From contested to unopposed: School board races take shape

The filing period for Ozark County’s school board races came to a close Dec. 30, and this year three local schools have contested races while two do not. 

Gainesville School Board

The largest number of candidates in Ozark County filed for the Gainesville School Board where three open seats, each holding a 3-year term, are coming open this spring. There are eight candidates vying for those positions. 

The seats coming open are those of current school board members Marti Warden and Corey Hillhouse, as well as Jeff Lane, who ran and was elected into a 1-year term last year left open by Jerry Kiger, who resigned in order to become the high school science teacher. The position as a school employee rendered Kiger ineligible to serve on the school board. 

Two of the incumbents, Warden and Lane, have refiled to run for their seats again. Hillhouse chose not to file for this year’s election. 

In addition to the incumbents, five new candidates have filed. The complete candidate listing is as follows:

• Marti Warden,

• Jeff Lane,

• Will Johnson, 

• Ashley Hambelton, 

• Laramie Johnson, 

• Wes Uchtman, 

• Heather Bushner and 

• Amy Freeman. 

Lutie School Board

Lutie also has a contested election this year.
The school board has three total seats coming open with four candidates filing. Two of the seats come with 3-year terms and one has a 1-year term. 

The contested race comes for the two seats with 3-year terms. Three candidates have filed to be on the ballot. 

The positions are currently held by Matthew Shockey and Robert Edwards. Neither incumbent chose to refile for the position. Instead, three new candidates will be voted on:

• Wanda Deforest

• Dan Drury

• Travis Carlile

There is also a non-contested race for the final seat on the Lutie School Board, which is for a 2-year term coming open. 

It was occupied by Shanna Clayton, who resigned last year moving out of the school district, making her ineligible to serve on the school board.

Ryan Garrison was appointed to fulfill her term last year, and he has filed to run for that seat again. No one filed against him; therefore, he will serve the next 2-year term in that capacity.

Bakersfield School Board

At Bakersfield, five candidates have filed for four open school board seats. 

The school board has three seats coming open, each with a 3-year term. The three incumbents currently serving in those positions refiled. No one filed against them; therefore, they will serve the next 3-year terms. Those members are:

• Matthew Evans, 

• Tim Watlington and 

• Darren Johnston. 

There is also one seat coming open with a 1-year term. That seat was vacated by former school board member Chris Bales after he resigned last year to take the building trades and advanced welding teaching position at the school, which renders him ineligible to serve on the board. There are two people who have filed for that seat, leading to a contested race. Those candidates are:

• Stanton Cory Lamb and

• Jana Gauley.

Dora School Board

At Dora, only two candidates filed for the three open positions on the school board; therefore, there will be no election and the school board will appoint a designee to fill the third position. 

The seats coming open are those that are currently occupied by Cass Martin, Jerry Moritz and Dylan Leroy, who completed Lindsay Sellers’ remaining term after she resigned to become the school’s music teacher, leaving her ineligible to serve on the school board. 

Martin and Moritz refiled for their positions. Leroy did not. 

Thornfield School Board

The Thornfield School will also be exempt from hosting an election for its school board this year, as the number of candidates who have filed there equals the number of seats coming open.

The school board has four total seats coming open, three with 3-year terms and one with a 1-year term. 

For the three seats with 3-year terms incumbents Terry Ewing, Donnie Cunningham and William Mitchell Cook have refiled for those positions. No other candidates filed against them. 

The seat with a 1-year term was left open after the resignation of Thornfield School Board member Steve Clodfelter. Corey Chambliss has filed for that position, and no one else filed. 

As the number of open positions equal the number of candidates, there are no contested races.

More information

Those who were interested in running for the open seats had to file at the school district during the designated filing period from Dec. 9-30. That fact was advertised in multiple issues of the Ozark County Times last month. 

To qualify to run for a school board, candidates must meet minimum legal qualifications which include living within the school district and being a resident taxpayer of the district for a year prior, being at least 24 years old, not delinquent in paying various taxes and other requirements. 

For more information on the General Municipal Election, contact the Ozark County Clerk’s Office at 417-679-3516.