Democrats take all 4 Plum School Board seats, defeat incumbent candidates

A slate of Democrats swept aside a Republican majority on Plum School Board, taking all four of the open seats.

Unofficial results show Jill Klipa as the top vote-getter with 14.9%, followed by Adam Hill with 14%, Tiffany Hyde with 13.6% and Geter Sloan with 13%.

Among the four victors, only one — Hill — has previous board experience. He served one term from 2019 to 2023.

Klipa said she credits backlash against Republican administrations on the national and local levels for the victory, but she also cited the consistent campaigning by candidates and volunteers during the run-up to the election.

“The local voters have spoken,” she said.

Happy with a high voter turnout, Klipa said the board election was good for democracy.

Hill said the win places a lot of pressure on the victors to follow through on promises, but he’s glad to be back on the board.

“I’m excited to be back, and I thank those that came out to support me,” he said.

Though the election saw Hill’s party completely displace Republican candidates, Hill said he has no intention of bringing partisanship to the school board.

Unofficial results showed current board President Angela Anderson trailing the four Democrats in fifth place with 11.3% of the vote. She’s held her seat since 2017.

Anderson was followed by Thomas Feeney with 11.1% if the vote, Beverly Purcell with 11.1% and Megan Chuderewicz with 10.9%. Purcell was appointed to the board this year, and Chuderewicz first took her seat in 2021.

Most of the victors — as well as many of the defeated Republicans — cited district infrastructure improvements or fiscal management as areas of primary concern.

Tuesday’s election was set in the midst of an ongoing, large-scale addition and renovation project at O’Block Elementary School and improvements at Plum Middle School.

It also follows two consecutive budgets with tax hikes for local property owners.

The Democratic victories are set to shake up the composition of the board.

The four victors will join incumbent Democrats Michael Caligiuri, Renee Richardson and Michelle Stepnick as well as Republicans Lindsay Arenth and Mark Stropkaj.

Current board member Ronald Sakolsky, however, was rendered a lame duck in the primary after serving a single term.

Unofficial results also showed Democrats sweeping Plum Council elections, unseating four Republican incumbents.

The school board victors will be sworn in next month.