OKCPS Board of Education chairperson
Incumbent OKCPS Chairwoman Paula Lewis will face incumbent District 1 board member Charles Henry in an April 6, 2021, runoff election. (NonDoc)

On April 6, voters will again head to the polls to choose a chairperson of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education after incumbent Chairwoman Paula Lewis was nearly ousted tonight by Charles Henry, the current District 1 board member.

Henry received about 47.8 percent of Tuesday’s primary election vote, with Lewis receiving about 44 percent. Wilfredo Santos Rivera received about 8 percent.

That means Henry and Lewis will square off in a general election set for April 6 because neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the primary vote. Results from today’s elections can be found by visiting the Oklahoma State Election Board. All results are unofficial until certified by the board.

Lewis has held the OKCPS Board of Education chairperson seat since 2016 and outlined her goals for the district as improving customer service and doing more to address equity, implicit bias and diversity in leadership.

Henry has served on the board since 2017. According to his campaign website, his platform includes a safer return to school plan, closing the performance gap between lower and higher performing schools and creating an advisory board of OKCPS parents, teachers and community workers to hold the school board accountable.

Edmond Public Schools board

The election for Edmond Public Schools Board of Education District 1 will also move to a runoff on April 6.

Incumbent District 1 representative Lee Ann Kuhlman received about 27 percent of the vote, with challenger Margaret Best finishing first by receiving about 34 percent of votes.

If re-elected, Kuhlman’s stated goal is to provide options to students that will keep everyone as safe as possible during the pandemic.

Best, a registered nurse, realtor and mother with four children in the district, has a priority of providing “the best quality education for students where they can grow academically and socially.” She’s also in favor of schools providing in-person learning to students, as well as a virtual option.

There were five candidates total on the primary ballot for Edmond Schools board including Kuhlman, Best, Latarsha Hodges, Charles Woodham and Jerod Kersey.

Judy Mullen Hopper elected to Putnam City Schools board

Retired educator of 35-years Judy Mullen Hopper was elected to fill Office 3 of the Putnam City Schools board, receiving about 65 percent of the vote.

Mullen Hopper spent her teaching career as a special needs educator and ran on a platform of improving communication between the board and community members and providing as many wrap around resources as possible to every school.

Incumbent board member Sky Collins and attorney Phillip Owens were also on the primary ballot. Collins received 15 percent of the vote with Owens receiving 20 percent.

City of East Duke passes sales tax proposition for schools

A small community west of Altus, the town of Duke voted in favor of a 1.50% sales tax that will be used to support Duke Public Schools on Tuesday night. The tax will begin July 1, 2021 and end on June 30, 2026.

There were 93 total ballots cast, 78 for and 15 against the proposition.

  • Megan Prather

    Megan Prather serves as NonDoc's distribution and development specialist, helping with fundraising and leading efforts to connect readers with content. Megan worked as NonDoc's education reporter from September 2020 to August 2022. After a 16-month hiatus, she returned to the organization in January 2024 in her new role. You can reach her at megan@nondoc.com.

  • Megan Prather

    Megan Prather serves as NonDoc's distribution and development specialist, helping with fundraising and leading efforts to connect readers with content. Megan worked as NonDoc's education reporter from September 2020 to August 2022. After a 16-month hiatus, she returned to the organization in January 2024 in her new role. You can reach her at megan@nondoc.com.