Campaigning up to the May primary was quiet in the Octorara Area School District, with some candidates making homemade yard signs and only one challenger candidate, Republican Thomas Seth Jr., speaking publicly at school board meetings.
According to results provided by election bureaus in both Lancaster and Chester counties, and the candidates themselves, there will be two new faces -- Sherri Melton and Leon Lapp Jr. -- on the school board after the November election. Here is a comprehensive look at what the voters said.
Region 1
In Region 1, which includes Atglen Borough, Christiana Borough, Parkesburg North, and West Sadsbury Township, three seats were up for election. Incumbents Brian Norris and Shawna Johnson received both Democratic and Repulican votes in all municipalities, as did newcomer Sheri Melton.
Incumbent Linda Bicking did not campaign but said she was willing to be written in as a candidate.
“As there was a third candidate on the ballot, I’m sure any write in wouldn’t have made it,” she said in an email after the election. “If there hadn’t been a third candidate, then I was willing to be written in.”
Official results from both Lancaster and Chester counties show in Atglen Norris received 62 Republican votes and 17 Democratic votes; Johnson won 45 Republican votes, and Melton won 59 Republican votes and 17 Democratic votes.
In Christiana Norris received 26 Republican votes, Johnson 27 Republican votes, and Melton 26 Republican votes. Norris received 8 Democratic votes and Melton 9 Democratic votes. There were no write-in candidates in either Christiana or Atglen.
In Parkesburg North, Norris received 15 Republican votes, Johnson 14 Republican votes, and Melton 28 Republican votes. Democrats cast 18 votes each for Norris and Melton, and there were two write-in candidates.
West Sadsbury Republicans cast 51 votes for Norris, 37 votes for Johnson and 36 votes for Melton. Democrats in that municipality gave eight votes to Norris, 10 to Melton and cast three write-in votes.
It appears that unless another candidate wages a write-in campaign prior to the November election, Norris and Johnson will again take their Region 1 seats, alongside Region 1 newcomer Sheri Melton.
Region 2
Primary results in this region, which includes Sadsbury Township in Lancaster County and West Fallowfield Township in Chester County, show incumbent school board President Lisa Bowman won her race against challenger Thomas Seth Jr.
In Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Seth received 64 Republican votes to Bowman’s 33. Bowman, who had cross-filed, also received 33 Democratic votes. In West Fallowfield Township in Chester County, Bowman received 61 Republican votes to Seth’s 28, and Bowman received 27 Democratic votes.
Votes in both municipalities are counted together, so Bowman’s name will be the only name on the ballot in November. Seth said he plans to continue to attend school board meetings and speak out, but does not plan to wage a write-in campaign for this seat.
Region 3
Region 3 includes Highland and Londonderry townships and Parkesburg South. The incumbent is John Malone and although he may have received some write-in votes, Malone has said in an email he has served eight years and is not running again.
In Highland candidate Leon Lapp received 40 votes, and 75 Republican votes in Londonderry. There were 13 Democratic write-in candidates in Highland, and three Democratic write-in candidates in Londonderry. Lapp received 54 Republican votes in Parkesburg South, and there were seven write-in candidates there. Lapp’s name will be the only name on the ballot.
Finishing Eight years
"I have loved being on the board - except at budget time,” said outgoing board member Bicking. “It is such a struggle.
“The group I’ve worked with over the last eight years have had only the kids as their agenda, along with keeping the millage as low as they could.”
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