Ann Arbor Public Schools voters will choose among three candidates Tuesday, Nov. 3, for a two-year partial term on the Board of Education.
Don Wilkerson, John Benson and Kevin A. Hudson are running for the term beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and ending Dec. 31, 2028. Four full-term seats are also on the ballot in a separate contest, according to the district’s election page.
The partial-term seat opened when Wilkerson resigned from the board, where he served as treasurer. His resignation took effect May 4, according to an official board statement.
Wilkerson was facing a misdemeanor domestic violence charge at the time. Prosecutors later dropped the charge. He denied the allegation and attributed it to a divorce dispute, the Ann Arbor Observer reported.
The Observer reported that a May 28 court filing cautioned that the dismissal did not establish whether violence occurred.
The board appointed Steven Norton on June 3 to serve through Dec. 31, according to the district’s election page.
Candidate priorities
Wilkerson has emphasized financial oversight, teacher pay and rebuilding trust through better communication, according to The Michigan Daily’s candidate interviews. He described 15 years of district volunteer work, including coaching cross country and serving on the Parent Teacher Organization Council executive board.
Benson has a background in financial operations and governance. His May application for the board appointment describes 25 years in finance and work for a UAW retiree medical-benefits trust with approximately $60 billion in assets.
In that application, Benson said he wanted to make complex financial information easier to understand and strengthen the district’s financial review processes.
He also questioned the relationship between district revenue growth and employee compensation in an interview with WEMU, arguing that compensation had not kept pace.
Hudson retired this spring after working as a class principal at Pioneer High School, WEMU reported. His priorities include school safety and student support. He has proposed bringing back school resource officers, according to The Michigan Daily.
The district’s school-safety information says AAPS eliminated school resource officers in 2010 following a budget decision.
How to vote
Early voting ended Nov. 1. Election Day polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Voters can check their assigned polling place and preview their ballot through the Michigan Voter Information Center. Ann Arbor city residents can also consult the city’s Election Day information page.
