5 more candidates file for Lawrence school board, triggering primary election

photo by: Journal-World

Lawrence Public Schools district offices pictured in April 2021.

A flurry of candidates filed to run for seats on the Lawrence school board before the deadline on Tuesday, triggering the need for a primary election.

Five candidates filed to run on Tuesday, bringing the total number of candidates to 12. Kay Emerson, Leticia Gradington, Elizabeth Stephens, Markus Logan and Myranda Zarlengo all filed before the noon deadline, according to the Douglas County Clerk’s Office.

Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew said Tuesday in an email to the Journal-World that because of the high number of candidates for the three available seats on the seven-member board, a primary election would be needed in August to winnow down the field. The Douglas County Clerk’s Office previously said a primary election would be necessary if 10 or more candidates filed to run.

The list of candidates will not become official until three days after the filing deadline, Shew said.

In a primary, Shew said voters would be able to select up to three candidates for the seats. The top six vote-getters would move on to the general election in November.

Along with the candidates who filed on Tuesday, incumbent candidates G.R. Gordon-Ross and Kelly Jones and five newcomers — Andrew Nussbaum, Melissa Clissold, Douglas Redding, Travis Tozer and Nate Morsches — have filed to run.

The primary election will be Aug. 3, and the general election will be Nov. 2.

Related coverage:

• May 28, 2021 — Lawrence school board’s current leader files for reelection; former special education teacher also joins the race

• May 27, 2021 — Fifth candidate files to run for Lawrence school board; RPG owner says he’s passionate about education options, mental health issues

• May 24, 2021 — 3 newcomers file to run for Lawrence school board election

• April 6, 2021 — Ronald ‘G.R.’ Gordon-Ross files to run for reelection to Lawrence school board

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