Unofficial election results show incumbent Brian Holst and newcomer Jeff Short as the winning the three-way Juneau school board race.
Holst led with 3,558 votes, followed by Short with 2,666 and Kevin Allen with 1,574.
At City Hall, Short said his immediate plans for his tenure on the board included adding a teacher advisory position, enforcing truancy laws and working to correct reading deficits for elementary students.
“I’m both pleased and humbled to have so many people place their trust and confidence in me, so I am looking forward to getting on with the job at hand,” Short said.
Short is a retired researcher for the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Holst is the director of the Juneau Economic Development Council. He’s served on the school board for three years, and as board president for the last two. He said he is relieved to be able to move forward on education issues in the Juneau School District.
“I’m very grateful for the many people that have helped me — my wife, my kids, especially,” Holst said. “It’s been a lot of fun. I’m glad it’s over. I want to thank Jeff and Kevin for making it an energetic race as well. Both great guys. I’m glad they both ran and I wish them both luck.”
Challenger Kevin Allen also ran in last year’s school board race. He is a 2016 graduate of Thunder Mountain High School and a current University of Alaska Southeast student.
Allen said he does not plan to run again.
School board candidates Jeff Short and Kevin Allen look on as unofficial results continue to come in. #CBJvotes pic.twitter.com/VMe3JthP2R
— Adelyn Baxter (@adelynbaxter) October 4, 2017
“I really do hope, to the 1,500 people who did vote for me, I hope I can take some comfort to letting them know that I am the president at the student government over at UAS,” Allen said. “I will still be making a difference in education, whether I did make it to the board or not.”
Holst and Short will be sworn in Oct. 17 at the next Juneau School Board meeting.
Official election results are expected to be certified Oct. 10.
