DUNCAN —
If absentee voting was any indication on how the Marlow Board of Education election would go, the results were right on track.
Brad Boles is the newest member of the school board, having been voted into the position Tuesday with 393 votes, versus opponent Julie Sanders, who received 252 votes.
“I’m excited,” Boles said. “This is the first time I’ve been through this experience. In general, it was humbling, putting my name out there.
“I’ve been in sports and business, but this is a situation I’ve never been involved in. Not knowing what to expect was nerve-wracking. My family, they really helped to pull it together.”
Boles will follow Robert Greer, who spent 15 years in seat 3 of the school board. Greer chose not to run for re-election, leading to the race between Boles and Sanders. Boles will be sworn-in during the March 4 regular school board meeting.
He is a graduate of Marlow High School, having spent his primary and secondary education in the Marlow School System. He is also the president of Wilco Machine and Fab.
Sanders is also a Marlow graduate and works part-time for the Oklahoma Parents Center. She is the chairwoman of the Smart Start Board for Stephens County.
During her campaign, Sanders wanted to focus on setting anti-bullying standards for the school district, something she plans to continue.
“I hope the school keeps growing,” Sanders said. “Brad and I had a good campaign. I’m still going to be focusing on the same campaigns.
“I’ve got a second-grader. He keeps me busy.”
A couple precincts noted higher than expected turnout Tuesday, especially when the weather was taken into account.
Around 4:30 p.m., precinct 33 at the Church of the Nazarene in Marlow (the largest of the five voting precincts in Marlow School District) had 210 voters, which went up to 322 by 7 p.m. Precinct 32 at Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the second largest precinct in the school district, had 180 voters at 4:30 p.m. This number finished at 210 voters.
“I’m so thankful of the people who voted today,” Boles said. “Not just for me, but those who got out in the rain.”
Marlow Superintendent George Coffman said Boles and Sanders were quality candidates for the school board. Coffman said the next step will be to call Boles today to discuss the position he was voted into.
Coffman also said Greer was an asset to the school board and will be missed.
“He was a good board member,” he said.
Boles said he is looking forward to working with Coffman and the school board, because he is eager to work with people who care about Marlow Public Schools.
“I will work hard to make sure Marlow students get the education they deserve,” Boles said. “I’m glad I get to be a part of it.”
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