School chief race still too close to call

Should early returns hold, Waddell, a deputy county superintendent, would take the top educator’s post from Anne Campbell, who did not seek re-election, in a win over Magee, an associate county superintendent.

For his part, Waddell shared reserved enthusiasm, suggesting he is encouraged by the early indications while also acknowledging outcomes could change quickly.

“I’m happy that we are the lead. I’m hoping that we will hold out. But I knew this would be a close race, and that is what we are seeing,” he said.

Magee meanwhile remained optimistic that the results would turn in her favor as ballots are tracked over the coming days.

“I’m just really excited to see the results and really full of optimism for a win,” said Magee.

Magee said her confidence is buoyed by an initial deficit of roughly 1,300 votes shrinking throughout Tuesday night, and she hopes that momentum will last.

“That trend is what we like,” she said.

The two candidates worked together as top cabinet members for Campbell, who decided to not seek re-election after starting her first term in 2010. According to the most recent count, Waddell collected 28,625 votes, while Magee gathered 28,308.

The county superintendent has no direct oversight of the individual school districts, it acts in a supporting role to bridge gaps and ensure that local school leaders have the necessary resources. It also works in an advisory capacity on the implementation of new programs and systems and acts as a clearing house for information as it filters from the state to the local level and vice versa. Additionally, it operates the county’s court schools and has a strong hand in special education, foster child support and child, youth and family services.

Going into the race, both candidates touted extensive careers in education and long track records of success.

Waddell, a former school counselor and principal before joining the county office, has cited his work launching the county’s Zap the Gap initiative as a means of identifying best practices for offering improved education opportunities among his most notable accomplishments.

A former librarian and teacher turned county administrator, Magee meanwhile has pointed to her essential role developing the Big Five emergency response protocol, which has been adopted by school systems across the county, as a key campaign platform.

While the final votes are tallied, Magee said she plans to keep her focus on her work at the county office.

“I’m going to do what I always do. I’m going to show up to work tomorrow and take care of business. That’s what I’ve been doing every day for the last month. Showing up to work, supporting principals, schools and our students,” she said.

Waddell, meanwhile, said he is heartened by the campaign he ran, and feels cautiously optimistic about the race’s ultimate outcome.

“We’ve had great conversations with voters around the county about the issues they care about. Now it’s in their hands. And I’m certainly willing to get to work on behalf of students if that is their pleasure,” he said.

Regarding the will of the voters, Magee noted the competitive race is the first of its kind for the school chief post in decades. And with such a thin margin hanging in the balance, Magee said she appreciated the significant community interest in the election.

“To have something that is so close and having so many people engaged in the election is exactly what we need,” she said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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