Springfield MSTA endorses 3 candidates for 2 open SPS board seats
The Springfield chapter of the Missouri State Teachers Association endorsements for three candidates in the April 8 school board race.
In a Facebook post late Monday, the teacher organization active in the district for decades announced it will support incumbent Kelly Byrne along with first-time candidates Gail Smart and Sarah Hough.
'Based on member feedback, Sarah Hough emerged as the clear front-runner," wrote Jeffrey Pettibone, president of the Springfield MSTA, in the post.
Four candidates are vying for two open seats on the board in April. The seats are currently filled by Byrne, who is on the ballot, and Steve Makoski, who is not seeking a second term.
The only candidate who did not receive a nod of support from Springfield MSTA was David Myers.
In late January, the group sent surveys to each candidate and all four filled them out. The detailed responses from each candidate were shared with members, who were asked to pick their top two choices.
The executive board for Springfield MSTA met Monday to finalize the endorsements, referring to Byne, Hough and Smart as "exceptional candidates."
Hough was supported by 58% of members who weighed in on the endorsement while Byrne and Smart received support from 51%. Myers came in fourth with 38%.
It was not immediately clear how many members provided feedback.
In the post, Pettibone explained why the executive board opted to endorse three candidates.
"Our membership had the opportunity to evaluate all four candidates, and while two candidates tied, we prioritized upholding the voices of our members rather than having the executive board make the final decision between them," he wrote.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield MSTA endorses 3 school board candidates, citing tie
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