Ten candidates facing off for five spots on board

Three incumbent Republicans facing challenge from team of Democrats

2017 will be a year of transition for the North Penn School District’s school board, with two of the longest-serving members choosing not to run, and a shortened term for another seat on the ballot.

A total of 10 candidates will be running for five seats, four of which are running for full four-year terms and two more for a two-year term. The four full-term seats on the ballot are currently held by incumbent Republicans Vince Sherpinsky and Tim Kerr, who have both said they plan to step down and are no longer on the ballot, and fellow incumbent Republicans Josephine ‘Josie’ Charnock and Frank O’Donnell.

Charnock and O’Donnell are joined on the Republican ticket by Patrick ‘Pat’ McGee, who was appointed to the school board in January to replace board member Carolyn Murphy after Murphy’s passing in December, and candidates Thomas Mancini and Michelle Rupp. Running as a joint Democratic ticket are candidates Tina Stoll, Christian Fusco, Mark Warren, Jonathan Kassa and Jenna Ott, on a joint “North Penn Neighbors for Progress” ticket.

Four of the five candidates from each party are running

for four-year terms, and one candidate from each — Rupp and Ott — are running for a two-year term to fill what would have been the rest of Murphy’s time on the board. All 10 candidates have crossfiled, and will appear on both Democratic and Republican primary ballots during the May 16 primary.

For more information on the Republican team of candidates visit www.QualityEducationMatters.com and for more on the Democrat team visit www.NorthPennNeighborsForProgress.com.