Becca Hogan, Rima Mohammad, Brandon Smith and Aaron Puno held the top four positions in the race for four Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education seats Tuesday, Nov. 3, according to Washtenaw County's unofficial election results.
John Benson led a separate three-candidate contest for a two-year partial term.
As of the time of the county's 10:00:08 p.m. report, Hogan had 22,086 votes, Mohammad had 21,895, Smith had 19,722 and Puno had 15,584. Benson had 19,804 votes in the partial-term race.
Counting continues. These standings do not establish winners, and results remain unofficial until canvassing and certification are complete.
Twelve candidates competed for five seats on the seven-member board, according to the district's election information.
Four-year terms: Four seats
Nine candidates competed for four full-term seats, with voters allowed to select up to four.
The following totals appeared in the county's 10:00:08 p.m. report Nov. 3:
Candidate | Votes | Share of votes cast |
|---|---|---|
Becca Hogan | 22,086 | 17.96% |
Rima Mohammad | 21,895 | 17.81% |
Brandon Smith | 19,722 | 16.04% |
Aaron J. Puno | 15,584 | 12.67% |
Carolyn Siebers | 10,957 | 8.91% |
Kelley Ellis | 9,957 | 8.10% |
Jennifer Oldham | 9,750 | 7.93% |
Andy Spencer | 7,662 | 6.23% |
Lyndon Dibble | 4,989 | 4.06% |
The county also reported 367 unassigned write-in votes. Percentages represent each candidate's share of votes cast in the contest, not the percentage of voters supporting that candidate. Voters could choose multiple candidates.
Mohammad, a clinical professor at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, is the only incumbent running, according to the Ann Arbor Observer's voter guide.
She ran on the Together Forward slate alongside Saline High School social studies teacher Smith, former teacher Hogan and U-M senior Puno, according to The Michigan Daily.
The other candidates include retired educator Siebers, scientist and AAPS parent Spencer, pediatric nurse practitioner Ellis, parent Oldham and U-M sophomore Dibble, according to the Observer and WEMU.
Two-year partial term: One seat
A separate special election will fill one seat for a partial term ending in 2028. Voters could select one candidate.
The following totals appeared in the same county report:
Candidate | Votes | Share of votes cast |
|---|---|---|
John Benson | 19,804 | 60.87% |
Kevin A. Hudson | 7,332 | 22.53% |
Don Wilkerson | 5,239 | 16.10% |
The county also reported 162 unassigned write-in votes.
Benson, a senior manager of investment operations, received the Ann Arbor Education Association's endorsement, according to the Observer's voter guide. WEMU reported he has 25 years of financial experience. Hudson, a retired Pioneer High School class principal, grew up in Ann Arbor, WEMU reported.
Wilkerson, a former board treasurer, resigned in May amid a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving his estranged wife, the Observer reported. Washtenaw County prosecutors dropped the charge, and Wilkerson sought to return to the board. He denied the allegation, according to the Observer's original reporting.
As we reported Nov. 2, Trustee Steven Norton was appointed to fill the seat but did not run.
What's at stake
At least three new trustees will join the board in January. Board President Torchio Feaster and Trustees Susan Baskett and Susan Schmidt are not seeking reelection, according to MLive's Oct. 31 election preview. Baskett is the board's longest-serving trustee, first elected in the early 2000s, according to the Observer.
The new board will inherit a district still working through financial strain. The Ann Arbor Public Schools budget gap entering the 2026-27 school year was just over $4 million, MLive reported. Candidates also raised concerns about declining enrollment, possible school building closures and better teacher pay.
Nearly all candidates cited district finances as a top concern, according to MLive. The district's $25 million budget crisis more than two years ago remained a campaign issue, along with transparency, teacher support and classroom screen time.
"The community does not trust the district, the central administration and the board because of the way they've been operating over the past five, six, maybe more years," Hogan told WEMU.
Where to follow results
Polls closed at 8 p.m. Eastern Tuesday. Anyone in line at their polling place by that time was allowed to vote, according to the Michigan Secretary of State.
Readers can follow additional returns through Washtenaw County's election results page.
The county's 10 p.m. report listed all 112 precincts countywide as partially counted and none as fully counted. Those figures describe countywide reporting, not the percentage of school board votes counted.
Vote totals and candidate standings can change as additional ballots are counted. Results remain unofficial until canvassing and certification are complete.
