GOP challengers sweep on Guilford school board.

GUILFORD — A contentious Republican Board of Education race centered on how race is taught in town schools resulted Tuesday in the highest primary turnout in years, an official said.

The Republican newcomers who had received their party’s caucus endorsement solidified their positions on the November ballot Tuesday by sweeping the incumbents and two other candidates at the polls.

Running under the slate name of “5 Reasons Why,” candidates Tim Chamberlain (1,275 votes), Nick Cusano (1,273), Aly Passarelli (1,273), Bill Maisano (1,269) and Danielle Scarpellino (1,265) earned the five Republican spots on the November ballot.

Amy Sullivan (468), Joseph Golino (462), Bill Mulligan (453), Jim O’Keefe (453) and Ted Sands (432) did not earn enough votes after petitioning to force the primary. Incumbents Sullivan, Golino and Sands led the petitioning effort after being ousted at their party caucus in July when only 183 registered Republicans came out to vote.

The primary had the highest voter turnout in years, according to Republican Registrar Gloria Nemchuk. More than 47 percent turned out to the polls as of 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, or about 1,650 of the 3,511 registered Republicans.

The party registration numbers jumped by about 200 people since mid-August when the primary was announced.

The “5 Reasons Why” slate have been running on a campaign aimed to stop what they view as the “indoctrination” of students in critical race theory and other so-called divisive initiatives. The district’s superintendent has denied critical race theory is being taught in town.