SOUTHERN COLORADO — School board elections are getting more attention across the country. Typically, races are low profile and low costs but hot-button issues such as the presidential election, mask-wearing, and Critical Race Theory are pushing more interest.
The powers that school board members have range-wide, and they include decisions about curriculum and COVID-19 protocols.
El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman says there seems to be an increase in candidates this year.
"Especially in District 20, there is a total of ten. It is a very competitive and perhaps heated contest, but that is what makes democracy fun," said Broerman.
In District 11, nearly four times the amount of money was raised by candidates than in the last cycle.
In 2017, candidates raised a little over $17,000. In 2021, the number sits at nearly $71,000.
District 20 saw a similar jump. In 2017, the school board candidates raised close to $29,000. This year, the total tops out at over $75,000.
Check our Election Watch section for more coverage, or get right to the Election Results.
Below are some of the races and bond issues we are following in some of the area's largest school districts:
Unofficial results as of 11:55 A.M. with over 90% of precincts reporting
| School District 11 4B Bond Issue | Votes | Percentage |
| Yes | 19,904 | 49.13% |
| No | 20,608 | 50.87% |
| School District 11 Director (2-year) | Votes | Percentage |
| Al Loma | 18,146 | 52.58% |
| Shawn Gullison | 16,362 | 47.42% |
| School District 11 Director (4-year) | Votes | Percentage |
| Jennifer Williamson | 11,722 | 13.38% |
| Lauren Nelson | 17,534 | 20.02% |
| Sandra Bankes | 17,940 | 20.49% |
| John Gustafson | 9,812 | 11.20% |
| Rebecca Kenderine | 4,608 | 5.26% |
| Julie Ott | 13,099 | 14.96% |
| Chris Wallis | 12,861 | 14.69% |
| Cheyenne Mountain D12 Director | Votes | Percentage |
| Randy Case | 3,611 | 30.99% |
| Nissa Steinhour | 3,066 | 26.31% |
| Ra Ann Weber | 1,729 | 14.84% |
| Mary Louise Fiddler | 1,541 | 13.22% |
| Mark Alanis | 897 | 7.70% |
| Lynne Platt | 810 | 6.95% |
| Manitou School Dist 14 4C Bond Issue | Votes | Percentage |
| Yes | 1,090 | 42.56% |
| No | 1,471 | 57.44% |
| Manitou School District 14 Director | Votes | Percentage |
| Christina Vidovich | 1,300 | 47.08% |
| Natalie Johnson | 1,461 | 52.92% |
| Academy School District 20 Director | Votes | Percentage |
| Nathan Johnson | 3,614 | 5.17% |
| Lindsay Moore | 3,002 | 4.29% |
| Jason Silva | 2,457 | 3.51% |
| Tiana Clark | 7,267 | 10.40% |
| Brian Coram | 7,174 | 10.26% |
| Nicole Konz | 12,746 | 18.23% |
| Aaron Salt | 11,846 | 16.95% |
| Jackie Lesh | 7,544 | 10.79% |
| Thomas LaValley | 12,485 | 17.86% |
| Michael Riffle | 1,766 | 2.53% |
| School District 49 4A Mill Levy | Votes | Percentage |
| Yes | 4,366 | 25.55% |
| No | 12,720 | 74.45% |
| School District 49 Director District 1 | Votes | Percentage |
| Dave Cruson | 863 | 30.91% |
| Fadil Lee | 309 | 11.07% |
| Jamilynn D'Avola | 1,620 | 58.02% |
| School District 49 Director District 4 | Votes | Percentage |
| Tammy Harold | 841 | 36.14% |
| Ivy Liu | 1,486 | 63.86% |
| School District 49 Director District 5 | Votes | Percentage |
| Lori Thompson | 1,278 | 59.92% |
| Elmer Harris | 679 | 31.83% |
| Justin Jakovac | 176 | 8.25% |
| Harrison School District 2 4D TABOR | Votes | Percentage |
| Yes | 3,589 | 64.68% |
| No | 1,960 | 35.32% |
| Harrison School District 2 Director District 1 | Votes | Percentage |
| Michelle Willis-Hill | 2,315 | 24.37% |
| Kimieko Otamura | 1,235 | 13.00% |
| Janice Frazier | 2,168 | 22.82% |
| Joyce Salazar | 2,307 | 24.28% |
| Keesha Lewis | 1,475 | 15.53% |
| Fountain-Fort Carson District 8 Director (4-year) | Votes | Percentage |
| Shirley Martinez | 1,089 | 33.60% |
| Kenneth Coffee Jr. | 1,129 | 34.83% |
| Michelle Massaro | 1,023 | 31.56% |
| Hanover School District 28 Director | Votes | Percentage |
| James Bolish | 35 | 10.57% |
| Edward Sweazy | 103 | 31.12% |
| Matthew Grove | 47 | 14.20% |
| Thomas Lippert | 146 | 44.11% |
| Peyton School District 23JT TABOR | Votes | Percentage |
| Yes | 639 | 61.21% |
| No | 405 | 38.79% |
| Peyton School District 23J Director | Votes | Percentage |
| Kelli Markus | 475 | 32.65% |
| Julie Mannering | 530 | 36.43% |
| Buff Cavanagh | 450 | 30.93% |
| Widefield School District 3 Director | Votes | Percentage |
| Maria Henderson | 1,402 | 11.24% |
| Gregory Fisher | 2,235 | 17.91% |
| Susan Graham | 2,104 | 16.85% |
| Dolly Handel | 1,805 | 14.47% |
| David Dock | 2,381 | 19.08% |
| Donna Walsh | 2,550 | 20.44% |
| Pueblo D70 Director District 1 | Votes | Percentage |
| Aaron Wilson | 4,673 | 46% |
| Paulette Frye | 3,197 | 31% |
| Marla Reichert | 2,367 | 23% |
| Pueblo D70 Director District 2 | Votes | Percentage |
| Anne Ochs | 4,321 | 43% |
| Frederick Quintana | 3,188 | 32% |
| Daniel Toussaint | 2,454 | 25% |
| Pueblo D70 Director District 3 | Votes | Percentage |
| Stephanie Catalano | 3,457 | 35.58% |
| Cathleen Howland | 3,530 | 36.32% |
| Kayla Marker | 2,730 | 28.10% |
Click here for Election Results after 7:00pm MST.
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