Some school boards to see new faces; many races close

A few local school board members were unseated in tight races Tuesday night, and one Jordan Board of Education challenge came down to a single vote, unofficial election results show.

Granite incumbents Hank Bertoch and Judy Weeks fell to challengers Gayleen Gandy and Terry Bawden, respectively. Gandy garnered 51 percent of the vote; Bawden, 54 percent.

"Right now, I feel glad that we're ahead, but I realize we don't have all the votes in," Bawden said. "I just know it's been a hard-fought campaign; I think that the vote right now is indicating ... people in our area want a change."

In Alpine District, Challenger Tim Osborn took out one-term incumbent Keith Swain with 52 percent of the votes in a tight race.

In Tooele, challenger Carol Jensen beat board incumbent Jerry Powers with 63 percent of the vote.

"It's great news. I had high hopes because I was so committed to this — I literally knocked on every single door in Stansbury," Jensen said.

But no races were tighter than the one in Jordan District, where challenger Tracy Cowdell squeaked by incumbent Lynette Phillips by a single vote.

The close tally brings an automatic recount.

"It's hard to be overly excited about this thing right because its just one vote — it could go either way," Cowdell said.

"I'm in shock," Phillips said. "I've heard from a lot of people tonight who voted absentee, and they said they voted for me. I'm just going to hold my breath."

Granite and Jordan board of education races followed controversial votes to close elementary schools in those areas, with all but one Jordan incumbent challenged.

Granite incumbent Julene Jolley was able to keep her post with 55 percent of the votes over challenger Diana Bevan. And colleague Connie Burgess kept her seat, defeating challenger Nathaniel Childs with 68 percent of the vote.

In Jordan, incumbent Peggy Jo Kennett held a slight lead over challenger Lori Curtice with 98 percent of votes tallied. An open Jordan seat was a squeaker: With 96 percent of the votes tallied, Kim Murphy Horiuchi had a slight lead over Jerry Christensen at press time.

In other district races:

In Nebo, Rodney H. Oldroyd took an open Springville area Board of Education seat with 70 percent of the vote. He ran against fellow political new-comer Charles "Garn" Coombs.

Provo Board of Education President Shannon Poulsen appeared to have handily beaten challenger Norman K. Thurston.

"I think it gives me confidence that we're moving in the right direction with our (plan), projects that we put forward in the bond" that voters approved June 27 for new construction projects, Poulsen said.

Davis Board of Education incumbent Tamara Lowe beat challenger Annette Penrod with 83 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns reported by the Davis County clerk.

Murray incumbent Lloyd Naylor beat challenger Xander Gordon with 58 percent of the vote.

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