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Democrats lead in 3 of 4 State Board of Education races | ELECTION NIGHT 2022

By Jessica Gibbs November 9, 2022 | updated 3 years ago

Democrats held leads in three of the four seats up for grabs on the State Board of Education this year, unofficial counts from Election Day show.

The State Board of Education approves the budget for the state Education Department, appoints the Commissioner of Education, accredits public school districts, oversees charter school appeals of district decisions, and makes policy decisions governing the state department, among other duties.

Board members serve six-year terms. The board was comprised of seven seats, with members representing each congressional district.

As a result of redistricting, the board is adding two new seats this year. One seat will be an at-large position that represents the entire state. The other will represent a newly-created 8th Congressional District, covering parts of Adams and Weld counties.

Here’s the breakdown of the unofficial tally so far:  

At large seat 

In the at-large race, Democrat Kathy Plomer led with 52.19%, Republican Dan Maloit secured 44.47%, Libertarian Ryan Van Gundy had 2.7% and Unity Party Eric Bodenstab held 0.64% of the vote as of the morning after Election Day.

Plomer has worked in public health for three decades. Plomer pledged to push for better teacher pay, advocate for students to have mental health resources and promised transparency, she said on her website. Maloit is an Army veteran and began working in the medical device industry in 2015. He pushed for reopening schools in 2020 and promotes what he describes as “non-dogmatic education” focused on academics, according to his website. 

District 5

Republican incumbent Steve Durham held a solid lead with 57.87% of the vote in District 5 as of Wednesday. He is facing off with Democrat Joseph Shelton, who held 42.13%.

Durham is a former legislator who was elected to the board in 2016. He has been heavily involved in efforts to shape state standards, sparking controversy for his role in shaping how students can be taught about the Holocaust. Shelton works for Colorado College and is a former volunteer on the reelection campaign of President Barack Obama. He has pushed for higher teacher pay, equally funding charter and neighborhood schools and boosting mental health resources to improve school safety.

District 6

Democrat incumbent Rebecca McClellan is ahead in the unofficial count with 58.53% of the vote while Republican challenger Molly Lamar held 41.47%. 

McClellan has served on the board since 2017 and is a former mayor pro tem of Centennial. She has advocated for universal preschool and full day kindergarten, and supported the READ Act. Lamar is a former teacher who wants to improve literacy and schools’ performance scores, according to her website. She is also an advocate of school choice.

District 8

Democrat Rhonda Solis had a narrow lead in District 8 with 50.09%, while Republican Peggy Propst trailed with 47.82%. Meanwhile, James Treibert of the American Constitution Party is in third place with 2.09%.

Solis previously served two terms on the Greeley-Evans School District 6 board. She would focus on personal learning plans for all students, equity in education, and school climates and culture. Propst has taught at charter and private schools and helped found a charter school. On her website, she opposes what she describes as “social indoctrination” in education, mask mandates and vowed to focus on academics.

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Jessica Gibbs

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