Grant County School Board election results

By Emily Bontrager and Thomas Harding

This election season all five of Grant County’s local school boards had representatives up for re-election, and vacant spots that needed filled. 

Below are the election results for the Eastbrook, Madison-Grant, Marion, Mississinewa and Oak Hill school districts. 

Eastbrook

District Four Incumbent Patrick Pinktertin ran unopposed and was re-elected. 

Christopher Duckwall won the At-Large election by 57% in Eastbrook’s only contested school board race. 

“I believe I bring fresh ideas and new perspective to the school board,” said Duckwell. “Comfort and routine can sometimes bring complacency and my goal is to break us out of that cycle and push Eastbrook forward.”

Madison-Grant

Incumbent David Whybrew was re-elected for District One Grant. 

District Six Incumbent Amanda Kelich was also re-elected. 

“I want to bring not only top quality education, but job-ready skills and experiences to our students,” Kelich said.  

No candidate was filed for the District Five position. 

Marion

Sarafina Salamo was uncontested, and has been re-elected for District Three. 

Gabe Delgado won the At-Large District Four seat over Todd Nicholson with 66% of the vote. 

There is no candidate filed for District Two.

Mississinewa

Kyle Speakman was elected as the District One Representative. 

Two seats in Mississinewa’s District Four At-Large were up for re-election. These races were won by Chris Cunningham and Jarrett Richards, who earned 33% and 28% of the vote respectively. 

Cunningham has been on the Mississinewa School Board for 28 years, and said he ran for re-election in order to help out with an upcoming building project for the district. 

“We have to expand right now,” said Cunningham. “With open enrollment, we don’t have any more room.”

Oak Hill 

Aaron Pinkering was re-elected for District Three. 

For District Five, Adam Thompson, who was originally appointed to the position in 2022 after a board member resigned, has also been elected. 

 “I want our school system to be one of the best in the county, if not state” said Thompson. “I am obviously invested as my children attend school in Oak Hill, but I also want the same for all who follow them after they graduate.”

There was no candidate filed for District Two.