynn Davidson, who has served on the school board 19 years.

"I know Lynn Davidson well. We're very good friends. It's not about him," said Cannon, who just retired after leading the east-side Granite school eight years. "It's something I've always wanted to do."

Davidson welcomes the challenge from his friend. He'll also face a third candidate: Rod Vogel, a retired Salt Lake City schoolteacher and Delta Air Lines worker turned school volunteer.

"I think," Vogel said, "it's time for a change."

A lot of people share the sentiment.

Fourteen candidates are competing for spots on the Tooele Board of Education, forcing primaries in all four seats up for election this year.

Twenty-six Salt Lake County residents are seeking board seats, forcing eight primary races in Salt Lake City, Jordan and Granite districts. Two of those boards' presidents — Sarah Meier in Granite and Clifford Higbee in Salt Lake City — face challenges.

Salt Lake County's field is packed compared to 1994, when just one district, Jordan, had enough candidates — three or more — to require a primary, County Clerk Sherrie Swensen said.

It's not as crowded as it was two years ago, when Granite and Jordan districts added two seats and 30 residents threw their hats into the ring.

Richard Stowell, executive director of the Utah School Boards Association, welcomes the public interest.

"We obviously think that's a good thing, when people have that interest and take civic responsibility and want to be more involved in what's going on in their communities."

New seats are being added this year in Nebo, Ogden, Provo, Tooele, Box Elder, Cache and Washington districts, because they have more than 10,000 students.

But not all enticed loads of candidates. In Provo, three incumbents are running unopposed; two other open seats post two candidates each.

Murray District also posts just one candidate in each of two open seats. And in Davis, all three incumbents are unopposed.

Here are primary election candidates for school boards in Utah, Salt Lake and Tooele counties, according to elections Web site postings. For more information, contact your county clerk's office.