Shannon Dunham Edges Tamsey Ellis for School Board

Shannon Dunham and Tamsey Ellis at polling place in Cape Charles. As depicted, the race was a friendly one. (Wave photo)

CAPE CHARLES WAVE

November 6, 2013

Eastville attorney Shannon Dunham defeated retired teacher Tamsey Ellis for the District 1 seat Tuesday on Northampton County’s first elected school board. Dunham received 488 votes to Ellis’ 435, with absentee ballots still to be counted.

The race had been a friendly one, with Dunham declaring that “I’m not running against Tamsey — I’m running for the School Board.”

Neither candidate carried the burden of incumbency, as dissatisfaction with County schools is running high. Incumbent Delores Lindsay had filed to run in District 1, but later changed to contest an at-large seat voted on County-wide. Lindsay was unsuccessful in the at-large race, however, losing to Randall Parks 2,170 to 1,442.

In the other at-large contest, Jo Ann Molera defeated Nykia Robinson 2,122 to 1,328.

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The seven-person School Board will have five new members next year. Of the five incumbents who ran for election, three (Richard Drury, Delores Lindsay, and Ann Terry) were defeated, and two (Paul Bibbins and Mickey Merritt) were unopposed.

The new School Board will consist of:

Randall Parks (4-year at large)
Jo Ann Molera (2-year at large)
Shannon Dunham (District 1)
Paul Bibbins (District 2)
Regina Elmandorf Taylor (District 3)
Mickey Merritt (District 4)
William “Skip” Oakley (District 5)