Monique Braswell won a three-way race for the District 5 seat on the Richmond County Board of Education, avoiding a runoff.
“This is a win for the families of Augusta,” said Braswell, an advocate for families in the system. “Please, please hold me accountable. I work for you.”
Braswell garnered 50.75% of votes or 5,067 in the District 5 contest, more than the 50% needed to avoid a runoff.
Candidates A.K. Hasan and Christopher Mulliens received 29.66% and 19.59% of the vote for second and third place, respectively.
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Braswell won the open seat formerly held by longtime trustee Patsy Scott.
“I’m so looking forward to helping our system continue to make gains,” Braswell said.
Women won all four open contested seats – districts 4, 5, 8 and 10 – on the school board Tuesday.
Samantha Valentine, an educator who has taught at area colleges, bested insurance company owner Lee Blitch for the Super District 10 seat held by longtime trustee Helen Minchew.
Valentine garnered 59.2% of votes to Blitch’s 40.8%.
In District 4, healthcare industry worker Shontae Boyd won the seat with 72.21% of votes over Savannah River Site retiree Reginald Forrest, who had 27.79%.
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In District 8, educator Mary Jane Abbott won the seat with 83.14% of votes over educator Onnie Poe’s 16.86%.
In another education vote, voters overwhelmingly supported extending the 1% sales tax for education capital projects. Some 65.44% supported the E-LOST, or 51,944 voters retained a Democratic seat in the state House
The vote allows the school board to raise up to $500 million to borrow $222 million to fund construction of schools and other capital projects.
