Politics
Five JCPS board seats are on Nov. 3 ballot; 15 candidates joined voter forums
Every seat on the Jefferson County Board of Education is up for election, with 17 candidates across five nonpartisan races. Fifteen took part in candidate forums covering school achievement, district finances, enrollment and community violence.
Voters in Jefferson County will choose all five members of the Jefferson County Board of Education in the Nov. 3 general election, a sweeping change in the makeup of the board overseeing Kentucky’s largest school district.
Seventeen candidates are running across the five districts. Fifteen participated in candidate forums moderated by local journalists and Jefferson County Public Schools students. District 1 candidate Jody Hurt and District 2 candidate Alante’ J. Gaines did not respond to invitations to participate.
The forums addressed issues facing JCPS, including academic achievement, financial accountability, declining enrollment and community violence. The races are nonpartisan.
In District 1, incumbent Gail Logan Strange faces Hurt. District 2 has five candidates: Lillian Brents, Gaines, Phil Haming, Robert Kahne and Tim Shaughnessy.
District 3 candidates are incumbent Taylor Everett, Veda Pendleton and Neil Seftor. In District 4, incumbent Trevin Bass is running against Deja B. Jackson, Michelle E. Patrick and Kimberly Ann Vinegar. District 5 candidates are Carrie Donovan, Kyle N. Killebrew and William E. Snawder.
No-excuse early voting is scheduled for Oct. 29-31. Voters can check their district and ballot through the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office.