Preliminary election results show a near-total win for the New Students First Party, as three of its four candidates had the lead for the four open positions at the Proviso High School Township School District 209.
Chris Welch was in the lead by 8:30 p.m., with almost 13 percent of the vote, or 8,594 votes.
He was followed by slate-mates Reatha “Sue” Henry, with 11.3 percent of the vote; incumbent Daniel J. Adams, with 11 percent; and challengers Charles A. Flowers, with 10.8 percent of the vote.
The win represents a vote of confidence in Welch, the incumbent board president, who has been trying to provide the township with better scores, increased attendance and has a motto of “students first.”
With the win, Welch, who views himself as a steward for the township, will continue his work on the controversial Math and Science Academy, mandatory evening school, mandatory summer schools and extra semesters of reading.
Flowers, with his 7.154 votes, was closely followed by his slate mate, Katherine Ryan, with 7,042 votes or 10.6 percent of the vote.
“The preliminary numbers are looking favorable,” Welch said, adding that he is “being cautiously optimistic.”
The results also show Welch’s slate-mate Guillermina “Tina” Alcaraz coming in sixth with 6,411 votes, or 9.6 percent of the vote. She is followed by Arbadella “Della” Patterson, with 8 percent, Thomas D. Dunne, Jr., with 7.2 percent, Kenneth Leggin with 6.5 percent and Gwendolyn Crayton with 6.2 percent.
The list is rounded off with John Perryman, with 3.2 percent and Tucker Ramos, with 2.6 percent.
