The latest vote totals show a tight contest. Incumbent Michele Cantwell-Copher, Ed.D., is in the lead. Behind her, Eimear O'Brien, Ed.D., and Dr. Johnny Alvarado, Ed.D., are nearly even, with the former Clovis Unified superintendent holding a slight advantage.
Alvarado is in a close third place.
The candidates hosted watch parties as returns came in Tuesday night and said they were feeling good about the results.
"I'm excited about that confidence that the voters are demonstrating about me and my leadership," Cantwell-Copher told Action News on Tuesday night.
"There's been a lot of momentum in the last month or so, particularly leading up to the election. The vibe has been very positive," O'Brien said Tuesday.
Alvarado spoke outside Mad Duck after a power outage affecting Sequoia Brewing forced his watch party to relocate.
"It's been, you know, this is my first run at a campaign. Lots of good lessons learned," Alvarado said on election night.
It marked Alvarado's first comments to Action News after details about his turbulent career surfaced.
Documents reveal a separation agreement with Selma Unified and a later administrative leave from Parlier Unified, which he had previously said never happened.
"I was not being truthful. There's no doubt about it, when I went back and listened to the question," Alvarado said on KMJ last Friday.
"I don't think there's anything there that puts a blemish on my 30-year career," he said on Tuesday.
Results are still coming in, and the numbers are expected to change.
The current totals reflect only vote-by-mail ballots returned before Election Day.
It remains unclear how the issue involving Alvarado may affect voters until the next update on Thursday.
Action News asked all three candidates how they are feeling as they await more results.
In a statement, Cantwell-Copher stated she is "energized to be heading to the November runoff," adding that voters responded to her results as the incumbent.
O'Brien stated she is "deeply grateful for the support" and added that she "remain(s) optimistic about the potential of advancing to the November runoff."
Alvarado did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
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