I finished 5th out of 6 candidates with just under 2,00o votes, or 12% of ballots cast in the race for Hopkins School Board. This is a personal disappointment, but there are some bright spots*:
My sincere congratulations go to candidate Wendy Donovan, who finished third with over 3,000 votes. Wendy ran a quiet campaign without literature, yard signs, a website, or appearing at three of the four election forums, yet her support was strong and a lesson in how to win. Way to go Wendy!
According to an interview with the Eden Prairie newspaper, Wendy ran because:
We need a new fresh perspective. We need honesty and accountability. I want to keep the money in the classrooms and watch our spending.Wendy did stronger as a newcomer in her first race than several current board members did in 2003 when they ran as incumbents. It is inspiring to note she has more invested in Hopkins Schools because she has more children (3) currently attending Hopkins Schools than all the other 2007 candidates combined! Wendy is truly passionate and invested in our future.
For comparison, here are the wining candidates from 2003:
- Barbara Klaas (incumbent) of Golden Valley-3,687 votes
- Yvonne Selcer of Minnetonka-3,217 votes
- Dale Feste (incumbent) of Minnetonka-3,064 votes
- Susan Scharenbroich (incumbent) of Minnetonka-3,044 votes
and the results from 2007:
- Yvonne Selcer (incumbent)of Minnetonka-3,948 votes
- Ellen Dustman of Minnetonka-3,784 votes
- Wendy Donovan of Hopkins-3,007 votes
- Irma McIntosh Coleman of Minnetonka-2,633 votes
Congratulations also for the showing for candidate Ellen Dustman, who was almost the top vote getter. Ellen promised that she would
restore faith in our district leadership by creating a Hopkins School District culture that is responsive to the community. I will have an open-door policy and will actively seek opportunities to meet with community members. I am committed to restoring school board listening sessions.I had several opportunities to talk with Ellen, and was impressed with her analytical skills, her energy, and compassion. For the sake of the 7,600 students in Hopkins Schools, I hope Ellen can turn these attributes and the board's focus on improving the accountability, oversight, and fiscal performance of Hopkins $85 million budget.
Overall, it was a slow election day, with less than 10% of 48,316 registered voters going to the polls: Democracy does indeed belong to those who show up!
In Golden Valley, almost 30% of voters cast ballots in city races. In Hopkins, about 10% did.
As for me, I am grateful and glad I campaigned for Hopkins Schools. There were so many inspiring calls, conversations, and emails that I feel better about the future of Hopkins. I am especially grateful for the tough, concerned, and open-minded questions from parents and community members and the strong bi-partisan support I received.
I do not regret my decision to involve political endorsements in this race: I feel that partisan overtones cloud the waters and eliminate constructive solutions. I felt that many involved in the race may have been unable or unwilling to speak the truth for fear of alienating those in power who had helped them in the past. For the sake of my personal integrity, I chose to run on my record, my experience and the issues and avoid glossy generalizations or catch-phrases.
Our Schools face many challenges, but they also stand on a legacy built by hard work, optimism, and sacrifice. I hope we prove ourselves worthy of this legacy and leave a better world to our children. With new blood ready to serve the Hopkins School Board, there is reason for optimism. I trust that we will soon see real results from this campaign and that more students will choose Hopkins going forward.
