Incumbents Secure, One Race Overwhelmingly Decided, One a Maybe

 With 20.43% of the vote counted, results for Seattle School Board races:

D1- Liza Rankin - 60.77%, Debbie Carlsen - 38.59%

D2 - Lisa Rivera Smith - 68%, Christina Posten - 31.59%

D3 - Evan Briggs - 51.08%, Ben Gitenstein - 48.45%

D6 - Gina Topp - 86.84%, Maryanne Wood - 12.72%

The candidates who win will take their oath of office at a special board meeting on Wednesday, November 29th. However, even before taking the oath all of them will be at the Washington State Directors Annual Conference starting on November 16th. Interestingly, the night before - on November 15th - there is a Board meeting that looks to be lengthy. I would hope the newly-elected members would attend the entire meeting.

Analysis and Reflection

Clearly, incumbents do well in these races. That's been true for a long time although I remember fondly when the entire business-types majority got ousted many years back. 

And clearly, Lisa Rivera Smith is one of the luckiest candidates ever. She walked into office her first time and only had one challenger this time. 

I think Gina Topp may have broken the old record of Stephan Blanford with her 86%+ showing. I think he was at about 84%. 

As for Briggs and Gitenstein, I am hoping over the next couple of days to see that gap narrow. In the past, we have certainly seen close matches turn as more votes are counted. But if today's count continues (or gets larger) for Briggs, then she will win. 

If Briggs does win, I do wonder about one thing. I wonder what the how long or on what issue before she turns to Rankin (and her handler, Chandra Hampson) and says, "Quit telling me what to think or how to vote." 

Will she be a follower like Michelle Sarju who seems content letting others do the heavy lifting and telling her how to vote? 

From video interviews with Briggs, I didn't see a person staking out her own views but she may surprise us. 

Also to note, Sunday, November 19th is the last community meeting with Director Leslie Harris at High Point Library. Harris has done yeoman's work to have these regular meetings for 8 years. That's what real community engagement looks like.