The lone incumbent to seek reelection to the Seattle School Board comfortably held her seat, and will be joined by two new members coming off sizable victories of their own for Districts IV and V.
Betty Patu won a third-term representing Southeast Seattle (District VII), fending off a challenge from former Teach for America teacher Chelsea Byers by more than 35 points, while Zachary Pullin DeWolf and Eden Mack will fill the spots of Stephan Blanford and Sue Peters, respectively.
DeWolf — President of the Capitol Hill Community Council and a program manager with All Home King County — garnered well over 60 percent of the vote in his District V (Capitol Hill, First Hill) race against Teach for America alum and lawyer Omar Vasquez. With his victory, DeWolf becomes the first openly gay member of the board, in addition to being the youngest.
Mack was on pace for one of the largest victories in School Board history, with more than 87 percent of ballots cast for the District IV (Queen Anne, Magnolia, Ballard, Belltown) seat over educator Herbert J. Camet Jr.
Patu is now the longest serving member of the Board, with the other four directors — Scott Pinkham (District I), Rick Burke (District II), Jill Geary (District III), and Leslie Harris (District VI) — all elected two years ago.
To comment on this story, write to QAMagNews@nwlink.com.