Geleff secures win for unexpired two-year term on Exeter school board, Democratic incumbent ousted

EXETER, Penn. (Heartland Newsfeed) — Following receipt of 4,117 write-in votes, a Libertarian was elected to the Exeter School District’s board of education Tuesday night.

Jerry Geleff, chairman of the Berks County Libertarian Party, ran a write-in campaign for a board vacancy which still has two years remaining in the term and had secured the nominations of the Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties.

Democratic incumbent Carole Kutscher was ousted in a tight race involving five candidates running for four seats. Receiving 1,958 votes, Kutscher failed to crossfile and was soundly defeated by Republican challenger Hunter Ahrens and crossfiled challengers Michele Stratton, Sharon McLendon and Jasmine Hacker. Stratton received the most votes as of publication with 4,261 votes, McLendon 3,894 and Hacker 3,854.

Ahrens, 21, will be the youngest member on the school board, having graduated from Exeter High School in 2014. Ahrens cited attending school board meetings and commenting on various matters of business, such as fiscal responsibility and student curriculum since age 15.

Hacker noted that too many voters were unhappy with the school district’s taxes, the third-highest in Berks County, and felt they didn’t have a voice and pledged to be approachable.

Ahrens, Stratton, McLendon and Hacker will serve four-year terms and will not receive a salary.

Results are not official until canvassed and certified by the county.

Jake Leonard, Executive Editor-In-Chief

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.

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