Voters chose two new members for the Rochester city school board on Tuesday. And returned current board President Camille Simmons for a second term.
Simmons was the top vote-getter, followed by challengers Kareem McCullough and Heather Feinman, according to unofficial election results.
McCullough learned he won a seat on the school board when a reporter called shortly after 10:30 p.m., seeking comment.
“I’m not really big on the dramatics or the fanfare,” he said, explaining he stuck to his routine, and spent the night with family. “I knew I was running. I knew the elections were tonight. I knew, no matter how it goes, I would find out. And now that I know, I am ready to start doing the work.”
The Democratic primary effectively decides the race for three open seats as no other candidates are on the ballot for November. Former Monroe County Legislator Vince Felder finished a distant fourth. Simmons and McCullough also have the Working Families lines.
Simmons was the only incumbent running.
Longtime school board member Cynthia Elliott did not seek re-election, and board member James Patterson didn’t get the petition signatures needed to be on the ballot.
In other local primaries of interest:
- Brighton Town Board incumbent Christine Corrado and challenger Clara Sanguinetti advanced. Incumbent Robin Wilt did not but remains on the ballot with the Working Families line.
- Republican Scott Hand beat Jack Merritt in the Monroe County Legislature’s 3rd District, which encompasses most of the town of Chili, according to unofficial results. Incumbent Tracy DiFlorio is term limited, having first been elected in 2015. Hand moves on to face Democratic and Working Families candidate Marvin Stepherson. Merritt also has the Conservative line for the November general election.
- In Wheatland, challenger Stever Call led town board member Tim Davis by six votes in a Republican challenger, with absentee and military ballots yet to be counted. But Davis and third-place finisher Joseh Snyder remain on the ballot with the Conservative line in the November general election.
