Published: May 07, 2008 12:17 am            

ELECTION 2008: Upset in GCCS race with incumbent losing 3rd term

Two incumbents will serve four more years on the school board

With teacher layoffs, budget cuts and more at Greater Clark County Schools making headlines, a number of people decided to fight for the four school board seats that were up for election Tuesday.

This year, 13 people were on the ballot. The last time seats were up for election was in 2006. Then, according to The Evening News reports, only six people were vying for three seats.

The results are two incumbents will hold on to their seats; one, Bill Halter, lost his bid for a third term and the other did not seek re-election.

The winners are incumbent Ernie Gilbert (District 2), who received 6,867 votes, or 40.57 percent, Christina Gilkey (District 5), with 6,909 votes, or 38.21 percent, incumbent Robbie Valentine (District 6), with 6,888 votes or 36.69 percent, and Rebecca Christensen (District 7), with 12,935 votes, or 75.38 percent.

Valentine said he believes the results were impacted by the number of women who came out to vote for

Hillary Clinton.

“Women came out like soldiers,” he said, referring to the high numbers in the races for the women school board candidates. “I was outside River Valley [Middle School] from 5 a.m. to 6:01 p.m., and it had to be 10 to 12 women per every man that came to vote.

“That’s incredible.”

Christensen said she was shocked by the number of people who voted for her.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I thought they were just pulling my leg when they were telling me the results. I just wanted to hold my head up in my neighborhood in downtown.

“I’m overwhelmed. I’m just so happy.”

Christina Gilkey also was surprised by her winning margin.

“I worked really hard and ran a positive campaign and I prayed that it would work out that way,” Gilkey said about winning. “I’m very pleased and very grateful.”

Valentine said he’s happy the race is over.

“I think on everyone’s end it was a very emotional race,” he said.

He said that caused people to speak bad about him to his three children.

“I think, personally to me, that was the toughest part, being a father and some of the things my kids had to go through,” he said. “That’s why, success or not, I wanted it over quick.”

However, he said those in the race all did want to better the district.

“I think everyone had the district in their mind and in their hearts and I think that’s great,” Valentine said.

He said it’s time to get to work on the issues facing the district, and Gilkey and Christensen agreed.

“There’s a lot of things that need to be accomplished,” Gilkey said. “I think we need to revisit the budget to find ways to trim the budget without cutting teacher jobs and also try to get grant money to pay for more help in the classrooms, such as teacher aides or assistants.”

“I have so much work to do to earn their [voters’] respect and prove they didn’t make a mistake when they voted for me,” Christensen said. “I’m going to work so hard for the kids and I’m going to start [today].”

        

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