Election wins: Democrats constitute new majority on North Allegheny School Board

Democrats will take control of the North Allegheny School Board with the re-election of Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Warner and the election of Democratic challengers Bob Gibbs and Dr. Anisha Shah in the Nov. 7 General Election.

Nearly 95,000 votes were cast, according to unofficial election results from the Allegheny County Board of Elections.

Warner was the top vote-getter with 10,177 votes.

“It has been an honor to serve North Allegheny for the last four years, and I’m grateful the community has given me the opportunity to continue representing them on the school board,” she said.

Republicans Mike Weniger and Libby Blackburn also won re-election, however Republican Marcie Crow lost her school board seat.

“Although the victory is bittersweet for me as I will see some great friends and supporters of NA leave the Board, I am excited for the future of our district and to work with the newly elected board members,” Weniger said.

The results are unofficial until they have been certified by the Board of Elections.

Warner, Gibbs and Shah will join Democratic incumbents Leslie Britton Dozier and Paige Hardy in constituting the new board majority.

“I am thrilled with the results. I am also humbled and grateful for the support from the community. I look forward to serving,” said Gibbs.

“The race was truly a humbling experience. I am grateful the community has entrusted me to work cooperatively for the betterment of all of our children and school district. I look forward to serving to the best of my ability,” Shah said.

Republican incumbents Richard McClure, Dr. Vidya Szymkowiak, Weniger and Blackburn will be in the minority.

Incumbent Shannon Yeakel did not run for re-election and her term expires in December.

Democrats and Republicans each fielded a slate of five candidates for the five seats up for grabs in the election.

The Democrats ran as Together for NA.

The Republican candidates ran as Friends of NA Education.

The results were close among all candidates. Only 69 votes separated Blackburn, who won re-election, from Crow, who lost.

The hotly contested race followed the June hiring of a new superintendent and transportation issues in August that marred the start of the school year.

The new board will continue to manage a large budget, which currently sits at $193 million for the 2023-2024 school year.

This budget will include major upgrades to the three elementary schools, namely Hosack, Ingomar and Peebles. And the intermediate and senior high schools are being studied for major renovations.

New costs and planning for the new North Allegheny Police Department will be a major task to address, which was approved unanimously on Oct. 25, with the search for a new district chief of police currently underway. This includes hiring officers for each school building.

North Allegheny boasts more than 8,500 students, which includes seven elementary schools, three middle and two high schools. It is also home to more than 1,000 employees.

With 100% of precincts reporting, here are the unofficial vote totals:

Elizabeth Warner (D) — 10,101

Bob Gibbs (D) — 9,670

Mike Weniger (R) — 9,668

Anisha Shah (D) — 9,522

Libby Blackburn (R) — 9,494

Marcie Crow (R) — 9,425

Jaime Martinez (D) — 9,372

Sylvana Bonner (D) — 9,294

Katie Matz (R) — 9,275

Janet Redwing Sidor (R) — 8,703

Write in — 81

Total votes cast: 94,885