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Sharyland school board candidates Julio Cerda and Meagan Sullivan came out on top in competitive races Saturday.
Sullivan, an educational diagnostician, beat Sergio Saenz to claim longtime Place 1 Trustee Ricky Longoria’s undefended seat on the board.
“I’m eager to officially get started as a Sharyland trustee and I’m incredibly grateful to the community for having faith in me to serve in a new role,” she wrote in a statement. “The grass roots movement of my campaign has seen so many people come together, many of whom had never even voted before, and will always be one of the biggest highlights for me of the experience.
“I’m dedicated to helping us all remember that we are best when everyone is engaged and has a voice. Now it’s time to roll up my sleeves, do my research and reading and just get to work.”
Sullivan won with about 52% of the vote, 823 votes to Saenz’s 761.
“I still believe in every part of my platform that I ran on, the voters obviously didn’t feel the same way. I wish her the best of luck as our new board member,” Saenz wrote in a statement.
Meanwhile, voters saw a rematch in the race for Place 2, where Cerda ousted incumbent Alejandro Rodriguez.
That race was a rematch; Rodriguez beat Cerda for the seat in 2020.
This time Cerda came out ahead, also winning with about 52% of the vote, 825 ballots to Rodriguez’s 761.
Cerda issued a statement on Facebook thanking supporters.
“I would also like to recognize the service that Mr. Alejandro Rodriguez gave to the Sharyland ISD for the past three years, and for participating in a clean and respectful campaign,” he wrote. “I look forward to working with all community leaders, SISD Trustees, our superintendent, staff, teachers, and students of Sharyland ISD as a team to tackle issues of importance to our community.”
In a statement to The Monitor, Rodriguez wished his opponent success.
Candidates attended a forum last month, all of them describing safety as a top priority. None seemed particularly keen on open enrollment, a perennial topic at the district.
Find the complete, unofficial election results of races across the Rio Grande Valley here.
