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Election Day set for Saturday
By Conner Hammett, chammett@starlocalnews.com
With early voting polls closed as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, voters and candidates in the Allen ISD school board election are starting to set their sights on Election Day.
The early voting period, which was from April 30 to May 8, saw a total of 819 votes cast for Place 1, 2 and 3. The busiest day at the polls was Tuesday, when 216 votes were cast.
The turnout is nearly half that of last year's school board election, which saw less than 1,300 residents cast ballots for Places 6 and 7. The last time Places 1, 2 and 3 were on the ballot was 2009, when less than 1,700 votes were cast alongside 2,366 votes for an AISD bond election.
"When you look at the total number of registered voters within the school district ... it's always very, very low," he said. "That's what I was worried about all along, was without having any other races going on, getting voters to the polls. When you think of all the issues the district is facing, with school funding and state-mandated testing, its very, very important that people get out and vote."
Alan Hurst, Clemencich's opponent, said he was happy to see voting ramp up to triple-digit numbers on three of the last four days of the voting period and hopes to see the numbers match up with last year's by the end of the election.
"I appreciate the people that have come out to vote," he said. "I know everybody's schedule's busy. We've got 819 people who have voted so far, and I hope people let their voice be heard and come out on Saturday to make sure Allen stays headed in the right direction ... for all the kids in Allen."
Place 3 incumbent Jason Shepard said he was pleased to see poll activity pick up on Tuesday and hopes it will foreshadow a strong Election Day turnout.
"None of the council races are contested, so I don't think we've had an election in several years that was solely school board," he said. "I think the municipal elections have always had an ordinance or a bond or a city council race. I think that's why that's the lowest turnout, is because [the school board] is all it is."
Rona Zafari, who is running against Shepard, declined to comment on the vast difference in turnout between prior school board elections and this year's.
"I wish there were more votes, but it is what it is and until Saturday I can't say anything," she said.
Election Day is set for Saturday, May 12. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Allen Municipal Court building, 301 Century Parkway.
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