Hodges, Lemon, Ramirez get top ballot spots in BOE election drawing
By Jayed Rahman
Published: August 10, 2020
Incumbent school board members Jonathan Hodges, Joel Ramirez, and newcomer Shanikwa Lemon secured the top three ballot spots in the November race during the ballot drawings on Monday afternoon.
Hodges secured the first spot. Lemon the second. And Ramirez the third. Dana Martinez, who narrowly lost last year and is trying her luck again, received the fourth spot.
Newcomer Herman Irving and incumbent Kenneth Simmons, who are running as a bracket, received the fifth and sixth spots on the ballot.
Political strategist see value in candidates securing the top three spots on the ballot. Three seats are up for grabs in the race. Some believe candidates in the first three spots receive an inherent advantage in a crowded general election ballot.
But being in the top three spots hasn’t always produced a victory for a candidate.
In 2014, two of the three top candidates won. In 2015, all three top candidates won. In 2016, one of three top candidates won. In 2017, all three top candidates won. In 2018, all three top candidates lost. In 2019, two of the three top candidates won.
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