School Board Election Shocker: Results Flip Overnight!

Pinal County elections officials confirmed Friday that all voting precincts have reported for the Maricopa United School District Governing Board election, which involves three available seats. Current results show Nicolas Yendrzeski, a recent graduate from Maricopa High School, leading educator Shawnte’ Rothschild by a narrow margin of 34 votes.

As of Friday, Yendrzeski amassed 9,785 votes, accounting for 20.62% of the total, while Rothschild followed closely with 9,751 votes, or 20.55%. However, a shift occurred on Saturday night, resulting in Rothschild taking the lead with 11,117 votes (20.8%), compared to Yendrzeski’s 10,967 votes (20.6%), reflecting a dramatic 150-vote shift in her favor.

In the election, Carolyn Lopez emerged as a clear winner, securing her position on the board with 16,628 votes, which represents 31% of the total. Ben Owens, also a former school board member, claimed the second available seat, receiving 14,180 votes, or 27%.

The declaration of “100% reporting” has raised questions about the results. According to Pinal County spokesman James Daniels, this terminology differs from its interpretation in other jurisdictions. He clarified, “One hundred percent of precincts reporting refers exclusively to in-person Election Day voting.” Notably, early ballot returns, which constituted approximately 75% of the total votes, were not included in this count.

Daniels indicated that tabulation from Election Day was completed on Wednesday, but further verification and counting were necessary for late-returned early ballots. He added, “All that is left to tabulate now are any provisionals or signatures that were cured before yesterday’s deadline. They will be tabulated tomorrow.” Official results will be confirmed when the board of supervisors canvasses the votes on November 20.

Provisional ballots, often used to check a voter’s eligibility, could still influence the race. The outcome may hinge on how many provisional ballots are cast and their alignment with Yendrzeski’s favor. He expressed optimism this morning, stating he is “just waiting for the county to conduct the canvass to confirm the numbers.”