Regina Harris was elected RISD trustee to represent District 4, including historic Hamilton Park
In the first ever election for Richardson ISD trustees representing single member districts, one new trustee was elected and two incumbents were returned.
Karen Clardy was unopposed in District 5, which includes Lake Highlands High School, and will return for a second term. Eron Linn earned 55% of the vote to defeat challenger Vanessa Pacheco in District 2 surrounding Berkner High.
In District 4, including the historic Hamilton Park neighborhood, Richardson High booster and RISD Council of PTAs leader Regina Harris collected 52% of votes to win without a runoff in the 4-woman race. Patricia Price Hicks earned 32%.
You can view election details here.
Turnout was unimpressive for RISD’s special election, pushed from May to November after the district settled its Voting Rights Act lawsuit with former trustee David Tyson and switched to the new 5-2 system of electing trustees. More voters turned up in Districts 2 and 5, which counted more than 4,000 voters each, than in District 4, which only attracted 1,247 voters. Just 252 votes separated Harris and Hicks.
Shuffling of the school board was required when 5-2 was implemented and two new “opportunity districts” were created to encourage minority representation, so Katie Patterson volunteered not to run again to permit creation of the District 4 seat. Lake Highlands resident Justin Bono has indicated he will run at large in 2020, but Jean Bono indicated she may retire when her term expires in 2021.
Harris, Clardy and Linn will be sworn in at a ceremony at RISD’s Administration Building later this month.
