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School Board Field for General Election Whittled To Six

By Jesse Wood

May 7, 2014. Voters in the May 6 primary whittled down the field of eight Watauga County Board of Education candidates to six.

If the unofficial primary results hold up, Josh Kanoy and Tiffany Christian will be watching the election from home in November, while the other candidates vie for the three seats up for election.

With only a handful of provisional ballots to be counted during canvass on May 13, Kanoy and Christian won’t be able jump into the sixth spot.

The breakdown of the votes is below.

  • Jay Fenwick: 2,839 (16.86 %)
  • Kurt D. Michael: 2,415 (14.35 %)
  • Jason K. Cornett: 2,377 (14.12 %)
  • Ronny Holste: 2,292 (13.62 %)
  • Adam L. Trivette: 2,086 (12.39 %)
  • Ron Henries: 1,941 (11.53 %)
  • Josh Kanoy: 1,645 (9.77 %)
  • Tiffany Christian: 1,239 (7.36 %)

Immediately following the results, Fenwick posted on his campaign Facebook page that he was “honored to have earned the trust of so many.”

“It’s been 3 months of letters, cards, phone calls, door knocking, speechifying to get to today’s primary election,” Fenwick posted. “Results are in and we took first place! So thankful for your support.”

Fenwick ran for the school board in 2012 and came in fourth place. The top three spots were filled by veteran educators in Barbara Kinsey, Brenda Reese and Ron Henries.

Cornett, who placed in third place – just shy of second, also thanked his supporters following the announcement of the results.

“I just want to say ‘Thank You!’ to all of my supporters and I dedicate this election to you,” Cornett posted. “We are on to the next election and I promise you it will only get tougher. We have our work cut out for us! I want this! Thank you all!”

As for the 2014 general election in November, conservatives and liberals will have options – even though the race is tagged as nonpartisan.

Cornett and Henries are the only two school board candidates listed on the Watauga County Republican Party website and Trivette penned in Republican ballots during the 2010 and 2012 primary. The trio of Kanoy, Trivette and Cornett were listed on campaign signs together – remember Henries voted to retain the controversial “The House of the Spirits” novel that divided many conservatives and liberals in the county.

And generally a bellwether for the Democrats, Pam Williamson’s “Pam’s Picks” website endorses Michael, Holste and Fenwick.

For more on the school board candidates, click here.

See listing of unofficial results of races on Avery and Watauga County ballots.