Education races across Oklahoma County saw a mix of results Tuesday night, with Dana Meister winning election to the Oklahoma City Public Schools board, two candidates for the Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools board heading to an April 2 general election, and Western Heights Public Schools seeing a pair of bond proposals pass easily.
Meister, a 69-year-old longtime educator and general manager of Full Circle Bookstore, garnered more than 70 percent of the vote, winning the OKCPS District 4 seat outright in a three-way race. She beat Scotty Hernandez, a 30-year-old real estate agent, and Jay Albertson, a 58-year-old communications worker.
“One of the things that has helped me win this election is that I’m not a politician. I’m not going to be selective. I’m not going to probably say the right things, but it is going to be heartfelt,” Meister told supporters at her campaign watch party. “Going forward, I will work hard, I promise you, and I really do appreciate your support.”
Reached by phone Tuesday night, Meister said she is excited to join the OKCPS board.
“I just want to help and serve the students as a retired schoolteacher, and I would like to bring back dignity and respect to the profession, and I’m gonna work hard to try to do that,” Meister said.
Meister had the support of former Democratic nominee for state superintendent of public instruction Jena Nelson and former Oklahoma first lady Kim Henry. Additionally, the Oklahoma union chapter of the American Federation of Teachers endorsed Meister.
Had Meister not received at least 50 percent of the vote Tuesday, she would have gone to an April 2 runoff with Hernandez. The OKCPS board will still see a race April 2, with Jessica Cifuentes challenging incumbent Cary Pirrong for the District 3 seat.
Other Oklahoma County election results
In Choctaw-Nicoma Park Public Schools, the board’s District 4 seat will head to the April 2 general election after none of the three candidates in the race received more than 50 percent of the vote. Staci Johnson and Pamela Carol Matherly will face off in the general election. Johnson garnered about 49 percent of the votes, and Matherly received about 38 percent. They beat Joe Howell, who received about 13 percent.
In Western Heights Public Schools, a little more than 100 people voted in elections for two bond proposals, but each item surpassed the 60 percent threshold for approval.
Totaling $2.96 million, the proposals will allow the district to purchase two new busses and make security improvements, including new cameras and software, add and repair fences, and upgrade security at site entrances.
In Edmond, two bond proposals totaling $147 million passed overwhelmingly.
Multiple other school board races in the Oklahoma City metro area only had two candidates file, which sends them straight to the April 2 general election.
Those races include:
- Norman Public Schools Board District 4, between Dawn Brockman and Scott Christian;
- Deer Creek Public Schools Board District 4, between Paul Elder and James Gibbs;
- Mid-Del City Public Schools Board District 4, between Julian Biggers and Shelly Schultz; and
- Western Heights Public Schools Board District 4, between LaCosta Herrion and Teresa Lewis.
