Grand Island school board candidate drops out

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - One of the candidates for a seat on the Grand Island School Board has dropped out.

Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet reported Wednesday that Ward B candidate Carol Schooley filed a declination of nomination, which means that she will no longer be on the ballot for that seat.

Tim Mayfield is the other candidate running for the Ward B seat on the Grand Island Board of Education. For the time being, he is unopposed.

In a statement, Overstreet explained that Schooley and Mayfield filed as Ward B candidates for the May 10, 2022 Primary Election. Two candidates were eligible to advance to the November 8, 2022 General Election. Both Schooley and Mayfield auto-advanced through the primary. There is one Ward B seat open for the four-year term that begins in January 2023. Ward B incumbent Bonnie Hinkle chose not to seek re-election.

Since Schooley has dropped out of the race, there is a vacancy on the ballot for the November General Election. There is an opportunity for someone to run against Mayfield, but there’s a process.

“With a vacancy on the ballot, other eligible, interested voters in Ward B may petition to be on the ballot,” Overstreet said. “A total of 680 valid signatures are needed by September 1 to fill the vacancy. The name of a successful petitioner would be printed on the General Election ballot.”

For more information, contact the Hall County Election Commission at 308-385-5085.