20 Votes Define the Tightest School Board Battle

In the race for three seats on the Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board, candidates Carolyn Lopez, Nicolas Yendrzeski, and Ben Owens gathered at a town hall meeting on September 26, 2024, to discuss Proposition 488. Lopez emerged as a frontrunner, accumulating 11,377 votes, which accounts for 31% of the total. Owens followed with 9,790 votes, or 27%.

Shawntee Rothschild was leading recent graduate Yendrzeski by a mere 20 votes, securing 7,699 votes (20.88%) compared to Yendrzeski’s 7,679 (20.83%). Approximately two-thirds of a percent of the vote remains uncounted.

The three leading candidates are vying for seats vacated by longtime board members Tori Anderson and AnnaMarie Knorr. Additionally, Lopez is competing for her position, having been appointed by Pinal County Schools Superintendent Jill Broussard late last year.

Lopez, who advocates for special needs students, is also a mother of two children with special needs. After the resignation of Board Vice President Gary Miller, she stepped into the role. Lopez expressed to InMaricopa that she feels special education is where she can make the most impact, although she acknowledges there is much for her to learn. “Thank you to all the people that voted for me,” Lopez said. “I look forward to continuing to work for all our families and making MUSD a gold standard in education.”

Owens served on the board from 2018 to 2022 and held leadership roles as president and vice president during his term. Having lived in Maricopa for nearly a decade, he expressed gratitude to the community for their support. “Serving on the board is about more than just a commitment — it’s about making our district and community stronger and better for everyone,” Owens commented.

Rothschild, a resident of Rancho Mirage, was previously among the applicants for the seat that Lopez now occupies. Meanwhile, Yendrzeski, the youngest candidate in the district’s history at age 18, is a political science major at Arizona State University. He noted that the election results are extremely close and remains hopeful about securing a seat. Despite the challenges of gaining visibility as the youngest candidate, Yendrzeski expressed his gratitude to those who supported his campaign.