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Two Republicans incumbents were leading the election for the State Board of Education Wednesday morning, potentially securing their seats on the Democratic-dominated board for another eight years.
The results could still shift, given that results on the Michigan Secretary of State website show votes from 78 out of 83 counties. Wayne County, the state’s most populous county that leans Democrat, was among those missing from the state data.
Republican Nikki Snyder of Dexter was leading with 1,971,253 votes, while Tom McMillin of Oakland Township was in second place with 1,946,129. If their leads stand, their reelections will mean two of the most frequently vocal critics of State Superintendent Michael Rice will remain.
In recent months, both McMillin and Snyder gained support from some parents for demanding action and accountability from the Michigan Department of Education after a federal investigation found it violated the rights of children with disabilities during COVID-era school closures.
Theodore Rhett Jones, one of the two Democrats challenging the incumbents, had 1,692,513 votes. The other Democrat, Adam Zemke, had 1,622,962 votes. Jones, who lives in Detroit, is senior director of talent initiatives for Global Detroit. Zemke is a former state representative and a small business owner from Ann Arbor.
Both Democrats also voiced concern over the Michigan Department of Education’s lack of communication with the board over the investigation.
McMillin was a representative in the House from 2009 to 2014. He owns a public accounting firm and is a father of three.
Snyder is a mother of three children in public schools and has experience as a disability advocate and nursing teacher.
Snyder and McMillin won their first terms in 2016 when Michigan went red for Republican President Donald Trump.
Two members of the U.S. Taxpayers party, one Libertarian, and one member of the Working Class Party also ran.
The board’s role is to make policy recommendations to lawmakers. It has the power to hire and fire the state superintendent. It does not have power over some important areas, such as school funding.
Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.
